Butternut HF6V mounting tube with SS radial plate
 

I am in the process of installing a Butternut HF6V. The mounting tube of the
HF6V is clamped to a DX Engineering stainless radial plate. See the link
below for a photo.
http://s48.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...L2JJKV3E19KX6G

Dear John Gotwals (N9JG ?):
Great picture! Unfortunately, it is accompanied by a lot of spam, some
of which I may need to reboot to get rid of.

Please describe the white, solid tube. Does it go into the ground? Did
the large U-bolt and the plastic wedges come with the kit? Is the tubular,
metal sleeve a splice?

Interesting set up. Let us know how things progress.
73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"John Gotwals" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of installing a Butternut HF6V. The mounting tube of
the
HF6V is clamped to a DX Engineering stainless radial plate. See the link
below for a photo.
http://s48.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...L2JJKV3E19KX6G

I would have liked to have attached the picture to my initial posting, but
since this is not a binaries newsgroup, I abstained. I do not yet have a
website, so this seemed the best way to make the picture available.

The Butternut HF6V is ground mounted by inserting a 1-1/8" X 24" tube (tube
A) into the ground to a depth of approximately 21" with about 3" of the
tubing above ground. Tube A has a fiberglass insulator inserted in the upper
portion of the tube, and in addition to serving as an insulator, it is used
as the support for the next antenna tube (tube B). According to the
directions, the upper end of the insulator should be about 7" above ground.

There are no plastic wedges, but I did clamp tube A to the DX Engineering
stainless radial plate which included a wedge made from light metal,
probably cast or forged aluminum. This wedge and a stainless u-bolt are used
to make an electrical and mechanical attachment between Tube A and the
stainless radial plate.

I hope I have answered your questions,
John, N9JG

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
Great picture! Unfortunately, it is accompanied by a lot of spam, some
of which I may need to reboot to get rid of.

Please describe the white, solid tube. Does it go into the ground?
Did
the large U-bolt and the plastic wedges come with the kit? Is the
tubular,
metal sleeve a splice?

Dear John:

Indeed you have answered my questions. I also re-read the manual on the
manufacturer's site. The full nature of "Tube A with insulator" is not
clear from the manual.

Here is my read-back: "Tube A with insulator" is cylindrical, has a
diameter of 1.125 inches, a nominal overall length of two feet, and at the
end of "A" that is expected to be above ground is found a fiberglass solid
rod that is attached to the bottom part of "A" (composed of an unknown
substance) with a metal sleeve having an attachment bolt extending radially
therefrom. Do I have it?

My curiosity is driven by an interest to use one of these antennas as a
receiving antenna at the end of a very long piece of coax. From what you
have taught me, the bottom end of "A" probably should go into a cylindrical
concrete foundation. (Wind here is unattenuated by trees.) I had been
under the impression that the "bottom" of this antenna was to be clamped to
a pole that is driven (or set) into the ground.

For quite a different reason than learning the nature of the "bottom" of
the antenna, when you have the antenna working, please estimate the inside
diameter of a hollow cylindrical plastic tube that will be able fully to
enclose the antenna (as if the tube was a radome). I have a colleague who
is thinking of a "flag pole."

From DXEngineering and your comments, I now understand the wedges.

Thank you for your assistance.
73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"John Gotwals" wrote in message
...
I would have liked to have attached the picture to my initial posting, but
since this is not a binaries newsgroup, I abstained. I do not yet have a
website, so this seemed the best way to make the picture available.

The Butternut HF6V is ground mounted by inserting a 1-1/8" X 24" tube
(tube
A) into the ground to a depth of approximately 21" with about 3" of the
tubing above ground. Tube A has a fiberglass insulator inserted in the
upper
portion of the tube, and in addition to serving as an insulator, it is
used
as the support for the next antenna tube (tube B). According to the
directions, the upper end of the insulator should be about 7" above
ground.

There are no plastic wedges, but I did clamp tube A to the DX Engineering
stainless radial plate which included a wedge made from light metal,
probably cast or forged aluminum. This wedge and a stainless u-bolt are
used
to make an electrical and mechanical attachment between Tube A and the
stainless radial plate.

I hope I have answered your questions,
John, N9JG

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
Great picture! Unfortunately, it is accompanied by a lot of spam, some
of which I may need to reboot to get rid of.

Please describe the white, solid tube. Does it go into the ground?
Did
the large U-bolt and the plastic wedges come with the kit? Is the
tubular,
metal sleeve a splice?

