Base Antenna?

[ctvanover]

I'm also thinking about putting up a antenna outside for a base radio. I read the article about them but what I need to know is....location? I live in between some mountains. One of them slopes right down to my backdoor. There's two more out front, one on the right side across the road, and the other one is on the left side across another road. Where would be a good location for a base antenna and how far up the mountain?

Here are a couple of pic's from the side of the house.

 

[Robb]

Houston......we have a problem.......

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

Well is hard to say without seeing the area better..

However Basically..
The higher up you can get the antenna..the better..

So pick a tree not too far off and put up say a Imax 2000 antenna on top of one of those trees..

Remember this though..
That is...if the highest point of the antenna is not above the rest of the surrounding area...then the direction that is higher then the antenna..that or those directions will suffer ability to transmit and receive well in those direction(s)..

Depending on your surroundings..
There may well Not be a good way to enable good reception in all directions..

Ask locally any local CB or Ham radio operators to take a look if you want a better idea of what you can do..

Back when i lived p in the mountians yet in a valley between the mountians...i was able to do ok but nowhere as good as when i jumped in the car to drive 5 miles to top of mountian with clear views in all directions

 

[ctvanover]

What about coax? Let's say if I was to find a way to the top or maybe close to the top, what kind of coax would be the best?

 

[Robb]

To the top of the tree - or the top of the mountain?

 

[ctvanover]

Either one would probably be darn near impossible for me. I was just thinking....I live at the mouth of a hollow. Standing at the left front corner of the house the road runs back to the left and then forks into different directions. It also runs back to the right straight on for a couple of miles before it turns up hill. It's kinda like a big "Y". How far up the hill would I have to go to get decent reception? I can probably get better pic's tomorrow.

 

[Robb]

Do you have a radio in your vehicle yet? That should tell you about your reception already. If it is poor when in your car; then it might not be much better with the antenna. Better pics would help out - like looking down at you house from the top of the hill and surrounding areas - for a start...

 

[Marconi]

Either one would probably be darn near impossible for me. I was just thinking....I live at the mouth of a hollow. Standing at the left front corner of the house the road runs back to the left and then forks into different directions. It also runs back to the right straight on for a couple of miles before it turns up hill. It's kinda like a big "Y". How far up the hill would I have to go to get decent reception? I can probably get better pic's tomorrow.

ctvanover, I've never operated from an area that is basically surrounded by hills or mountains and close in as you describe, but I would think common sense would tell me I'm not going to get out very far except to other operators that are down in the valley also---and for sure if trying to use an Imax that is supposed to be a very low angle radiator.

Like Rob suggest, you can get a good idea, before you invest in a base station radio setup, check out your range and contacts with a mobile setup first.


If a 1/4 wave mobile won't allow you to talk to others within 20-30 miles or you don't have others to contact within that range, then you will have to learn how to make smoke signals. If there are plenty of other radio operators down there in the hollow with you, then get you an A99 and put it up about 10' -20'. I think trying to get anything up high enough on those high points around you will be a problem with excessive coax.

Good luck.

 

[ctvanover]

Is a 1/4 wave better than a 5/8 on a mobile? I'll probably go with a mag mount type.

 

[nat19]

The best way to do it is have a "mountian line". I use ladder wire and nail it to trees up the hill you use coils which are coax wrapped up to even out the singnal at each side. I really don't now a lot about this because my friend help hook it all up. I know a lot about mountians because I live in wv.