View Full Version : RV Antenna Support Ready For Use.
I wanted to extend my 108" whip for more efficiency and bands. It's tuned by my AH-4 tuner.
I made this antenna support and thought you might like to see it as it may give some an idea of what they can do without spending a fortune. You might even have a couple of $ left for fuel :o
I picked up this fiberglass telescoping pole off eBay for $41 on a "Buy It Now" from an outfit that has lots of them for sale all the time in various sizes. It's a Jackite and only weighs about 5# and collapses to some 46" or so.
http://i32.tinypic.com/1hxz4k.jpg
I built this holder, kind of like a rod holder for fishing, out 2' of 2 1/2" PVC and a cap ($3). I bought the pipe by the foot at Ace for less than $4 so don't buy a 10' pipe. I drilled holes in the cap to keep it from filling with water if it rains.
I used 2 1/2" pipe swivels ($5 total) and two lumber construction brackets ($3) with two 1/2" bolts and nuts and washers to fit my ladder on my RV. Although not shown it will need secured to the ladder to hold the 31' pole when it's up. But you could use a couple pair of vice grips or straps for that.
http://i25.tinypic.com/2dl3ybp.jpg
And this last pix shows the pole telescoped to the 31' length. I have a key ring in the tip of this pole which allows me to pull a small 1/8" Dacron line through it to raise the wire to the top of the mast once it's clipped on to my 108" whip on the other end.
http://i27.tinypic.com/21kmu0n.jpg
Needless to say this will be nice when I don't have any trees handy to throw some wire into. I didn't want anything that was permanent and I didn't want to spend a fortune doing it either. At least with this system it's all self contained on the RV and very portable and easy to store.
I am told by the people that made the pole it supports the wind socks it's made for to around 25 MPH. Other hams use these poles for dipoles while camping too and they claim the poles work well.
Of course it won't be used going down the road but I have enough to do just driving without talking on the radio.
Radio
06-19-2008, 07:36 PM
Now that's downright neat! And thanks for the pics. Please post the URL of the place you got the mast from.
OK, here it is. They have a store on eBay. Watch the shipping prices but this was still as cheap as I could find the Jackite poles. I see the price went up a few $ on the 31' poles too but they sell various sizes of them.
http://stores.ebay.com/Sisters-Home-and-Garden-Decor
Just another idea for your new 5ver???? You already know that when you buy a new unit you find many new things to put into it ;)
w6pea
06-20-2008, 02:21 AM
I want one too!!!! :eek:
Great pics and good info.
73 w6pea
One Country Boy
06-21-2008, 08:05 PM
Yes, a great idea. I agree, good info and photos. I'm about to give up on my old Hustler mobile ant's and Ham Sticks. Not having much success talking to the fellers back home in Florida and checking into nets. I'm going to have to do something different. Picked up enough wire today to build a 80 meter diapole since we will be at a friends pad near Franklin, NC for a few weeks. Currently in Dillard, GA. Nice wx here. Sure beats the heat and humidity back at home.
Jim - WB4QBW
I have not run the wire yet from the Whip to the pole but I think I can get another 45' of wire into the air based on my scale drawings. I think, not counting then bending of the top the whip I can get an average of 20-25' above ground level with it.
Then to experiment with the AH-h tuner to see what all it will tune. It recommends at least 23' for 6-80 meter tuning.
We have been running near record temps here and I won't spend a lot of time in this sun nowadays. We did have some early monsoon activity yesterday which cooled us down a little.
That in turn reminded me that I had better put that lead wire on the AH-4 on a switch or a clip so I can protect it from lightning. So I went outside and installed a large battery charger style clip on the lead from the whip so I can leave it disconnected during storms.
Our monsoons are about here and I don't want to lose anything if I can avoid it.
TXiceman
06-22-2008, 04:01 PM
I bought one of the Jackite 31' push up kite poles to build the Tee Pee v 20 and 40M antenna in the June QST. I removed the top 3 sections of the pole and built a slip on top section to hold my center connector with a SO239 connector. Antenna was pretty easy and it does give me two inverted V dipoles. Using a Tuner it will tune other bands.
