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Long wire antenna
I want to build a long wire antenna for AM use, and run it from the
peak of my house to the peak of my barn. That will give me about 120 feet of antenna running basically north/south. I've never done this before, so I'm looking for advice. I know enough to use ceramic eggs to string the antenna ends, but how do I terminate the ends so that 1) the end at the barn supports the tension; and 2) the end at the house supports the tension and allows a connection to the radio? Also, how do I connect a lightning arrestor to the antenna and how do I properly connect the coax to the antenna? Sorry if these are very basic questions, but I'm just starting out at this. TIA Michael |
"Michael" wrote in message ups.com... I want to build a long wire antenna for AM use, and run it from the peak of my house to the peak of my barn. That will give me about 120 feet of antenna running basically north/south. I've never done this before, so I'm looking for advice. I know enough to use ceramic eggs to string the antenna ends, but how do I terminate the ends so that 1) the end at the barn supports the tension; and 2) the end at the house supports the tension and allows a connection to the radio? Also, how do I connect a lightning arrestor to the antenna and how do I properly connect the coax to the antenna? What you'll want to do is provide some sort of counterwieght and pulley system to provide wind strain relief. At each end is great, but you'll want to do it to at least one end. Run the support rope at the end of the antenna through a pulley mounted at the peak of the roof. Attach the rope to some sort of wieght, like a couple of bricks or a sandbag. You'll probably want to run the rope through an eye at the top of a pole first and attach the wieght at the bottom. This will keep the wieght from swinging around in the wind and will allow it to slide up & down. This keeps strong winds from breaking your wire antenna. At the far end of the antenna, simply wrap the wire through one hole of the insulator and if it's stiff copper-clad steel wire wrap it back around itself. If you're using more flexible insulated copper stranded wire, it's OK to tie it around the insulator. At the near end, you will want to do the same thing. Attach the support rope to the peak of the roof while leaving a long wire downlead hanging down from the insulator. You can either bring the downlead all the way into the shack and feed your receiver this way, or else attach it to the center conductor of the coax at the base of the house, while attaching the shield braid to a suitable ground. You can either connect direct to the coax or use a spare SO-239 jack. Be sure to weatherproof the coax connection. Then just run the coax in to your receiver. -- Tom Sevart N2UHC Frontenac, KS http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc |
Use 23 g steel wire (available at any hardware store). If
weight-tensioned properly it'll stand up to anything. On 24 Jan 2005 21:33:17 -0800, "Michael" wrote: I want to build a long wire antenna for AM use, and run it from the peak of my house to the peak of my barn. That will give me about 120 feet of antenna running basically north/south. I've never done this before, so I'm looking for advice. I know enough to use ceramic eggs to string the antenna ends, but how do I terminate the ends so that 1) the end at the barn supports the tension; and 2) the end at the house supports the tension and allows a connection to the radio? Also, how do I connect a lightning arrestor to the antenna and how do I properly connect the coax to the antenna? Sorry if these are very basic questions, but I'm just starting out at this. TIA Michael |
I think with a thick wire like that you pick up a lot of weight and
windload with virtually no electrical advantage. The nice thing about steel is that it has much higher fatigue resistance. I built one once in the San Sevaine and it withstood 3 days of sustained hurricane force winds with no ill effects. 120 deet. House to eucalyptus tree with a glass gallon jug full of water for the tensioner weight. On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 10:05:31 -0500, beerbarrel wrote: On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 14:43:38 GMT, David wrote: Use 23 g steel wire (available at any hardware store). If weight-tensioned properly it'll stand up to anything. On 24 Jan 2005 21:33:17 -0800, "Michael" wrote: I want to build a long wire antenna for AM use, and run it from the peak of my house to the peak of my barn. That will give me about 120 feet of antenna running basically north/south. I've never done this before, so I'm looking for advice. I know enough to use ceramic eggs to string the antenna ends, but how do I terminate the ends so that 1) the end at the barn supports the tension; and 2) the end at the house supports the tension and allows a connection to the radio? Also, how do I connect a lightning arrestor to the antenna and how do I properly connect the coax to the antenna? Sorry if these are very basic questions, but I'm just starting out at this. TIA Michael mount insulators on both ends. Tie one end off with a short piece of rope to your house. Mount a small pulley on the other end at the fixed location i.e.the barn. Tie another piece of rope on that end and thread it through the pulley. Tie a bucket onto the rope and add some weight to it. That will keep tension on the antenna while allowing it to move somewhat. I used 12 gauge insulated solid copper house wire between 2 trees in the same configuration. It works great for me. |
