Equipment List (will be adding to)

[Doctnj]

So handhelds came in last night and had a fun time seeing how far they could reach half charged.  I could not wait till they were fully charged.  Most rechargeable batteries are shipped between 30 and 50 % at least in the drone world.  Way better than expected even though.  Almost 3 miles with rolling small hills and trees.  KG-805G and NA-771G on top.  Wife was still in the house and I was in my truck so pretty nice.

Now the rest of the plan.  ----- What is already on order    JetStream 25 Amp switching power supply.  Tram 1486, Kg-100G radio, and for mobile, NL-770g, Tram 1296 mno-UHF adapter, Br-1258 UHF 3/4 inch hole mnt, comes w 17 ft coax. 

 

                                          -----  What is about to be ordered   ROHN 28' MAST pushup, ROHN 24D WALL MOUNT, ROHN BASE, GROUND WIRE, GROUND ROD, GROUND WELD CLAMP, GOUNDING BAR, ALPHA DELTA UHF COAX SURGE PROTECTOR, GROUND COPPER WIRE,  COAX CONNECTOR WEATHER PROOFING TAPE,  ( not sold on guy wire etc ) since it goes up, it can come down or lower for storms.  Ill have to look at it, the mast is 28' max and I dont see going much past 20 if that.

For the coax Ill use will be the good stuff.  I need to do some measuring and figure out how many fittings I need plus 2 and how many feet of coax plus 5'

AND AN SWR METER  - but im not saying which one

So far for now.  Any suggestions excepts swr's welcomed                                       

[axorlov]

I did not know that DC-grounded antennas exist for UHF frequencies. I thought it's more of a feature of how matching is done on HF antennas. Anyway, the article and discussion is about hit from lightning. It's wrong to assume that lightning could possibly  be "forced into shield" (quote from the article). If lightning tastes your cable it would not matter at all if the center conductor DC-grounded or not.

However DC-ground antennas offer free and reliable relief from static buildup.

[Doctnj]

27 minutes ago, axorlov said:

I did not know that DC-grounded antennas exist for UHF frequencies. I thought it's more of a feature of how matching is done on HF antennas. Anyway, the article and discussion is about hit from lightning. It's wrong to assume that lightning could possibly  be "forced into shield" (quote from the article). If lightning tastes your cable it would not matter at all if the center conductor DC-grounded or not.

However DC-ground antennas offer free and reliable relief from static buildup.

The features listed under this antenna state it is DC grounded so hopping its not pouring rain when I get home so I can actually check for sure. 

[kidphc]

38 minutes ago, axorlov said:

I did not know that DC-grounded antennas exist for UHF frequencies. I thought it's more of a feature of how matching is done on HF antennas. Anyway, the article and discussion is about hit from lightning. It's wrong to assume that lightning could possibly  be "forced into shield" (quote from the article). If lightning tastes your cable it would not matter at all if the center conductor DC-grounded or not.

However DC-ground antennas offer free and reliable relief from static buildup.

Most of the UHF/VHF verticals I have seen were DC grounded. I did see, I think they were Comets that had some that weren't. Funny enough you mention HF.

Most of the near HF halos and squalos I saw weren't DC grounded. I got confirmation from one vendor. That their halo style antennas were not DC grounded. I always that having a DC grounded antenna was one way to defeat common mode interference, that vendor said by not having it DC grounded that is how they overcame common mode noise.

[Doctnj]

1 hour ago, kidphc said:

Most of the UHF/VHF verticals I have seen were DC grounded. I did see, I think they were Comets that had some that weren't. Funny enough you mention HF.

Most of the near HF halos and squalos I saw weren't DC grounded. I got confirmation from one vendor. That their halo style antennas were not DC grounded. I always that having a DC grounded antenna was one way to defeat common mode interference, that vendor said by not having it DC grounded that is how they overcame common mode noise.

It's listed right on features.  I had no idea what that meant.  Or how it would behave when continuity testing.  I'll run a ground series instead of just the one pathway.  And put in another rod. It seems impossible that the air gap in arrestor would do much with a hit.  With three taller trees close by I feel as though it would only take a partial hit if ever.  You can see branch of closest tree right on edge of that pic. 

[kidphc]

Again. Will probably do nothing but a be a big fireball in a direct hit. Partial, I imagine a near field hit you are still going to see damage.