The pole we reasonably priced and seemed to be sturdy enough for my use. I kept the top 3 sections in case i ever wantt o do a vertical wire.
https://www.jackite.com/index.php?cPath=41&osCsid=46d9b36bcb4950b81174f7c4baa3d31d
The link to the Jackite pole site.
Ken
Yes, I have the 31' Jackite and that's what is shown.
Very neat antenna support, I like how small it breaks down for storage. From what I can see they don't have any in stock but are taking pre orders not sure I would want to do that, I didn't know you could do that on Ebay:think:.
This is an eBay store that I got it at. They were out of stock when I bought mine too.
They just drop ship it directly from Jackite in VA to you.
There was no delay in getting it. I just saved money buying it from eBay rather than Jackite directly.
Every time I look at it I think it would make a nice vertical antenna by putting a wire inside and then extend it.
Andy N1ORK
06-23-2008, 07:27 PM
Yeah, then you can rig an Auto tuner and a motor to it and have it adjust automaticly to the correct length with the lowest swr. That would be cool! And you could call it something like the AutoSteppingVertical. Sorry, I just couldn't resist.
73
Andy - N1ORK
Well not from where I have my AH-4 you can't.
I have it mounted within the range of my control cables at the front of the 38foot MH.
And they want you to keep the lead to the antenna as short as possible.
So the control leads would have to be a lot longer so I could move the AH-4 :D
I don't' know about putting the wire lead inside. It might work with some lightweight flex weave which I have used from the Wireman to make dipoles on occasion. It would have to be flexible or it would bind coming down unless you were totally unobstructed on the bottom so it could trail out.
I have run into a few hams out there that just hang the wire on the outside on different poles out there and it work's just fine. One just attached it to the ring at the top and clamped it on the bottom with a thumb tightening style hose clamp at the bottom end.
Andy N1ORK
06-23-2008, 07:46 PM
Just kidding Ken,
I was talking about Bill's comment above and It was in referrence to the StePP-IR vertical that does just that.
Andy
Just kidding Ken,
I was talking about Ken's comment above and It was in referrence to the StePP-IR vertical that does just that.
Andy
Andy,
You are to funny but I have to ask who is the other Ken you are referring to? :D
Ken
There are a lot of things you can with that pole and a tuner, I might have order one sense it is such a good price. I really like my AH4 it dose such a good job. When I had a van I was told I could not run coax from the ah4 to the antenna no mater how short, it just will not work. Well I ran a 3 foot piece of coax to the antenna so I could keep the AH4 inside and it worked like a champ glad I had not heard this when I installed it. I have later heard of others who have used long lengths of coax with it with no problems at all.
On the Buddipole forum I asked the question if anyone had connected the Buddipole to a tuner, I get tired of having to bring down the antenna to change bands so a tuner would be nice. From the answers I guess it is a sin to suggest such a thing. So I put it together without and coils and the long whips and it loaded up great with AH4 and the field strength showed no difference compared to using the coils and loading it up using them so I plan on using it that way in the future. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Yes I know about the coax.
This is my second AH-4. I look at the schematic and such when I had a 706 I wanted to install in my diesel truck.
I just installed my own 259 connector on a plate out board of the case and tried it with coax feed to my whip. It worked fine.
The only reason I can see that they want that lead as short as possible is that it becomes part of the antenna?
They say ideally 23' will do all bands short of 160 of course. I have never really been much for 80 or 40 so far in my life preferring 15 and 17 when they are up and running. I also use 15, 20 and 30 for a little CW work when I get the urge.
I just like to play around and experiment a bit. I know the 108" whip can be improved on by adding length. I did it before when parked in the mountains by adding random lengths of wire to my older truck and throwing the wire up into high pine trees.
It's going to be interesting to see how much directivity I find myself with when I get the wire onto this sloper.