MICHAEL,
READ - Types of Wire Antenna Insulators and "How To" Make the Insulator's Eye Wire Wrap Joint http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...e94237dc9fa077 .. WRAPPING THE ANTENNA WIRE THROUGH THE INSULATOR : Here is the Method / Process that I use to Wrap the Antenna Wire Through the Eye (Hole) of the Antenna Insulator. http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...e94237dc9fa077 .. iane ~ RHF .. All are WELCOME at the Shortwave Listener (SWL) "Antenna Ashram" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ .. Some Say: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/502 .. I BELIEVE: On A Clear Night . . . You Can Hear Forever and Beyond, The BEYOND ! With a Shortwave Listener SWL Antenna of your own making. "If You Build It {SWL Antenna} You Will Hear Them !" |
beerbarrel wrote: On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 13:29:13 -0500, dxAce wrote: RHF wrote: MICHAEL, READ - Types of Wire Antenna Insulators and "How To" Make the Insulator's Eye Wire Wrap Joint http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...e94237dc9fa077 . WRAPPING THE ANTENNA WIRE THROUGH THE INSULATOR : Here is the Method / Process that I use to Wrap the Antenna Wire Through the Eye (Hole) of the Antenna Insulator. http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...e94237dc9fa077 Well, you mention I believe, that you run it through the eye of the insulator twice to distribute the force. I think that may be a fallacy since if the insulator is going to break at x pounds of force then trying to distribute the strain through the eye will actually accomplish nothing as it will break no matter what at x pounds of force. The force itself will still be coming from the same direction will it not? And simply having two wires, essentially co-located at the same place for all intents and purposes won't do much to change the distribution of weight or strain placed on the insulator. dxAce Michigan USA With that knot, you still just have one single wire going up to the insulator. It sounds like it might make a pretty good knot that won't come undone. I ran mine through one time and then twisted about a foot's worth of wire around the radial in a nice tight coil. So far so good! Of course, I'm dealing with solid wire and not stranded. I don't really know about simply using a knot. Everything here is soldered. dxAce Michigan USA |
DX ACE,
.. I Am Glad You Asked :o) .. The Distribution of the Force that I am referring to is the 'force' that is being applied to the Antenna Wire {itself} where it "Bends Around" the Eye of the Insulator. .. TOO TIGHT : This 'bend' in the Wire can be Wrapped "Too-Tight: Causing a 'internal' Strain on the Wire Turn/Wrap and a Higher Failure Rate of the Wire "in-the-Bend-of the-Wire" then any other area of the run of the Wire. .. TOO LOOSE : This 'bend' in the Wire can be Wrapped "Too-Loose": Causing a 'movement' of the Wire against the Insulator around-the-area of the Wire Turn/Wrap and a Higher Failure Rate of the Wire "in-the-Bend-of the-Wire" then any other area of the run of the Wire. .. WHY A DOUBLE LAY OF WIRE : Using a Double-Lay of the Wire 'Around-the-Bend' usually prevents the Wire from being "Too-Tight" {Strained} and provides Twice the Surface and Trickness Area for Wear if the Wires are "Too-Loose". .. I hope that this explains the "Why" of 'why' I recommend a Double Lay of Wire through of the Eye of an Insulator. .. iane ~ RHF |
Beer Barrel,
.. Are you now claiming multiple NewsGroup IDs: - mII - Honus - Evan Platt - juliedxer - Stinson |
"RHF" wrote in message oups.com... Beer Barrel, . Are you now claiming multiple NewsGroup IDs: - mII - Honus - Evan Platt - juliedxer - Stinson . iwtk ~ RHF What are you talking about? |
"Honus" wrote in message news:4EBJd.10539$Hg6.7623@trnddc09... "RHF" wrote in message oups.com... Beer Barrel, . Are you now claiming multiple NewsGroup IDs: - mII - Honus - Evan Platt - juliedxer - Stinson . iwtk ~ RHF What are you talking about? Ah, now I see. I hadn't scrolled all of the way down to the bottom of queerbarrel's posts. I've got to tell you, if you really think someone as devoid of intellect and wit as beerbarrel could post in as lucid a fashion as some of the people on that list, then...oh, screw it. I suspect my thought would just sail cleanly over some of the heads around here anyway. |
Honus wrote:
What are you talking about? Ah, now I see. I hadn't scrolled all of the way down to the bottom of queerbarrel's posts. It appears sneerbarrel is making a list of the people who wouldn't have sex with him. I'm proud to be #1. It indicates I had NO hesitation in turning down his advances. 'queerbarrel' is very appropriate. We'll save that name for the 'Ace in the Hole', if you get my drift... mike |
David wrote:
Use 23 g steel wire (available at any hardware store). If weight-tensioned properly it'll stand up to anything. I use stranded steel clothesline. Very strong and thick enough so that the senior members of the bird population can see it before they get maimed. mike |
Honus wrote:
Better than his old standby, which I'm told was "May I be Frank with you?" So true... I certainly see why he was drummed out of the armed forces. The 'Don't ask, Don't smell' program was started up because of his not so discrete liaisons in the 'mess' tent. mike |
