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tested my dipole
- Thread starter 309hellinois
- Start date
Thanks! The frame isn't strong enough to leave up in wind or ice. Actually it's pretty flimsy. I laid it back down. It is sleeved on the mast so it will be rotatable. I'm going to replace the 1/2" pvc with larger tubing before leaving it up.
Here's a suggestion. Use a mast a few feet longer or move the arms down a couple of feet. Have a couple of feet of the mast protruding above the dipole and instead of supporting the arms from the bottom, put a couple of eyelets in the top of the mast and use paracord from around 2/3 of the way along each arm to each eyelet to hold them up. It'll cope with the weight of snow far better.
Its how my 10m Moxon supports the arms and it coped OK through winter here.
I don't have much vertical droop. The amount that I do have isn't what I am worried about. Horizontal flex is crazy. I'm going to slide the sleeve up to the top and add yet another sleeve to rotate in. I'm also convinced that 1/2" is too weak for the horizontal arms.
I may use your advice even after I replace the arms. Thanks!
It was only about 12 or 13 feet high. I just wanted to tune it and test it out. Once I get it set up permanently, it will be a little higher. The inverted v behind it has been taken down. That's where I plan to mount it.
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DX is going to kick butt with that thing once you get it up 18ft or more. Sounds like it is already performing quite well for you though.
What kind of results are you getting out of the inverted V? I havent tried that configuration with mine yet, i'd be forced to compromise on the height.
What kind of results are you getting out of the inverted V? I havent tried that configuration with mine yet, i'd be forced to compromise on the height.
It worked ok. I only chose the configuration because it was easier. I was able to talk to local stations and even got some dx with it. I'm afraid one of the old timers here has some health issues and the only other station isn't on much anymore. Other than drivers passing through and the 2 truck stops, there isn't much of a local scene. With that said I am much less concerned with local transmissions.
I can't compare it to flat side yet. I only tried out the new dipole for an hour after I got it tuned. My location is less than favorable. I'm at the bottom of a hill on my north side and the house is south of the antenna. I'm sure that most would have better results. I'm hoping that with more height and the ability to rotate it, I'll have better luck than I have with the inverted v.
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To be honest if you're going to put a rotator up I'd bin the dipole and build a Moxon rectangle then you get loads of gain and rear/side rejection. You cannot appreciate just how much being able to hear what you want without hearing everyone else is worth until you've tried a beam.
Whilst you're at it go to this site, enter your location and it'll print out an azimuth map so you know where to point it.
http://ns6t.net/azimuth/
Whilst you're at it go to this site, enter your location and it'll print out an azimuth map so you know where to point it.
http://ns6t.net/azimuth/
Thanks for the advice! I keep flipping back and forth on the moxon. Once the dipole is up, I'll see how much attention it catches from the neighbors. I hope to catch a break in the weather and get this up soon. The moxon will probably wait until the spring.
I removed all the 1/2". 1" is taking its place. I also picked up a 2" sleeve for the mast to rotate in. Same design just stronger. So much for discreet.