By the way. I found out that two small cinching cargo straps work to secure this to the ladder. Run one at the top and one at the bottom horizontally to the vertical supports for the ladder. I loop the straps around the support tube one time for stability.
One it's hanging and then supported for movement with the straps it's one tough support to try and move at all!
OK, I finally got some cooler WX this AM and before the monsoons and the lightning activity that goes with them started I made some experiments.
The rope I used through the ring to pull it up was a standard 1/8" black Dacron line.
At first I tried #12 AWG wire and about 40' of it at that. It dropped the end of the CB whip down quite a bit and the top of the mast I installed also dropped down more than I liked. I suppose if you need that big of wire you could put another line 180° from the RV to the rear to the ground and guy it in the upright position but I don't think it's worth it.
Now you could continue the length of wire here and turn it into an inverted "V" if you should desire.
I had lighter wire around so I put some #18 AWG wire into the setup and it's much lighter. The whip stands up better and the telescoping pole does not drop much either. Using the lighter wire it looks like the RV is in motion with the whip bending back at if in the wind. The telescoping pole bends the other was and looks like a surf rod with a slight pull on it.
I would recomend #18 or 20 AWG wire for this install.
Oh, and I used 1" ratcheting type straps top and bottom on the support tube for lateral support. I hooked the "S" ends to the ladder on either side and wrapped the PVC pipe once with each strap. You couldn't move that pipe if you had to. The ladder takes the vertical weight and the horizontal straps will keep it from ever shifting when the wind stresses the pole above.
Just sharing some ideas.
http://i29.tinypic.com/nla3ao.jpg
w6pea
06-27-2008, 02:07 AM
Ken
Looks like that should work. I like the Pictures.......let me or us know how well it works. I might just have to copy your set looks great. :radio:
73 w6pea
Pat
OK this is it. It is shown this morning with the morning sun hitting it so hopefully you can see the bends properly.
This is strung with #18 AWG solid which I had on hand.
The angle and height are both acceptable to me.
FYI the tip of that bright orange pole is about 35' in the air.
The black line you see on the 108" whip is 1/8" Dacron cord I use to pull it down when I travel. I have a couple of eyelets it feeds through so I can tie it down without getting a ladder out.
http://i28.tinypic.com/11ky51h.jpg
http://i30.tinypic.com/11ijq00.jpg
You know I never thought about it until now, but with a pair of poles you could run a dipole the length of the RV assuming it was long enough for the frequency.
Just playing around!
I just tried this antenna out.
I knew just prior to Field Day there would be a lot of competition for space on the air particularly on 20 meters.
100w, no processing (don't like to use that anyway) and with the slope of the antenna away from my target stations I was getting 5/9 signal reports to the east of me in FL, LA and GA. One guy sitting on 14.250 said I was the loudest thing that could be heard calling him by far. Not bad for an RV signal.
None of these stations were using beams so I picked them on purpose as they were running 100 watts and dipoles of one sort or another.
I think this setup will work for me.
I am not sure what kind of gain I am getting over the 108" whip but the extra wire has got to help me if I get on 40 and 80 in particular. I can tune 40 on the whip but I don't think it's really effective and 80 does not tune with just the whip of course.
Anyway, pretty simple setup and not a lot of money invested. Stores easy and the whole thing is light to carry in the RV so it works for me. :D
w6pea
06-30-2008, 10:04 AM
I wonder if the set up I use, a Sidekick antenna and a long wire and pole set up like yours would do good for my set-up. In the rv? I took a piece of wire (old extension cord) and clipped it to my antenna and then threw the wire onto the car ports (live in a condo) and was able to tune 75/80, 160, pretty well.
Honestly I think you would find that antenna ineffective. I strung out various lengths of insulated wire I had on hand hooked to to AH-4 for tuning.
It was strung out over my native trees here with a height that does not exceed around 25' or so.
I found that although it tuned 80 and 160 it was just not high enough to do much good. Just too close to the ground I am thinking.
