Ground plane next to tower

[NeoHam]

My TV antenna is about 35' up so I am going to put some kind of offset for a 10 meter ground plane mounted to the side of it at about 15 feet up. Are there any considerations about the antenna being parallel to the tower?

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[Captain Kilowatt]

Yep, big considerations. They start with how far away from the tower will the GP be mounted. The further the better and it will still be a compromise installation. The signal my well be attenuated in the direction towards the tower but to what degree is unpredictable. The SWR may increase due to proximity to the tower and the fact that the tower is almost an exact full wavelength high (long) it may very well reflect and/or re-radiate any RF from the GP antenna. Personally I would never mount a vertical antenna parallel to a tower. The best place is at the top above the TV antenna.

 

[Robb]

Think I would keep both of these antennas as far apart as physically possible on your property. Certainly not having both on the same tower. Yikes!

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Think I would keep both of these antennas as far apart as physically possible on your property. Certainly not having both on the same tower. Yikes!

Actually with the GP above the TV antenna the TV antenna would be in a null of the GP and would likely have less signal hitting it than if it were mounted at the same level a wavelength or more away. My concerns are more with the tower interacting with the GP.

 

[NeoHam]

I was going to put a 2 meter antenna on top or next to the 10 meter on a horizontal bar. Could I actually use the tower to create a lobe to my advantage?


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[Wire Weasel]

A vertical mounted on the side of a tower MAY see a minor forward lobe going in the direction away from the tower. You will definitely experience a null toward the side facing the tower hurting reception from that direction. Depending on where you are and what directions you may wish to favor.....this arrangement can help or hurt you.