Base station temporary setup questions for antenna mounting

[WSIU940]

As a preface, I should mention that I am rather green in the whole GMRS scene but I have some experience from my years in the emergency services, so I understand the bare basics. I only ever had to set up mobile systems and that was few and far between. I've maintained quite a few emergency vehicles and did a full upfit on one which turned out beautifully.

For my long term setup, I want to pop a hole to the outside of my house for a base station antenna to be mounted at the roof but I need to locate a good mounting point, penetration point, and pathway to my base station setup. I also want to install the cable in conduit to protect it if i have to run most of it externally, intall a proper grounding system for lightning protection and tie it to my data grounding system I built to ensure equal potential. This being said, I have a lot of work ahead of me for that Install.

 

I would like to temporarily set up my base station and mount my antenna inside the basement up between the floor joists near my base station location. I'm looking at horizontal mounting to keep it out of the way and looking at a ground plane. Here is a list of supplies I have so far. I plan to use a different antenna when I mount it externally on the roof.

 

-AnyTone AT-5888UV Mobile Transceiver

-BTECH RPS-30M 30 Amp Compact Regulated Bench Power Supply

-Nagoya GPK-01 (21" Radials) NMO Mount Ground Plane Kit

-Midland - MXTA26 MicroMobile 6DB Gain Whip Antenna

-PL259 UHF Coax Cable

 

My main question is with the antenna orientation and ground plane. The antenna mounted vertically would be ideal but I just don't have anywhere to mount it besides in the floor joists. If I mount it horizontally with the whip pointing toward the exterior butt plate of the wall, will I get decent signal reception? 

 

I should also note that some of the stuff I bought with intentions of reusing it on a mobile setup once I get the base station situated. I wanted to make sure that what I bought for the temporary solution wouldn't go to waste.

[WRUE951]

38 minutes ago, WSIU940 said:

 

 

My main question is with the antenna orientation and ground plane. The antenna mounted vertically would be ideal but I just don't have anywhere to mount it besides in the floor joists. If I mount it horizontally with the whip pointing toward the exterior butt plate of the wall, will I get decent signal reception? 

 

I should also note that some of the stuff I bought with intentions of reusing it on a mobile setup once I get the base station situated. I wanted to make sure that what I bought for the temporary solution wouldn't go to waste.

When choosing between horizontal and vertical polarization for GMRS antennas, vertical polarization is generally preferred. This is because GMRS is primarily a mobile and portable radio service, and most mobile and portable antennas are vertically polarized. Therefore, repeaters are also typically equipped with vertically polarized antennas.

Using a horizontally polarized antenna to communicate with vertically polarized antennas on repeaters, mobiles, and portables can result in a loss of signal. This is due to the mismatch in polarization, which can lead to reduced signal strength and potentially poor communication quality. If you are considering a horizontally polarized antenna, it would be most effective if all other stations you are communicating with also use horizontal polarization, which is more common in fixed links rather than in mobile or portable setups.

In a line-of-sight situation with a direct, unobstructed path to the repeater antenna, a horizontally polarized antenna might offer more gain. However, this potential gain must be weighed against the likelihood of encountering mixed polarization in the field, which can negate any benefits. For general GMRS use, sticking with a vertically polarized setup is recommended to ensure compatibility and optimal performance with the existing infrastructure and other users' equipment.

If you are setting up a base station and are concerned about antenna polarization, it is also important to consider the height and placement of the antenna. Antenna height is often more critical than the length or type of antenna used. A higher antenna can provide better coverage and signal strength, which can be more beneficial than the polarization type in many scenarios.

[WSAM454]

Not sure about your station plans.   If you "... pop a hole to the outside of my house for a base station antenna to be mounted at the roof but I need to locate a good mounting point, penetration point, and pathway to my base station setup.'  then how does the joists in the basement come into play?  An antenna that close to obstructions can present a higher SWR than the radio might like.   Up vertically, in the clear, would be the best bet, other wise there can be many compromises.  Using brackets to the side of the house should get you in the clear; I would prefer that to actually mounting it to the roof.  (on a tripod or rooftop tower.)   TV antennas have/had been mounted on brackets that way for years.

[WSIU940]

32 minutes ago, WSAM454 said:

Not sure about your station plans.   If you "... pop a hole to the outside of my house for a base station antenna to be mounted at the roof but I need to locate a good mounting point, penetration point, and pathway to my base station setup.'  then how does the joists in the basement come into play?  An antenna that close to obstructions can present a higher SWR than the radio might like.   Up vertically, in the clear, would be the best bet, other wise there can be many compromises.  Using brackets to the side of the house should get you in the clear; I would prefer that to actually mounting it to the roof.  (on a tripod or rooftop tower.)   TV antennas have/had been mounted on brackets that way for years.

I want to set up the antenna temporarily in the joists until I can get the long term setup built and in place. I don't get a lot of free time due to work, kids etc. so I was going to do the joist mount as a down and dirty temporary solution as I built the antenna setup I really want.

 

If I do mount the temporary setup outside, I want to make sure it is properly grounded and bonded. I work as an industrial controls electrician and I've seen how lightning strikes, even indirect ones, can completely destroy communications systems.

[WSIU940]

52 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

In a line-of-sight situation with a direct, unobstructed path to the repeater antenna, a horizontally polarized antenna might offer more gain. However, this potential gain must be weighed against the likelihood of encountering mixed polarization in the field, which can negate any benefits. For general GMRS use, sticking with a vertically polarized setup is recommended to ensure compatibility and optimal performance with the existing infrastructure and other users' equipment.

If you are setting up a base station and are concerned about antenna polarization, it is also important to consider the height and placement of the antenna. Antenna height is often more critical than the length or type of antenna used. A higher antenna can provide better coverage and signal strength, which can be more beneficial than the polarization type in many scenarios.

Awesome, thanks for that information. I will definitely be taking that into consideration.

 

I'm just trying to get something up and going for the meantime as I build the setup I want when I have the time to do it.