I will add one final note. We had a monsoon come in here that was a good one yesterday. We had winds of 45 mph plus gusts over that which is typical this time of year.
This mast stayed in place just fine the with the wire in place. It did whip around a lot topside but it held up OK. I would not put a heavy load on it though with any kind of wind.
w6pea
06-30-2008, 04:33 PM
Ken
I think you mistook what I asked. I might not have worded it right. I use a sidekick as a mobile antenna. I also use it at home on a tripod. I was wondering if I put up a mast as you have will it work? I use the sidekick and it works great by it's self. I set it about 25 ft away from the RV with the radials. I was looking at your set up. If it helps with the AH4 and a whip it should work (I hope) with my set up I have hooked a wire to the set up at home and it worked well just in the tree and on the roof of the carport. So all I can do is try it out.
73
W6pea
Pat
Oh, I misread (won't be the first time either) you would still have to have the radials for it.
At one time while I was renting property I had a High Sierra model 1500 on the roof. High Sierra recommended 8 each 10 foot radials from the base of the antenna to the roof. Even if it was elevated the radials must still come from the antenna. If I remember right they said it would be better if the radials were not at a downward angle more than required too.
They actually told me that the antenna would work better lower to the ground than it would high on a mast.
Check your manual, I would bet that for non mobile ops they tell you the same thing they told me on the phone and that's the 8 each 10' radials.
I am not sure about the Sidekick but they also had me remove a coil on the base of the antenna at the time.
I am thinking that was for 80 meters????
You might want to call them on the phone. They are very helpful.
Personally I thought the antenna install was much better and effective on my truck than in ever was on the roof but when it's all you can have you take what you can get if you know what I mean.
I am not sure about adding extra wire to the screwdriver itself. Why not? Experiment! I know on the. 1500/1800 series you can add or delete the whip for certain freqs.
I am thinking that the long wire AH-4 tuner has a little more tuning capability than the screwdriver but you never know.
I thought about another screwdriver for the RV but this setup was half the cost, less maintenance overall and I think better suits my needs at this time.
w6pea
07-01-2008, 01:13 AM
I had High Sierra make me up a set that are 25 ft. long 2 sets of 4 radials like the ones that come with the Sidekick and the tripod. :radio:
I haven't used them yet. But when we go up to Nevada later next month (August) I am going to try them. I put a 102" whip on the antenna and it works better than the 3ft mast. Tunes almost all of the band to below 1.5 seems good that way. I have about 500ft of wire on a spool and will make a couple of runs and see how they work out. :poke:
73 w6pea
I can still remember the days of stringing field wire (the stuff they used for the field phones) from military sets practicing making antennas in case the station took a hit in combat.
Most of the guys in class did not pay whole lot of attention to these classes and how to compute the lengths needed for each freq. I thought it was interesting and that was before I was a ham.
When it came to getting the antenna up in the air they told us that if we needed something to help throw it up in the trees that the bayonet could work well for that purpose.
From what I have found out they don't teach anyone this type of stuff anymore and in the Army there is no such thing as a dedicated radio operator anymore.
I became an instructor down the road at Ft Huachuca, AZ not too long after arriving here on my first tour of duty after Radio School (05B) at Ft. Ord.
Taught CW for a little while, map reading, wire integration (like phone patches) and the operation of the PRC-25, the VRC-42-47, GRC-19 and the GRC-106 radio sets.
in 1967-68 most of the trainees that we taught had a 90% chance that they were going to Viet Nam right out of school. Most of course at the time were drafted at the time like I had been. When I graduated there were 5 in the class that did not go that way and I was one of them.
I had seen a ham station about 5 years before the Army but it was the Army training and a little boot legging on the bands with hams that got me interested in the hobby. You would have been amazed how many military radio ops were on the ham bands.
Many of the instructors at the course I taught at were hams prior to entering the service. One was also the NCOIC of the MARS station which I ran phone patches at for the guys in Viet Nam in our off time.