I worked at Ft drum doing telephony work as an apprentice. My boss was showing me near field damage.

In one of the command offices in the old part of base. There had been a near field hit to one of the trunked lines. The patch panel had these carbon fuse blocks. He showed me where some of the fuses blew from a lightning strike some 60 feet from the line it rode. It went through the line, vaporized the carbon block. Shooting fragments 30 feet across the room through the otherside of the cinderblock building into a dumpster 30 yard away. The ground rods didn't look much better. He dragged me in there to tell me this. Showed me there were lines closer to the strike, but it chose to go somewhere else. So that if I heard lightning to run like hell. Whether or not I was in a CO or by the lines it is going to do what it wants to, you aren't going to stop it or change its mind.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Doctnj]

Finally looks like I will have a break in the rain to bring the antenna down and test the cable by itself.   Im off today which rarely happens so later this morning I will know the answer to the DC ground issue.  Im not 100 on the website's feature listing so before transmitting anything I want to test!  Yesterday was pretty dry until an hour before I got off then came a monsoon for the rest of the evening.  I feel 99.99 % sure there is nothing wrong with my outside cable considering what I learned yesterday.

Before I quit, I wanted to take a minute and tell everyone that has chimed in thank you.  I have learned a great deal.  Ive been reading older posts at least some every day so I am continuing learn.

So I have a question while I have the antenna down.  ground question.  I saw where another member had a buss bar and looked like there was maybe a ground wire in and a ground wire exiting their outside box.  I have all parts with their own wire to ground eliminating wire coming from antenna or mast having to route through the outside box but rather taking the path of least resistance.   The buss bar has its own ground wire.  I couldnt find any "codes" that grounding the way I am is acceptable.  I have at leadt two hours before I will be bringing it down.  So I will wait to see what the experts here say to do.  I have a crap ton of grounding wire.  

So today barring any unforeseen issues, this thread will be finished.  

Gracious,

John 

[kidphc]

Might have been my pics.

All equipment grounded to grounding buss.

Buss grounded to outside exit point, it hand a ground point why not use it.

Outside exit point grounded to grounding rod.

Utility box grounded to grounding rod. It is where the poly phasers are located.

I try to avoid daisy chaining as much as possible. I also like to keep ground leads as straight and short as possible.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Doctnj]

37 minutes ago, kidphc said:

Might have been my pics.

All equipment grounded to grounding buss.

Buss grounded to outside exit point, it hand a ground point why not use it.

Outside exit point grounded to grounding rod.

Utility box grounded to grounding rod. It is where the poly phasers are located.

I try to avoid daisy chaining as much as possible. I also like to keep ground leads as straight and short as possible.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

Thanks.  Yes it was.  

[Doctnj]

Well I went out on the ledge to prove a point with myself today knowing there was a chance I could damage my stuff. 

Since reading that those antennas DC grounded I felt that my cable construction was spot on and the test short was not a short. 

So turned it on turned to the rpt 17/25 and called for radio check and talked to the guy running the repeater one town over maybe 15 miles Los. So it is huge relief that everything is good to go.  Now have to learn all it does. 

Anyone know how I could measure Los on a map application?

[Citizen]

1 hour ago, Doctnj said:

[snip]

Anyone know how I could measure Los on a map application?

https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

...

[WyoJoe]

1 hour ago, Doctnj said:

Anyone know how I could measure Los on a map application?

If you're just looking to measure the point to point distance, and you use Google Earth, you can use the measuring function (the ruler icon). It allows you to measure between two points on the map and gives you the result in your unit of choice. For me, I generally use miles, but not always.

[Doctnj]

28 minutes ago, Citizen said:

https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

...

Wow that's a great tool!! 

[Doctnj]

Ok so I was contemplating getting another mobile and down the road probably will.  But another option is the amplifier with a handheld or just handheld with adapter so I can use the 295 connect to antenna. I drive an h2 pickup.  Yeah I know but this is my 4th one. 

It has a bed cover that lifts up.  But about 6" the cab there is a section that doesn't move. My thoughts are to mount it there. With no way to route cable with a huge adapter on it so I'm going to cut it off then after I see how much coax I need to get to future home of new mobile, I'll cut it to that length.  I can attach an HT right to the antenna to start with then try using an Amp with HT. Then possibly switch to another mobile. 

One thing at a time