Sunday, June 10, 2006 Copper J Pole Antenna
I cut a 10 foot length of 3/4 inch copper pipe to lengths found at http://www.wb8erj.com/146jpole.htm to make a sturdy 2 meter antenna. I used a pipe cutter to make the cuts and was pleased the cuts were clean and exact. I had purchased the pipe several years ago before copper prices rose. I do not think I would bother making this antenna at todays prices. I also have the Tee, street elbow, and two endcaps. The design calls for a 2 inch distance between the radiator and stub measured from the centerlines. A street elbow comes closest at under two inches. A regular elbow places the centerlines too far apart. The parts are pieced together and will be soldered next. I am considering using a jig to keep everything aligned. It is quite heavy already and I doubt if it can be supported by the PVC mast. I also need to choose the method of connecting the coax to the antenna. It will depend on where I am going to mount it. It just may go into the attic as a backup antenna. I really like the Arrow dual band OSJ antenna on the garage roof.
Sunday, June 10, 2006 Northeast Ohio Tour de Cure
I brought the portable PVC mast to the 2007 Northeast Ohio Tour de Cure. I was stationed along the bicycle route at the Hike and Bike Trail along Springdale Rd. in Stow, OH. I could use my vehicle and did not require the mast. I set up the mast in the yard the next Saturday and took a photo. I set up the base, four base extensions, two 5 foot sections and the Jade Products/K1YPP J Pole dual-band antenna. This J Pole was described in the 1995 QST. I also set up the second PVC base with the step-down adapter, a 5 foot section of 1 inch pvc and my Cushcraft AR-270 dual band antenna.
Saturday, September 2, 2006 Antenna Mast Project
The second portable PVC mast base was cemented together over the weekend. The antenna mast project now includes two bases, seven 5-foot sections, one 3-foot section, one two-foot section, one 1-foot section, and the step-down adapter to 0.5 inch threads. I have succesfully used my discone antenna, an Edison Fong, WB6IQN dual band J pole in PVC, and my Jade J Pole dual-band antenna on the mast.
I was also able to tune the quarter wave ground plane antenna for the 440 band. The antenna is constructed out of 12 gauge solid copper wire and an SO-239 chassis mount bulkhead fitting. The assembly is mounted in a section of 1.25 inch PVC pipe, cap, and a reducer bushing to connect to 0.75 inch PVC pipe. I use a 0.75 inch PVC T fitting and a 0.75 inch street elbow to allow the coax to pass easily to the SO-239 connector. A reducing bushing, connected to the street elbow, is threaded to accept male 0.5 inch pipe threads, common on all of my small antennas.
Saturday, August 26, 2006 Antenna Mast Project
I resumed construction of the second portable PVC mast base. I cut four 2.25 inch stubs from 1.5 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe to join the four 45 degree elbows to the male deep-socket (about 1 inch)threaded couplers.
Saturday, August 12, 2006 PCARS 2 Meter Simplex Sprint
I used the portable PVC mast for the first Portage County Amateur Radio Service (PCARS) 2 Meter Simplex Sprint Contest held on Saturday, August 12, 2006. I decided at the last minute to join in and work a few stations. I knew I would only work the contest for a few hours but thought that setting up on the back deck would exercise my ARES® turn-out capability. I set up the PVC antenna mast with the Jade J Pole dual-band antenna. I used the base and two 5 foot sections. The bottom of the antenna was 10 feet above the deck and 15 feet above the yard. It was connected to the Alinco DR-600 dual band radio powered by Sealed Lead Acid batteries. I made 19 contacts for 50 points.
Sunday, June 11, 2006 Akron Tour de Cure
I used the portable PVC mast at the 2006 Akron Tour de Cure. I was stationed along the bicycle route at a water stop in Canal Fulton, OH. I could not use my vehicle. I used the base, one 5 foot section and the Jade J Pole dual-band antenna. The Doylestown 147.390+ repeater was 7.5 miles Northeast of the water stop. The Alinco DR-600 was on low power and making the repeater full quieting. A short length of coax restricted the antenna from being extended even higher. The second PVC base I am making was used to support a golf umbrella.
Thursday, June 8, 2006 Deck Antenna Mast
The discone antenna on the back deck was taken down. A high SWR was indicated and the coax is suspect. The mast itself is working well. The antenna will be reinstalled after another coax cable is assembled.