Richard Stouffer
07-03-2008, 09:32 PM
Camping now at the Thousand Trail at Lake Texoma in Texas. I've had pretty good results with the MFJ fibergalss mast, 32 feet, in the past, but nothing spectacular. I previously only used the aluminum frame on the RV as counterpoise and that's not been the best setup. Last night I ran a single wire aross the ground at about 25 feet for additional counterpoise and the erformance was markedly better. Had a clear signal from a VK this morning, but I didn't attempt a contact- too early and the XYL was still sleeping. Later, when she finally woke up, I received strong signal reports from several stateside stations, TN, NY, FL, MO, on 40 meters. The wire is 32 feet long and the top of the mast is 38 feet up. I have an AH-4 at the base of the mast.
By-the-way, putting that thing up is real chore.
Look carefully and you can see the very small US flag that's on the top. Perfect disguise, don't you think. I took this picture this morning.
73's and happy Fourth.
Richard- WU5K
One Country Boy
09-11-2008, 11:20 PM
Received my Jackite Pole from e-Bay today. Does't weigh much and very compact.
Walt123
09-07-2012, 09:41 PM
Hi folks,
I wanted to show what I am using now on my RV setup as a result of seeing this thread.
It is the Jackite 31' pole holding #20 wire aloft, driven by an AH-4 tuner and a IC-7000 radio (inside the trailer).
The photo shows the antenna mounted to the front of the trailer. The pole mount is a section of 2.5" Sch 40 rigid PVC conduit (the pole fits the tube perfectly), held to the trailer frame with a u-bolt (also a perfect fit). The u-bolt was a part of a flagpole bumper mount from Poles and Holders that I purchased separately from my local RV shop.
At the tuner, and the radio, I am using 4 Fair-rite #2631803802 ferrites with both the coax and tuner cable wrapped through them a few times. I have not seen any RF problems from 80 - 6m.
Also, the tuner ground is strapped to the trailer frame. The setup and takedown are about 15 minutes at most.
Results: camping at Pismo Beach in CA, (1 block from the Pacific Ocean), I logged 30 DX stations over a few days, mostly Europe on 15 and 20m with JT65, some PSK63, and one RTTY from New Zealand on 12m. You can see some of the results on my QRZ website.
I also have a 21' flagpole mounted to the rear ladder that I may use to support a horizontal extension of the antenna.
Walt KD6NJE
Radio
09-08-2012, 06:48 PM
With that we welcome Walt123 aboard ORR.net.
:welcome:
kb0ou
07-17-2013, 04:52 AM
I am working on mounting the Jackite pole (31') on the back end of my MH. I should get the pole today by UPS. I am mounting on the hitch. Will try pictures later.
73 kb0ou
kb0ou
07-18-2013, 07:50 AM
Let me see if I can add a image of the antenna I mounted on the MotorHome.....
http://imageshack.us/a/img835/6074/yfmn.jpg
These are small Pics... try another one...
http://imageshack.us/a/img708/2316/scvs.jpg
One more.. I used a hitch the had a Pintle hook on it, took the Pintle hook off and just used the hitch mount.....
http://imageshack.us/a/img580/6345/7o01.jpg
The U-Bolts are 3.5 inch and fit around the 2.5 inch conduit perfectly. The Jackite pole antenna fits in the 2.5 Inch conduit really well.
I put a carriage bolt through the bottom to stop the Jackite pole and attached the antenna wire to the bolt. Will attach the center conductor of the coax to the tuner to the bolt/antenna and the shield to chasis ground.
I may have to add a coil at the bottom of the antenna to ground, we will see how it loads up.
73
kb0ou
kb0ou
07-19-2013, 03:01 AM
It is now 03:00 Friday in Joplin, MO.
The above Pics are not there!! These are hosted at ImageShack. For some reason the web sight is not coming up. Maybe they are doing maintenance.
73 kb0ou
KF5BET
07-19-2013, 05:06 AM
You might want to try Photobucket.
I have never had a problem with them!
Can't wait to see the pictures.
