Dipole antenna ground or no ground

[ironman1956]

Does a dipole antenna , the ones with the 2 wires and the center with the metal eye loop need to be grounded? Would you ground the eye loop where you hang it from? I just received mine along with my new Uniden Bearcat SSB/AM radio. I am going to mount it on a T made of pvc which I have on a 20 foot pole and lean it up against the 2 story house just to see how it is going to work. I know I should attach the 108" wires to the t bracket which will put the wires 180 degrees apart. Is this okay?

[MDYoungblood]

No the dipole itself does not have to be grounded but the coax does, install a lightning arrestor (or surge suppressor, they have several different names) on the coax before it enters the house, that would be the extant on grounding for that type of antenna. Remember as a precaution, unhook the radio during a thunderstorm. For installing the dipole, get the center as high as possible and the ends coming downwards at a 30 to 45 deg angle, adjusting the angle will give you the best SWR. You could check out some YouTube's on them.

3's

Greg

[ironman1956]

No the dipole itself does not have to be grounded but the coax does, install a lightning arrestor (or surge suppressor, they have several different names) on the coax before it enters the house, that would be the extant on grounding for that type of antenna. Remember as a precaution, unhook the radio during a thunderstorm. For installing the dipole, get the center as high as possible and the ends coming downwards at a 30 to 45 deg angle, adjusting the angle will give you the best SWR. You could check out some YouTube's on them.

3's

Greg

How would I ground the coax the outer ring on the PL 259 with a copper wire and like small radiator clamp.

[-357Mag]

No ground required for a Dipole. There are several ways to use that antenna running it in the Horizontal configuration is great for DX work but aint worth spit for local. I recommend the inverted "V" if you want to talk Local as a good compromise. It also needs Free space and height mine is at 30' at the feed point the ends are at 45 deg off the center running through a 1:1 balun and RG8 to the shack and my SWR are 1.3:1 on 27.4050. A Dipole in Free space has 75 ohms of impedance the closer to the ground the more ohms it will have ( More ohms the higher the SWR) It is easier to match a 75 ohm antenna a 50 ohm receiver in fact 75 ohnm load into a 50 ohm source is 1.5:1 match. getting the ends to close together will raise the SWR's as well. Dipoles are balanced antennas so to tune it you must be accurate with your measurements lets assume you clip an inch on the + you must clip an 1" on the - side too. I don't recommend cutting if you need to shorten it but rather fold the ends back on the antenna and secure with wire ties it is the same as cutting and that part will be invisible to the RF much safer if you go to far because once you cut it you aint getting it back.

[MDYoungblood]

You should use something like this,
[Please login or register to view this link] this is an inexpensive type to

[Please login or register to view this link] this is more expensive,
There are more types, "Google" lightning arrestors and check the sponsors for one.

3's

Greg

[ironman1956]

No ground required for a Dipole. There are several ways to use that antenna running it in the Horizontal configuration is great for DX work but aint worth spit for local. I recommend the inverted "V" if you want to talk Local as a good compromise. It also needs Free space and height mine is at 30' at the feed point the ends are at 45 deg off the center running through a 1:1 balun and RG8 to the shack and my SWR are 1.3:1 on 27.4050. A Dipole in Free space has 75 ohms of impedance the closer to the ground the more ohms it will have ( More ohms the higher the SWR) It is easier to match a 75 ohm antenna a 50 ohm receiver in fact 75 ohnm load into a 50 ohm source is 1.5:1 match. getting the ends to close together will raise the SWR's as well. Dipoles are balanced antennas so to tune it you must be accurate with your measurements lets assume you clip an inch on the + you must clip an 1" on the - side too. I don't recommend cutting if you need to shorten it but rather fold the ends back on the antenna and secure with wire ties it is the same as cutting and that part will be invisible to the RF much safer if you go to far because once you cut it you aint getting it back.

Thankyou for the help. I thought of putting it on my 30 foot tall pole (well grounded) and putting the 108" wires coming off of it at about a 45 degree from center line. I got that info from another user. I am mainly interested in long distance skip talk. I know I should not connect the leads to anything metal I believe but could use something like some 120 pound test braided fishing line. The pole will be guy wired but the antenna leads not connecting to the guy wires. The dipole I purchased has the ends folded back and if I have to shorten them I will take your advice and measure accurately and fold them back farther. I received my radio & swr meter now waiting on my heavy duty coax and the power supply which should both be here today. Thankyou again and glad you pointed out that if I do not get enough height it will have a high swr, so I am going with the 30 feet for the attachment point.

-- Wednesday, 24 September 2014, 9:03 AM --

Okay my dipole is up 20 feet high with a 45 degree angles on the two wires. I used grey pvc for this and a connector. I used a copper wire and clamp and grounded the outer ring of the coax where it screws on to the dipole. I have it hooked up to my new Uniden Bearcat SSB with a 12 amp power supply. Seems like I am having trouble skipping out. I do not know if it is the antenna or the height since my home is 24 feet to the eave and there are many more around me the same height. Any comments would be appreciated. I have the antenna facing Northwest and Southeast which should make it talk Southwest and Northeast.