LMR-400 Coax & Base Antenna installation questions!

[ebayguy]

OK, I got it. I really only ordered the 45.5' of mast because of the price. It was $13 more shipped than just the 2. I figured if I got the antenna just above the roof line, or slightly higher, I would be good. This way sounds a lot more secure. I do have a neighbor on that side, and if anything falls on his brand new lawn, I think he would have a cow. And that's being polite. I would hate to hear what would be said if my antenna fell onto his house, or lawn. I think I might move. I was playing catch with a friend of mine. He just bought a new football, and wanted to see how it threw. The ball went in his front lawn. My buddy went into his yard, and threw from his yard, instead of getting out quick. My neighbor came out and was like "Get off my lawn. Get Off! Get Off!" :sneaky2: It was funny, but at the same time, I have to live next door, so I try to keep peace.

Anyway, thanks for all of your help. It is greatly appreciated. It may have been easier to do it the other way, but atleast this way is much safer. Now, I just have to wait, and wait, and wait.... for the antenna to come. Tomorrow will be two weeks since I have paid for it, and I am not even sure that it was shipped. It was an eBay auction. I :wub: eBay. Things are a lot cheaper, as long as you don't mind the wait. Sometimes it is a long wait.....:headbang but, most of the time it isn't that bad.

Thanks again.

73's to ya.

 

[Robb]

i wouldn't have 20 ft of mast above the bracket point , especially fiberglass mast without at least 1 set of guy wires . id use 2 for FG . id also want more than a foot of pipe/mast in the ground to secure it at the bottom , especially if it's soft ground .

just my opinion .......

The base needs only to locate the bottom of the mast. Even having the mast 4 in into the pipe/ground would be more than sufficient to keep it from moving around, so long as the mast has been guy roped at the feedpoint and strapped to the building at the top - IMO . . .

 

[ebayguy]

OK, I got it. I really only ordered the 45.5' of mast because of the price. It was $13 more shipped than just the 2.

Let me clarify. LOL They are 12 4ft sections of FG mast. You lose 3.5" on each connection, so the total is 45'. 2 4ft sections was $13 cheaper than buying the 12 4ft sections. And, I got a FREE carrying bag.

 

[milkman21218]

Let me clarify. LOL They are 12 4ft sections of FG mast. You lose 3.5" on each connection, so the total is 45'. 2 4ft sections was $13 cheaper than buying the 12 4ft sections. And, I got a FREE carrying bag.

Those green FG sections will need to be guyed. Because they are not strong enough to stand alone.

 

[Marconi]

With a neighbor like you have, and wanting to install a big 11 meter antenna on rental property...is probably a bad idea. And for sure when you know exactly what your neighbor is likely to do and say.

Just try mounting it about 10' feet high and see what happens before you go to a lot of trouble, and then consider some of the advice you see here if that goes down OK.

Not to cut you down, but your ideas so far sound a bit iffy', so maybe you're just not thinking about this project clearly.

 

[ebayguy]

Yeah, I usually go head first, and brain later. If at all. I told him that I was putting an antenna up. He asked about his TV. I told him that if he had a problem, or heard me, he could either call me, or come over, and I would stop immediately. I try to be as considerate as possible, and understanding. If I was watching TV, and I heard someone talking over it, I would be pissed too. I usually don't talk until late anyway, and they goto bed early. He gets up at 3:30 every morning.

 

[Robb]

If your neighbor has cable TV - or is on the dish like you are - then interference probably won't be a problem for the TV. It still might bleed over elsewhere, such as computer speakers or a baby monitor is all.

But if you don't run an amp, put a ground plane kit on the antenna, and make a RF choke using the 2 liter bottle and some tape, you should be just fine.

 

[Beetle]

IF you wrap a coaxial choke with LMR-400, you sure don't want to wrap it around a "2 liter soda bottle". As you observed, LMR-400 is a pretty stiff cable and needs a much wider coil form. At least 8 inches DIAMETER. And you might not need a choke.