Mounting Imax 2000

[battyice]

This weekend I plan to get my Imax 2000 setup. I have about 15' of mast that will be anchored in the ground and clamped at the eve of my workshop.

A few questions for you all.

1. What is the best way to store extra coax cable? I will probably have 15' extra of RG-213 to deal with.

2. I was wondering if there would be any problem with installing a small FM stereo antenna on the mast, just below the Imax? I have been wanting to setup an FM antenna for a long time, and it would be very simple to add it to this project - just not sure if it would impact my ability to transmit/receive with the CB antenna. The FM antenna is one of the 20" round units, made of aluminum.

thanks in advance.

[MDYoungblood]

Under the antenna make a RF choke with some of the extra coax, 5 loops about 4 1/2" in diameter (inside the loop), that will use some of it up, the rest can be looped inside anywhere it won't be damaged. The little FM antenna may or may don't cause a problem, best try it and see. Don't put it directly under he antenna by maybe just above the roof peak. Check the SWR before installing the FM antenna and after.

3's

Greg

[battyice]

Antenna is up. Coax was too stiff to make a choke, I cooked the excess inside. Should have bought a shorter length...Oh well.

SWR is nearly flat. 1.2 to 1.3.

[battyice]

I meant "coiled" the excess coax inside. Autocorrect on phone got me.

Of course I get the antenna all setup...And nothing but dead air from the CB tonight.

[battyice]

Here is a picture of the finished product.

[Stoneman]

Did ya Ground the antenna, couldn't tell by the pic...

[battyice]

Mast is grounded, but I did not run a ground up to the antenna itself. Are you supposed to ground the mounting bracket of the antenna?

In hindsight I wish I had mounted the antenna on the eve for the main part of the shop. Would have been almost as easy and gotten the base of the antenna up over the rest of the building. Might get a new mast pipe and move it.

Any idea how far a piece of 1.5" galvanized pipe can extend above the eve mount and still handle the wind load of the antenna? I would like to get it as high as possible, but don't want it to fold over in the wind.

[Stoneman]

Mast is grounded, but I did not run a ground up to the antenna itself. Are you supposed to ground the mounting bracket of the antenna?

In hindsight I wish I had mounted the antenna on the eve for the main part of the shop. Would have been almost as easy and gotten the base of the antenna up over the rest of the building. Might get a new mast pipe and move it.

Any idea how far a piece of 1.5" galvanized pipe can extend above the eve mount and still handle the wind load of the antenna? I would like to get it as high as possible, but don't want it to fold over in the wind.

Sure, I would...You can never have enough ground on that antenna...

[battyice]

Thanks. Any thoughts on the mast pipe? I would love to get the antenna up a little higher.

[MDYoungblood]

Cool pics, especially the Holley double pumper,, lol. A lot of us use chain-link fence top rail as mast because of the swagged end, tight fit and easy to put together. Threaded pipe, the threaded area is a weak point unless you guidewire (guy-wire?) it at the joints. You could watch the local classifieds for a tower, they go over well with the misses. A metal mast going down to the earth (ground) doesn't need a separate electrical ground wire, the metal mast itself is the conductor.

3's

Greg

[battyice]

Greg, I took the plunge and ordered two 21' lengths of 16 gauge galvanized fence rail. Hope to have the antenna in the clouds in a few weeks.

[TrblShooter]

Greg, I took the plunge and ordered two 21' lengths of 16 gauge galvanized fence rail. Hope to have the antenna in the clouds in a few weeks.

Thats basically how I put my antenna up.. Dug a hole 3 1/2 feet down, 1 1/2 foot wide circle, placed a threaded 10 foot 2" pipe in the center, mixed 11 bags of concrete with rebarb within 3 sections of the concrete, then got another threaded 10 foot 2" pipe, screwed them together, then put a bracket at the eve of my roof, then made a sleeve out of a piece of 3" pipe , welded nuts to the outside of the sleeve , this slides over a reducer that goes from 2" to 1" pipe, then I have a 10 foot 1" pipe into my zero five colossal 5kw antenna.. Right now the bottom of my antenna is about 26 feet off the ground, I am in the process of going up another 10 feet so I can get to the ideal height of 30 feet off the ground. I am going to remove the sleeve and get a 10 foot piece of 1 1/2' pipe and I am going to slide it into the 2" pipe about 3 feet and cross bolt it, then going to take the 10 foot 1" thats connected to the antenna into the 1 1/2" by 2-3 feet then cross bolt that.. Also switching out my coax from rg213 to LMR 600 ultraflex.. Hope thats not to confusing... LOL! Good luck with your setup.

73's

[battyice]

What is ideal about 30' off the ground?

[TrblShooter]

What is ideal about 30' off the ground?

I have heard from a bunch of people and read about the sweet spot for vertical ground plane antenna should be at least 30 feet off the ground from the feed point.... So thats why I am raising my antenna another 10 feet..

[battyice]

thanks - I misunderstood you the first time. I thought you meant the base should be exactly 30' off the ground.

11 meters = 36 feet. That is the minimum height I am going for.

[TrblShooter]

thanks - I misunderstood you the first time. I thought you meant the base should be exactly 30' off the ground.

11 meters = 36 feet. That is the minimum height I am going for.

Its all good, no worries.. Yeah, mine will be around 32-33 feet, and I am good with that...

73's brother...

[battyice]

When I am finished with the new mast I will be sure to post back with any improvements I've noticed. I've been wondering if having the base of the antenna just over a steel roof does anything...good or bad?

I was talking to a local the other night telling him that I plan to raise the antenna...then I heard "Not sure why you want to go higher, you're pegging the meter in Northern Virginia!".

[TrblShooter]

When I am finished with the new mast I will be sure to post back with any improvements I've noticed. I've been wondering if having the base of the antenna just over a steel roof does anything...good or bad?

I was talking to a local the other night telling him that I plan to raise the antenna...then I heard "Not sure why you want to go higher, you're pegging the meter in Northern Virginia!".

The height should definetly help... Anyway, let us know..

[narfedwards1]

The metal roof will act like a giant ground plane ...mite even make it a tad directional.That thing is gonna kick some serious butt...I want one....haha

[Blue Ox2]

The metal roof will act like a giant ground plane ...mite even make it a tad directional.That thing is gonna kick some serious butt...I want one....haha

Sure thing my friend. What he said. You'll be talkin' with "Georgia 1" and the FL boys.
I'll be listening for ya.

73

Mike

[battyice]

Well, I was not able to raise the antenna with the full 36' of mast that I wanted. It got away from me, and I ended up bending about 8' of the pipe. I decided to cut my losses, literally. Cut off the bent section, and stood it up with what was left. Best guess is that there is about 25' of pipe above the ground. The antenna base is now well over the roof , and the tip is over the nearby trees.

[battyice]

It appears that I am "getting out there" pretty good - last night I was able to talk to someone 26 miles away, according to Google Maps. I am quite happy with that. Once I get some skip conditions again we will see how the new setup performs.

[MDYoungblood]

Sorry to hear about the mishap, one of the reasons my antennas aren't on the roof, no help. At least your on the air, happy DX'ing.

3's

Greg

[battyice]

Forgot to mention in my earlier posts, SWR on my previous setup was 1.2-1.3. Now it is a flat 1.0-1.1 across the channels. Hopped on 38 LSB last night and made contact with someone in Wisconsin, so everything seems to be working well.

[Blue Ox2]

Thatis great Robert. Sorry about the bent pipebut glad you got itworked out.

I'll be listening for ya.

Praise the Lord there was not any physical injury.

73,

Mike