N3LYT
07-19-2013, 06:45 AM
Oh, I misread (won't be the first time either) you would still have to have the radials for it.
At one time while I was renting property I had a High Sierra model 1500 on the roof. High Sierra recommended 8 each 10 foot radials from the base of the antenna to the roof. Even if it was elevated the radials must still come from the antenna. If I remember right they said it would be better if the radials were not at a downward angle more than required too.
They actually told me that the antenna would work better lower to the ground than it would high on a mast.
Check your manual, I would bet that for non mobile ops they tell you the same thing they told me on the phone and that's the 8 each 10' radials.
I am not sure about the Sidekick but they also had me remove a coil on the base of the antenna at the time.
I am thinking that was for 80 meters????
You might want to call them on the phone. They are very helpful.
Personally I thought the antenna install was much better and effective on my truck than in ever was on the roof but when it's all you can have you take what you can get if you know what I mean.
I am not sure about adding extra wire to the screwdriver itself. Why not? Experiment! I know on the. 1500/1800 series you can add or delete the whip for certain freqs.
I am thinking that the long wire AH-4 tuner has a little more tuning capability than the screwdriver but you never know.
I thought about another screwdriver for the RV but this setup was half the cost, less maintenance overall and I think better suits my needs at this time.
Most all of the screw driver types work best at ground level. I tow a camper and some times if I'm lazy and don't feel like putting up the big antenna I just use the Tarheel while it's still on the truck with a coax run inside the camper.
Walt123
12-09-2013, 12:52 PM
New antenna: LNR EFT-10/20/40 trail friendly end fed half wave. Works great, no tuner at base needed, NO RADIALS, easy to deploy on the 31' Jackite pole strapped as in previous post to the trailer frame near the hitch. The antenna extends about 10' horizontally from the pole tip, held with kite string to nearest high point.
New radio: Elecraft KX3 with internal tuner, 100 w amp soon to be added
Advantages of new setup: no radials, no tuner at antenna base needed (Previously used AH-4 tuner which has significant standby current), now only 0.2 amps (yes 200ma) standby current for the entire new rig
N3LYT
12-09-2013, 04:47 PM
Here is one of mine it's on 4' fiberglass poles up about 26' The dipole is made of the remains of an old 10 meter beam. The elements slide inside of one another I can tune the elements for 10,12 ,15 and 17 it works amazingly well and draws a pretty good crowd when I put it up the picture is at 17 meters don't think I get much more out of it! It 26' wide and 26' up looks funny over a 18' camper. It all fits in a box I made with wheels under it and I can get it assembled in less than 20 mins. The down side I do have to take it down to change bands.
wa8yxm
12-10-2013, 07:19 AM
I have a shorter version of the same pole but can easily "Extend" it by creating the proper "mount". It should work much the same.
I am working on assorted antennas. Currently when I can't find a handy tree I use a 4BTV fed by the KAT-1 tuner (Equivalent of yours but for my radio). It however does not work well on 75 meters.
N3LYT
12-10-2013, 11:21 AM
I have a shorter version of the same pole but can easily "Extend" it by creating the proper "mount". It should work much the same.
I am working on assorted antennas. Currently when I can't find a handy tree I use a 4BTV fed by the KAT-1 tuner (Equivalent of yours but for my radio). It however does not work well on 75 meters.
Yes the elements on mine are pretty good diameter and are mostly flat across the voice bands enough so when I tune them with the Bird AT 100 I don't need to use a tuner with the radio they are all marked where they fit together so it's just a matter of clamping they down. I all so have a 40/80 meter that fits in the top of the posts as an inverted V made from ladder line but that takes up a lot of real-estate and does require the tuner it's a full 1/2 wave on 80. Usually I'm some where I can play with the big antennas but it can be an issue at a camp ground. I do a demonstration for the boy scouts at a local camp ground I work for part time but I get a nice open field to camp in that's a lot of fun and last year I was the "gota" guy during field day hard some much fun on 15M I'm going to do it again!
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