m II wrote:
David wrote: Use 23 g steel wire (available at any hardware store). If weight-tensioned properly it'll stand up to anything. I use stranded steel clothesline. Very strong and thick enough so that the senior members of the bird population can see it before they get maimed. Do you run the steel wire all the way to the radio? If not, how do you connect the lead wire such as copper to the steel antenna wire without galvanic corrosion? ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
m II wrote:
Honus wrote: What are you talking about? Ah, now I see. I hadn't scrolled all of the way down to the bottom of queerbarrel's posts. It appears sneerbarrel is making a list of the people who wouldn't have sex with him. I'm proud to be #1. It indicates I had NO hesitation in turning down his advances. 'queerbarrel' is very appropriate. We'll save that name for the 'Ace in the Hole', if you get my drift... I thought you were going to try harder too. ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
MICHAEL,
.. "Also, how do I connect a lightning arrestor to the antenna and how do I properly connect the coax to the antenna ?" .. Of... Lightning Arrestors and the Antenna Wire to Coax Cable Connection http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/2041 .. ZAP - - - - - / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / - - - - - ________ Here are several Lightning Arrestor type devices that can offer some "Limited Protection" in the event of a 'nearby' Lightening Strike in your area. .. * Opek A7516 Lightning Arrestor [ Basic Air-Gap ] http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/4618.html .. * Transi-Trap LT utilizes a hermetically sealed gas filled cylinder http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/1502.html .. * Alpha Delta ATT3G50 series of coax surge protectors http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/4003.html .. * Antenna Super Market "Zap Trapper" Coaxial http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/2993.html .. * Cushcraft Constant Impedance LAC4 uses a replaceable Gas Discharge Tube http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/0614.html .. * DEO Receiver Guard 2000U http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/1305.html .. * Diamond CA Series of Coax Surge Protectors http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...tect/2318.html .. .. THE ANTENNA WIRE TO COAX CABLE CONNECTION : .. IMHO - The best was to make the Antenna Wire to Coax Cable Connection is to use a Matching Transformer Balun UnUn or what is called a Magnetic LongWire Balun. + These devices make the Electrical-Mechanical (Joints) Connections between the Antenna Wire Element; the Ground Wire; and the Coax Cable Feed-in-Line. + These devices also help to 'match' the "Impedance" of the Antenna Wire Element to the Coax Cable Feed-in-Line. + These devices provide a "Direct-DC-Ground-Path" for any Electrical Discharge pasted through the Antenna Wire Element to earthen ground. .. * * * Balun Reading List ( Long ) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/337 .. * RF Systems Magnetic Longwire Balun (MLB) http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/1484.html .. * Shortwave Longwire (10:1) Antenna Feeder #SWL-1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5745940468 .. * "Universal Magnetic Balun" (UMB) a Receiving (Only) Antenna Balun with a 9:1 impedance ratio by Wellbrook, UK. UMB= http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/UMB.html .. * Shortwave Longwire Antenna Feeder with balun LWF-1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5745918363 .. * Magnetic Longwire Balun (MLB) Palomar http://www.palomar-engineers.com/MLB-1/mlb-1.html http://www.antennex.com/palomar/page_6.htm .. * Longwire Isolated (10:1) Antenna Feeder - SWL-1G http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5746411443 .. * WiNRADiO WR-LWA-0130 Long Wire Antenna Adapter http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/230 http://www.grove-ent.com/WR0130.html http://www.winradio.com/home/lwa.htm http://www.winradio.com/home/ax05e.htm .. .. BUILT YOUR OWN BALUN : Do-It-Yourself Antenna Balun Kits by ByteMark http://www.bytemark.com/products/kit_bal1.htm .. .. iane ~ RHF .. All are WELCOME at the Shortwave Listener (SWL) "Antenna Ashram" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ .. Some Say: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/502 .. I BELIEVE: On A Clear Night . . . You Can Hear Forever and Beyond, The BEYOND ! With a Shortwave Listener SWL Antenna of your own making. "If You Build It {SWL Antenna} You Will Hear Them !" |
DX ACE,
.. For me it is not about the End Insulator Failing or the Wire Failing. I had nothing to do with the design or make-up of the Insulator or the Antenna Wire. If they fail then that is on their respective manufactures; not me. .. However, I do build the "Joint" {Connection} between the Antenna Wire and the Insulator; and if it fails; then that is on me. To that end I have a tendancy to OCD in Over-Building the Joint. .. When building a "No-See-Um" 30 AWG Magnet Wire Antenna with Mono Fishing Line for Rigging. I build the Wire-to-Mono Joints with Fishing Line Swivels and Double-Lay and Double Bite (Wrapped) Knots. - The Wire may break. - The Mono may break. - The Swivel may break. But the Knots will hold [.] .. i just try to build the best 'joint' i can ~ RHF |
I used a Palomar MLB with a tinned lead to the transformer. Soldered.
