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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 15:25:55 GMT
Big Thanks To Druid Hills Radio
In the previous post Druid gives us the CORRECT link to Ross Radio!
THANKS!
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Post by mighty1650 on Apr 6, 2017 18:05:39 GMT
Those staples look an awful lot like the ones I can grab at the hardware store for 10 cents or less a piece. I used staples for my ground radials, have not seen any pop-up in the year or so they've been in the dirt.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 7, 2017 4:43:04 GMT
Thanks John! Did you see my question on bonding the radials. Do I need to strip the ends of all the conductors and bond them to ground or is it sufficient to just bond the foil shield and its single conductor to ground? Thanks. Jim Back in BusinessCarl & Jim are lamenting: "Too bad Ross Radio is gone... when Ross sent the staples he enclosed a hand jotted note which seemed to show that he thought I was a pirate radio station."DHR With Good News! You guys are using the wrong URL: www.rossradio.net
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 7, 2017 4:47:38 GMT
They are most likely the same, plus I don't consider steel to be not bio-degradable, unlike plastic. Steel will eventually rust, dissolve, and become part of the soil. Those staples look an awful lot like the ones I can grab at the hardware store for 10 cents or less a piece. I used staples for my ground radials, have not seen any pop-up in the year or so they've been in the dirt.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 7, 2017 5:10:48 GMT
John, So are you doing POE to power your transmitter? SO, if my antenna system is already installed, what if I install my ground radial system 100 ft. offset from my antenna? Will that still be effective or must it be directly below the antenna?
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 8, 2017 5:13:48 GMT
So, the weather has not cooperated the last two days and looks to be only "iffy" for Saturday. For now I have decided on (10) 30 ft. radials as part of the ground matrix. I will bond these to an 8-10ft. diameter circle of solid copper of AWG#6. I need to know for this application if it is sufficient to just bond the radials to the copper core using only the STP's foil shield plus the one shield conductor lead or IF I should strip the ends of all 8 conductors and bond them all to the core ring? I am thinking the latter. Thoughts? BTW this core ring will be bonded to an 8 ft. ground rod in its center and that will be a lateral connection to an 8 ft. ground rod closest to the antenna that grounds our whole house backup generator. <abbr data-timestamp="1491541848000" class="o-timestamp time" title="Apr 7, 2017 1:10:48 GMT -4" style="font-size: 10pt;">2 :48 GMT -4</abbr> jimhenry2000 said:John, So are you doing POE to power your transmitter?
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 8, 2017 5:17:52 GMT
Ditto! Big Thanks To Druid Hills RadioIn the previous post Druid gives us the CORRECT link to Ross Radio! THANKS!
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 12, 2017 1:16:57 GMT
UPDATE: First day I got (7) 30 ft. radials installed, then did a drive around to check on range improvements. I was more than a little disappointed in that the range was only (very) slightly improved. NEXT STEP: I decided to move the antenna from my 2nd floor deck out to the lawn and installed it right in the center of the ground radial matrix, and did another ride around. This time the range was somewhat better, but still disappointing. I knew what I had to do next, so I went in and re-peaked the transmitter. That really did it! I'd say the range was almost double from where I started! Today I added (3) more 30 ft. radials for a total of 10. I did a ride around and noticed another significant range increase, even though I did not (yet) peak the transmitter!I am guessing that the major effect of re-peaking the xmtr was because I had moved the antenna 150 ft from its original location and of course lengthened the coax by that amount. So I now am getting double the coverage from my first outdoor install!
So today I cut (10) more 30 ft. radials and weather permitting, I will install those tomorrow. At that point I will again re-peak the xmtr and see how it does. I am very optimistic. Attached are graphics of my first pre-radial coverage and then current level coverage. So, the weather has not cooperated the last two days and looks to be only "iffy" for Saturday. For now I have decided on (10) 30 ft. radials as part of the ground matrix. I will bond these to an 8-10ft. diameter circle of solid copper of AWG#6. I need to know for this application if it is sufficient to just bond the radials to the copper core using only the STP's foil shield plus the one shield conductor lead or IF I should strip the ends of all 8 conductors and bond them all to the core ring? I am thinking the latter. Thoughts? BTW this core ring will be bonded to an 8 ft. ground rod in its center and that will be a lateral connection to an 8 ft. ground rod closest to the antenna that grounds our whole house backup generator. <abbr data-timestamp="1491541848000" class="o-timestamp time" title="Apr 7, 2017 1:10:48 GMT -4" style="font-size: 10pt;">2 :48 GMT -4</abbr> jimhenry2000 said:John, So are you doing POE to power your transmitter?
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 12, 2017 1:30:37 GMT
So before anyone freaks out, I am well aware that the next steps are to move the transmitter to the antenna mount, ground mount the 102" antenna and bond it to the ground system. I am just trying to get the bugs out of the system configeration before doing that! Jim
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2017 2:27:19 GMT
Tree Mendous!
Very encouraging results Jim Henry!
Yes, when any metal is added to the ground side of the transmitter it needs to be re-tweaked, because the overall antenna impedance changes each time.
I'm still lagging behind but I also intend building an outdoor antenna 100-feet from the house and am very uncertain about how I'll get the wires out to the site.
I'm actually thinking about having several redundant connection systems:
1.) Underground buried wires;
2.) Wires above ground on mini-poles made of bamboo;
3.) Wireless audio by microwave.
A solar panel may be out of the question because the location sees little sun because of a very high "McMansion elevated on a hill to my immediate south.
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Post by jimhenry2000 on Apr 12, 2017 3:05:52 GMT
Carl, my inclination is to follow my cable background and install a strand with which to attach other cables to. Normally we would use a fairly heavy stranded cable from which to hang everything else to. In my case I am happy to hang a polyethyeline cable from my second floor deck to a large tree near where the antenna will be mounted attached to that will be the two audio feed cables to the transmitter and possibly the two power cables if I decide not to go solar for power. Tree Mendous! Very encouraging results Jim Henry! Yes, when any metal is added to the ground side of the transmitter it needs to be re-tweaked, because the overall antenna impedance changes each time. I'm still lagging behind but I also intend building an outdoor antenna 100-feet from the house and am very uncertain about how I'll get the wires out to the site. I'm actually thinking about having several redundant connection systems: 1.) Underground buried wires; 2.) Wires above ground on mini-poles made of bamboo; 3.) Wireless audio by microwave. A solar panel may be out of the question because the location sees little sun because of a very high "McMansion elevated on a hill to my immediate south.
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Post by Druid Hills Radio on Apr 12, 2017 12:18:49 GMT
So before anyone freaks out, I am well aware that the next steps are to move the transmitter to the antenna mount, ground mount the 102" antenna and bond it to the ground system. I am just trying to get the bugs out of the system configeration before doing that! Jim I'm not freaking out.
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Post by Boomer on Apr 13, 2017 2:15:20 GMT
I think I know what you mean, and it's not a 1960s freak out. Disgusting when it happens.
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