Any Astro Plane Fans ?

[Tib2K]

is fence rail actualy strong enough to support an antenna?

Sorry I missed this....

For some applications I think it will be fine.



In my case there is only 4' of top rail from the support to the bottom hoop of the AP.

NOTE: this drawing was made for the original 20' mast the top rail installed was 21' so everything moved up 1 foot.
Tib

 

[Riverman]

I prefer to use electrical conduit (EMT)in its place.

What diameter, Homer?
And if using more than one piece, how do you join them?

 

[HomerBB]

I usully use sizes 1-1/2, 1-1/4, and 1". All 10' long. One inside the other as push up pole. Drill a hole through the two smaller pipes 1' from the bottom of each and put a bolt through it so it sits on the larger pipe beneath it. Three of them is 28' tall. If I need more I use a 2" diameter pipe on the bottom. There is slack between 2" and 1-1/2" pipes so I wrap the 1-1/2" with some duct tape to reduce slop. With 4 pipes I get 37' height.

 

[JAF0]

I usully use sizes 1-1/2, 1-1/4, and 1". All 10' long. One inside the other as push up pole. Drill a hole through the two smaller pipes 1' from the bottom of each and put a bolt through it so it sits on the larger pipe beneath it. Three of them is 28' tall. If I need more I use a 2" diameter pipe on the bottom. There is slack between 2" and 1-1/2" pipes so I wrap the 1-1/2" with some duct tape to reduce slop. With 4 pipes I get 37' height.

And you could do a 5th pipe of 2.375", which I think is the largest my local Lowe's carries. So 46' from a pushup pole, not too bad. That's almost a 50' tower.
If you placed 5' from a 2nd 2" about 3' into cement it would be self-standing until the first set of guy lines were tight, then a tall 12' "cherry-picker" ladder would allow you to access the top of the mast to place the antenna and begin the raise, with top guy lines already set of course.

 

[Oscar Goldman]

Sorry I missed this....

For some applications I think it will be fine.

View attachment 21610

In my case there is only 4' of top rail from the support to the bottom hoop of the AP.

NOTE: this drawing was made for the original 20' mast the top rail installed was 21' so everything moved up 1 foot.View attachment 21611
Tib

I have mine at the same height as your, and it works great for local and DX.

 

[Tib2K]

I have mine at the same height as your, and it works great for local and DX.

I have absolutely no complaints with mine it flat works. I do think its one of the very best antennas I have ever had in the air. (DX and Local)

101
ˌwənˌōˈwən/
adjective

1. denoting an introductory course at college or university in the subject specified.
   • informal
     denoting the elementary or basic facts associated with the field or subject specified.
     "Radio & Antenna theory 101"

Well for me, I have gone back to the basics. FT-101 and the AV-101.

 

[nfsus]

I kept notes, but that PC crashed with everything on it.
I had an original AP, but traded it away. Afterwards I built my homebrew using CPVC and PEX.
The homebrew tuned within CB.
I did not have an analyzer until later.
We only tried different skirt spreads.

What did you find with the different spreads?

 

[HomerBB]

Not anything I could detect with a radio Smeter, my ears, and an analyzer.
Modeling, which I don't do, seems to indicate it makes a difference in take off angle, I think.
@Marconi may know.

 

[Marconi]

What did you find with the different spreads?

Not anything I could detect with a radio Smeter, my ears, and an analyzer.
Modeling, which I don't do, seems to indicate it makes a difference in take off angle, I think.
@Marconi may know.

@Homer and @nfsus, I made the radials straight and parallel to the mast inside the bottom cone area of the Free Space model of my A/P. I also make the radials 6" apart (straight), and the loop with a 6" diameter...this model does drop the maximum TOA down to 6* degrees vs.15* for the regular model. But the antenna dimensions would have to be made longer in order to re-tune. I could fix the R - resistance, but the reactance was not correctable with so much metal missing on setting the cone parallel to the antenna mast tube.

The patent does talk about downward tilting of the TOA, but it also claims the optimum disposition is the present embodiment noted with the flared radials and loop. I did a model as I understood their words and I only saw angles above the horizon as noted above.

I tried changing all of the primary dimensions on my A/P model, and none ever showed tilt below the horizon, including the one with parallel radials and a loop to connect the 2 radials showing a drop to 6* degrees above the horizon only.

1. PDF file, see Patent details below, columns bottom of #3 & Top of #4 noted as "TOA"

2. PDF files, are 3 A/P models with different radial spacing used in tuning the antenna resistance. 1st model is in Free Space showing the Average Gain Test results that tests the dependability of the model, noted at the bottom of the 1st page. Radial Spacing used, 6" inches, 5.66" inches, and 5.58" inches.

 

[nfsus]

Factory astro measurements from actual antenna. Different from what most measurements you see online

 

[nfsus]

I had plans to really do some stuff, but damned ol life got in the way. Still got plans I just dont have the time to right now