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ASTROPLANE best vertical antenna ever?
- Thread starter nosepc
- Start date
I want to go with a Spiderbeam telescopic mast but a couple of locals are absolutely positive that I must use a metal, not aluminum mast because the Astroplane will not work properly with aluminum. I'm confused with their reasoning. I understand that the mast acts as part of the antenna with the Astroplane. My current aluminum mast is working fine with my Astroplane.
hairball,
I ran my astroplane using a fiberglass mast for over three years with perfect performance.
yes, the "mast" needs to be there, but if you use a non-conductive material for the mast then the antenna uses the coax shield as that counterpoise.
it really only needs metal down to about 9 feet below the hoop and really doesn't care what you use below that.
my plan was to isolate the antenna up in the air as much as i could, so i used a fiberglass telescoping mast, and choked the coax 9 feet below the hoop to stop the common mode currents at that point.
it worked amazingly.
one thing i must point out though!
if you or anyone else chooses to do the install this way, you MUST!!! use a proper lightning arrestor at ground level, with at least one 8 foot ground rod, right outside your shack in order to dissipate any static that can and will build up on the antenna.
if you don't, you have just created a big lightning rod that will shock you when the static builds up on the antenna.
I wouldn't take much stock in whatever those guys are saying, as they don't seem to have much science in their thinking.
LC
I ran my astroplane using a fiberglass mast for over three years with perfect performance.
yes, the "mast" needs to be there, but if you use a non-conductive material for the mast then the antenna uses the coax shield as that counterpoise.
it really only needs metal down to about 9 feet below the hoop and really doesn't care what you use below that.
my plan was to isolate the antenna up in the air as much as i could, so i used a fiberglass telescoping mast, and choked the coax 9 feet below the hoop to stop the common mode currents at that point.
it worked amazingly.
one thing i must point out though!
if you or anyone else chooses to do the install this way, you MUST!!! use a proper lightning arrestor at ground level, with at least one 8 foot ground rod, right outside your shack in order to dissipate any static that can and will build up on the antenna.
if you don't, you have just created a big lightning rod that will shock you when the static builds up on the antenna.
I wouldn't take much stock in whatever those guys are saying, as they don't seem to have much science in their thinking.
LC
Hello all,
Wow this post is a heck of a long read! Alot of it goes over my head but as this seems to be the most talked about discussion on the internet about Astroplanes I have what i guess is was the last new one in a box and just put it together. And before it goes up
a very large tree what are the things i need to do to optimize the antenna? As once it
goes up it is NOT coming back down.So i would like to get it right the first time.
Thank you and look forward to hear from you all.
J
Wow this post is a heck of a long read! Alot of it goes over my head but as this seems to be the most talked about discussion on the internet about Astroplanes I have what i guess is was the last new one in a box and just put it together. And before it goes up
a very large tree what are the things i need to do to optimize the antenna? As once it
goes up it is NOT coming back down.So i would like to get it right the first time.
Thank you and look forward to hear from you all.
J
The models I made, and I think Marconi made as well we based on the exact dimensions of the antenna. You shouldn't have to do much of anything unless you have a problem.
The DB
The DB
You are probably not going to want the antenna touching any leaves or branches... there is that to consider. The best plan would surely be right at the top as high above the top of the tree somehow in the clear.
Had a scan through this, odd looking antenna.
Had a scan through this, odd looking antenna.
Well Back in 1977 I had a super Penetrator and locally it got out great, One of my friends had a Astroplane and locally it was a mud duck however one day i was over the next valley from were we lived and i was able to hear my friend talking without power and nobody else from our group. So hear i am 40 plus years from then and wanted to get back into it and searched for over two years and finally found a new in the box Avanti Astroplane and bought it. The point is I have really only one chance to get it up in this tree and just want to do it right. It will be on a 20 foot metal mast with at least 10 feet of the mast clear of the top of the tree to make sure that as it grows it will always be clear of any branches or leaves from interfering. So after the first on the year my reception should be fantastic.
i dont know much about putting antennas in tree....but if it were mine id get another mast same lenth ,metal connect them two using u bolts n clamps then mount antenna above it ..if that tree should ever fall ;and they do' ya antenna is gonna get destroyed
Well yes there is that! Nevermind all the work and hunting i went thru to find a NEW one in a sealed box. But i have 2 150+ foot trees in my backyard and i pretty sure i do not plan to take it with me if and when i sell this house. Besides i did put a lot of thought into what antenna i wanted and the reason behind it. Due to HOA i can not have any antennas on my roof, But it says nothing about in my trees. @nd i am not a fan of fiberglass and
whatever i got had to be small enough to be carried 150 up a tree and be mounted. I can make a cardboard shell and use packing tape to get it to go up and around branches alot easier than having a tree guy try to haul up Super Penatrator. SO it was the best all around choice.