Paul, thanks so much for your help. And no, I won't sue ya if I do
sumthin stupid.


---------------------------


On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 04:03:03 GMT, "Paul_Morphy"
wrote:


"LJ" wrote in message
.. .
Hi all --

Hi. You need to get the wire as far from the house as possible. The aluminum
siding isn't doing any good, that's for sure. When it comes to antennas for
any band, the rule of thumb is, "High, and in the clear." Away from other
metal objects and as high as possible. Do you have a tree? If not, and you
can get away with it, you can make a mast from 2x4 lumber. Make the base a
flat triangle. You'll need a couple of guy ropes, or maybe you can tie the
mast to the fence. The mast should look something like this

|
| --- overlapping 2x4s, fastened with
| good wood glue and screws
^
/ \

with cross-bracing on the bottom. If you can securely fasten it to the fence
you could use 1-1/4" iron pipe, threaded and capped at the top, radiator
hose clamps holding a sheet-metal bracket, to which you would tie an
insulator (Radio Shack 278-758 ( http://tinyurl.com/2dnua ) includes 'em,
or maybe a CB shop carries them without the other stuff. You can make your
own from sheet plastic, too.

Don't forget to keep the wire disconnected whenever you aren't receiving,
and don't listen when there are electrical storms in the area. Don't run the
wire over or under telephone or power lines, don't rig the mast such that it
or the wire can fall near phone or power lines, don't fall off the ladder,
and don't sue me if you do!

"PM"