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Old June 12th 04, 10:16 PM
Leland C. Scott
 
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Chris;

Nice home brewed antenna for the mobile. You are right about bending the
trunk lip with an antenna that size. Some people use guy wires, made out of
nylon rope or string, to take some of the forces off the antenna while
driving.

Most people use a form of bumper mount, or the trailer hitch. Either one
would let you construct a more robust mount for the antenna. Also I would
strongly suggest that you don't use regular lead-tin solder for any area
that you have to have high mechanical strength. It will crack I'll guarantee
you. You will have to use silver solder in its place.

Also try posting some messages on "rec.radio.amateur.antenna". They don't
care if you're a Ham, CBer, or what ever so long as you have an interest in
antennas. Some of those guys have already been down the road you're on and
can give you some VERY valuable tips on how to go about your project.

Good luck.

--
Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

Wireless Network
Mobile computing
on the go brought
to you by Micro$oft


"Chris" wrote in message
nk.net...
Here are some pictures
http://home.earthlink.net/~cjohnson1379/


"Chris" wrote in message
nk.net...
I have constructed a homeade antenna that is mounted on a trunk-lip

mount
on
a Nissan Sentra. The bottom is 18" of 1/2" copper pipe with a 3/8"

theaded
adapter soldered in the bottom. There is a 9" long peice of pvc with a

2"
diameter 6ga. copper coil around it. Then there is 4" more copper pipe

with
a 3ft' stainless tip on top. The problem is that it would be too easy to
bend the trunk with copper pipe. I thought about a spring but then the

whole
thing would bend too much when the trunk is opened. If I move the coil

down
below roof level, the SWR goes way up. I thought about using pvc for the
lower part but I can't quite figure out how to construct it. I may take

some
pictures of what I have. Stay tuned......