New homebrew J-pole. To ground or not to ground. - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - New homebrew J-pole. To ground or not to ground.

Posted: 8/2/2015 12:26:02 PM EDT

I am getting much better range than I was getting with the mobile magnet mount and a pizza tray but... Should I mount my new J-pole via a metal stub out the bottom of the J or with a non conductor? This setup will be used inside/out of the weather. Plan is to get it as high as possible and vertical.

Thanks

Posted: 8/2/2015 1:00:09 PM EDT

[#1]

Mines ungrounded @ about 20 feet. I'm using a piece of pvc pipe with a 1" hole as a stand off mount/ arm from regular antenna mast.

Posted: 8/2/2015 1:16:02 PM EDT

[#2]

I had one that was grounded and several that weren't. I saw absolutely no difference between them.

Posted: 8/2/2015 1:17:58 PM EDT

[#3]

Thanks. I think my terms are wrong. Better way to ask would be. Do you have anything metallic coming out of the bottom of the short side? I see pipe and I see non-metallic stubs. Is the height more of an issue than that material? Sorry. I am a NEWB.

SS

Posted: 8/2/2015 1:55:43 PM EDT

[#4]

It shouldn't affect performance either way. ETA: Height will affect performnce, and you should aim to get it as high as possible

Posted: 8/2/2015 4:16:01 PM EDT

[#5]

It does not matter in any way if the stub is attached to insulator or metal, grounded or ungrounded. This according to
several J-Pole (ditto Slim Jim) experts I have talked to.

Posted: 8/2/2015 7:02:56 PM EDT

[#6]

Okay then. I will have copper coming out and get it up as high as I can. Thanks for all the help.

SS

Posted: 8/3/2015 10:21:40 PM EDT

[#7]

Having it mounted on a support that is grounded shouldn't be a problem. There can be RF coupling issues but they can arise in the feed line itself just the same. A lot of commercial VHF antennas employ devices which are supposed to limit that (essentially radials but with a nonstandard purpose), but the J-pole isn't one of them.

Posted: 8/5/2015 10:38:27 AM EDT

[#8]

I have mounted it on a sweated water pipe base that is all metal with no insulators at all. It seems to be working well and I have hit about fifteen different repeaters in the area. Thanks for all the input!

Posted: 8/5/2015 10:39:20 AM EDT

[#9]

I have mounted it on a sweated water pipe base that is all metal with no insulators at all. It seems to be working well and I have hit about fifteen different repeaters in the area. Thanks for all the input!

Posted: 8/5/2015 10:40:53 AM EDT

[#10]

Van Halen had it right... "higher, and higher...."

Go up, young man.

Posted: 8/5/2015 6:18:49 PM EDT

[#11]

You have metal coming down off the Jpole, be it a mounting pole or just the coax shield.

Either way would be best to have some RF choking, or else put radials on it to decouple the antenna.

Posted: 8/7/2015 4:24:03 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
You have metal coming down off the Jpole, be it a mounting pole or just the coax shield.

Either way would be best to have some RF choking, or else put radials on it to decouple the antenna.

View Quote

This.

Also you must ground the mast to your main grounding bus. Preferably a short heavy wire directly to the ground at the meter. Called single point grounding technique. SPG. Typically ground the coax before it enters the house too.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - New homebrew J-pole. To ground or not to ground.

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