A plastic rod has been partially inserted into tube A (to a depth of perhaps
6") at the end which is above ground. Tube A and the rod have been drilled
at right angles to their axes of symmetry, and a screw has been inserted
into the hole, and where the screw protrudes on the opposite side of tube A,
a nut has been attached and tightened. When the antenna is constructed, this
screw will serve as the junction for one end of a base matching coil (Coil
Q) and for the shield from a short length of 75? matching coax (Coax R).

The instructions state that tube A can be placed in concrete, but they
recommend slightly twisting tube A, while the concrete is setting, for easy
removal later.

The manual states "in areas of frequent or heavy winds a set of short
non-conductive guys should be used to reduce the stresses that wind loading
will impart to the lower sections of the antenna."

As a first estimate, your friends cylindrical radome will have to have a
diameter of at least 6", but I'll know more in a few days.

John, N9JG

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
Dear John:

Indeed you have answered my questions. I also re-read the manual on
the
manufacturer's site. The full nature of "Tube A with insulator" is not
clear from the manual.

Here is my read-back: "Tube A with insulator" is cylindrical, has a
diameter of 1.125 inches, a nominal overall length of two feet, and at the
end of "A" that is expected to be above ground is found a fiberglass solid
rod that is attached to the bottom part of "A" (composed of an unknown
substance) with a metal sleeve having an attachment bolt extending
radially
therefrom. Do I have it?

My curiosity is driven by an interest to use one of these antennas as a
receiving antenna at the end of a very long piece of coax. From what you
have taught me, the bottom end of "A" probably should go into a
cylindrical
concrete foundation. (Wind here is unattenuated by trees.) I had been
under the impression that the "bottom" of this antenna was to be clamped
to
a pole that is driven (or set) into the ground.

For quite a different reason than learning the nature of the "bottom"
of
the antenna, when you have the antenna working, please estimate the inside
diameter of a hollow cylindrical plastic tube that will be able fully to
enclose the antenna (as if the tube was a radome). I have a colleague
who
is thinking of a "flag pole."

From DXEngineering and your comments, I now understand the wedges.

Thank you for your assistance.
73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"John Gotwals" wrote in message
...
I would have liked to have attached the picture to my initial posting,
but
since this is not a binaries newsgroup, I abstained. I do not yet have a
website, so this seemed the best way to make the picture available.

The Butternut HF6V is ground mounted by inserting a 1-1/8" X 24" tube
(tube
A) into the ground to a depth of approximately 21" with about 3" of the
tubing above ground. Tube A has a fiberglass insulator inserted in the
upper
portion of the tube, and in addition to serving as an insulator, it is
used
as the support for the next antenna tube (tube B). According to the
directions, the upper end of the insulator should be about 7" above
ground.

There are no plastic wedges, but I did clamp tube A to the DX Engineering
stainless radial plate which included a wedge made from light metal,
probably cast or forged aluminum. This wedge and a stainless u-bolt are
used
to make an electrical and mechanical attachment between Tube A and the
stainless radial plate.

I hope I have answered your questions,
John, N9JG

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
Great picture! Unfortunately, it is accompanied by a lot of spam, some
of which I may need to reboot to get rid of.

Please describe the white, solid tube. Does it go into the ground?
Did
the large U-bolt and the plastic wedges come with the kit? Is the
tubular,
metal sleeve a splice?

Dear John:
Thank you. I understand even more about "A." Is it correct to assume
that the metallic part of "A" is aluminum?


Thank you also for your first estimate of the ID needed to enclose the
whole antenna. That is of great help.

73, Mac N8TT
--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"John Gotwals" wrote in message
...
A plastic rod has been partially inserted into tube A (to a depth of
perhaps
6") at the end which is above ground. Tube A and the rod have been drilled
at right angles to their axes of symmetry, and a screw has been inserted
into the hole, and where the screw protrudes on the opposite side of tube
A,
a nut has been attached and tightened. When the antenna is constructed,
this
screw will serve as the junction for one end of a base matching coil (Coil
Q) and for the shield from a short length of 75? matching coax (Coax R).

The instructions state that tube A can be placed in concrete, but they
recommend slightly twisting tube A, while the concrete is setting, for
easy
removal later.

The manual states "in areas of frequent or heavy winds a set of short
non-conductive guys should be used to reduce the stresses that wind
loading
will impart to the lower sections of the antenna."

As a first estimate, your friends cylindrical radome will have to have a
diameter of at least 6", but I'll know more in a few days.

John, N9JG

Yes, the metallic portion of tube A is aluminum.

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
Dear John:
Thank you. I understand even more about "A." Is it correct to assume
that the metallic part of "A" is aluminum?


Thank you also for your first estimate of the ID needed to enclose the
whole antenna. That is of great help.

73, Mac N8TT
--