Saturday, June 3, 2006 Antenna Mast Project
An attempt to connect three 5 foot sections of the mast while keeping everything vertical was a success. I was hoping that the 1.5 inch Schedule 40 PVC would be stiff but there was still plenty of wobble at the fifteen foot height. This mast is definitely restricted to lightweight antennas.
Saturday, May 27, 2006 Antenna Mast Project
I began construction of a second portable PVC mast base. I cut two 2.5 inch stubs from 1.5 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe to join the two T fittings and one cross fitting. One 2.5 inch stub was cut from 1.5 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe to join the vertical T fitting to the male deep-socket (about 1 inch)threaded coupler. I also cut four 2.25 inch stubs from 1.5 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe to join the four 45 degree elbows to the base assembly. These measurements are more accurate than my original drawing. I need to develop a better way to keep the pieces squared up while they are glued in place. I lucked out when I made the first base.
Thursday, April 13, 2006 New Deck Antenna Mast
The new 1 1/4 inch pipe mast for the discone antenna is finished. It will be a good test for the portable PVC mast I am putting together. I did notice that the threaded couplers I am using really bind up under the weight of the antenna, coax, and PVC pipe. It will be interesting to see how difficult it will be to unscrew them after a lengthy use. The nice thing is that I can easily swap the discone antenna with several other antennas I have. A Cushcraft AR-270 dual band antenna, an Edison Fong, WB6IQN dual band J pole in PVC, a Jade Products/K1YPP dual band J pole in PVC, homebrew ground plane 1/4 wave antennas, homebrew pvc J pole antennas, Arrow Antenna products, etc. are all ready to be set up in minutes. The two meter yagi antenna I am building will also fit the mast.
Monday, April 10, 2006 New Deck Antenna Mast
I attached the pipe clamps to the deck post for the 1 1/4 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe. The pipe clamps are great. If I ever see them offered in a store I will certainly grab a few more.
Saturday, April 8, 2006 New Deck Antenna Mast
I began the replacement mast for the VHF/UHF discone antenna on the back deck. I am trying a length of 1 1/4 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe I had. It will couple into a 30 inch length of 1 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe. I also need to get two stainless steel set screws for the Workman discone antenna. They may be metric. I wish I had gotten a better brand of antenna.
Monday, April 3, 2006 High Winds
High winds over 40 MPH threatened to tear off a VHF/UHF discone antenna recently mounted on top of a 7 1/2 foot mast of 1 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe attached to the back deck. The mast was taken down. It makes me wonder about the 1 1/2 Schedule 40 PVC pipe selected for the portable mast.
Sunday, April 2, 2006 Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club Hamfest
The PVC NVIS Section has a provision for mounting a SO-239 on a plug. I needed a tool to bore the PVC plug out to 5/8 inch diameter to accommodate the bulkhead connector. A 3/4 inch step drill bit was found at the 2006 Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club hamfest for 16 bucks.
Sunday, March 12, 2006 Antenna Mast Project
The portable PVC mast that I have been making is coming along nicely. The mast is able to support any one of several of my VHF/UHF antennas. I am now making a section that will be able to support a 75/40 meter NVIS dipole antenna with the feedpoint at 15 feet. The fifteen-foot PVC mast is made of 1 1/2 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe and can be guyed or unguyed. It breaks down into 7 five-foot lengths. Three of the lengths are for the vertical mast and four are for the base. I wanted a mast that could be deployed in a featureless parking lot, meaning no ground stakes or guys. It had to be cheap and transportable. It also needed some redundancy. The base lengths are interchangeable with the mast lengths. I used the deep-socket (about 1 inch) threaded couplers from Home Depot instead of the shallow-socket (about 1/2 inch) threaded couplers used for drainage applications. All of my portable antennas are fitted with 1/2 inch female threaded pvc couplers. I made a PVC section to step down from the 1 1/2 inch thread to the 1/2 inch thread by combing the couplers with various PVC reducing bushings. The 1/2 inch thread is also used by the Buddipole HF antenna system from W3FF.
I used the mast along with a J pole antenna during the June 2, 2005 Summit County EMA drill when stationed at the emergency entrance of a hospital. It was threatening to rain so I removed the base lengths from the mast base and tucked the mast right up next to the building for cover. The base of the mast was heavy enough to keep the mast from tipping over. It sets up as fast as you can screw the seven sections together and attach the coax to the antenna. If I am setting up on uneven ground then I have the option of removing the base lengths and use guy ropes so the mast will be vertical.