It grew small amounts of salt but that didn't seem to affect the operation. On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 03:26:00 -0500, starman wrote: m II wrote: David wrote: Use 23 g steel wire (available at any hardware store). If weight-tensioned properly it'll stand up to anything. I use stranded steel clothesline. Very strong and thick enough so that the senior members of the bird population can see it before they get maimed. Do you run the steel wire all the way to the radio? If not, how do you connect the lead wire such as copper to the steel antenna wire without galvanic corrosion? ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
David,
.. Clean the Solder Connection (Joint) with Alcohol. .. Next Paint the Solder Joint with Clear Nail Polish and let it Dry. .. Then Wrap and Secure the Solder the Connection as needed. .. ~ RHF |
m II wrote: starman wrote: I use stranded steel clothesline. Very strong and thick enough so that the senior members of the bird population can see it before they get maimed. Do you run the steel wire all the way to the radio? If not, how do you connect the lead wire such as copper to the steel antenna wire without galvanic corrosion? It's a temporary setup, So I just used a wire nut (Marrette) filled with Penetrox, an anti oxidant grease, before it was put on the twisted coax centre and the steel line. I positioned the closed end upwards, so that it wouldn't collect rainwater. A ground wire then runs down to the clamp on water pipe underneath. That's the only side I have the coax grounded on. Then the coax runs through the attic and down to the push button switch selector, which feeds the 'radio of the day'. A matching transformer didn't seem to make much difference Someone else might chime in here on this one but if I'm not mistaken using the coaxial cable in that fashion actually defeats the purpose as it should be terminated in its characteristic impedance at both ends to be effective. I seem to recall some effects of capacitance coming into play when used as you've described, and what happens there is that the coaxial cable is simply acting as a very long capacitor which might actually act as a block to some frequencies. I'll have to look through the literature when I get a chance. Depending upon how you have it hooked up you might not have noticed any difference with a matching transformer if it was not attached properly. dxAce Michigan USA |
dxAce wrote:
Someone else might chime in here on this one but if I'm not mistaken using the coaxial cable in that fashion actually defeats the purpose as it should be terminated in its characteristic impedance at both ends to be effective. I was going to try a variation of that, by putting the matching transformer at the long wire junction to the coax. We had a few warm days here, though and the it's a mudhole back there, so I wait.. I seem to recall some effects of capacitance coming into play when used as you've described, and what happens there is that the coaxial cable is simply acting as a very long capacitor which might actually act as a block to some frequencies. Possibly. If I ever get energetic I'll connect a signal generator to the far end and see what comes out on the radio side. I have an old scope here that will go to 30Mhz, so it should be fine. Things don't seem too bad now, but I have no way of knowing if they can get better until I try. I'll have to look through the literature when I get a chance. Depending upon how you have it hooked up you might not have noticed any difference with a matching transformer if it was not attached properly. Very true. I have no way of knowing to what degree the impedance characteristics of the wire have been changed (if at all) by the single point ground cable sheathing. That signal input test is starting to sound better all the time. mike |
"m II" wrote in message news:CPgKd.47029$Ob.7617@edtnps84... dxAce wrote: Someone else might chime in here on this one but if I'm not mistaken using the coaxial cable in that fashion actually defeats the purpose as it should be terminated in its characteristic impedance at both ends to be effective. I was going to try a variation of that, by putting the matching transformer at the long wire junction to the coax. We had a few warm days here, though and the it's a mudhole back there, so I wait.. I seem to recall some effects of capacitance coming into play when used as you've described, and what happens there is that the coaxial cable is simply acting as a very long capacitor which might actually act as a block to some frequencies. Possibly. If I ever get energetic I'll connect a signal generator to the far end and see what comes out on the radio side. I have an old scope here that will go to 30Mhz, so it should be fine. Things don't seem too bad now, but I have no way of knowing if they can get better until I try. I'll have to look through the literature when I get a chance. Depending upon how you have it hooked up you might not have noticed any difference with a matching transformer if it was not attached properly. Very true. I have no way of knowing to what degree the impedance characteristics of the wire have been changed (if at all) by the single point ground cable sheathing. That signal input test is starting to sound better all the time. mike |
"m II" wrote in message news:3L1Kd.153974$KO5.86186@clgrps13... starman wrote: I use stranded steel clothesline. Very strong and thick enough so that the senior members of the bird population can see it before they get maimed. Do you run the steel wire all the way to the radio? If not, how do you connect the lead wire such as copper to the steel antenna wire without galvanic corrosion? It's a temporary setup, So I just used a wire nut (Marrette) filled with Penetrox, an anti oxidant grease, before it was put on the twisted coax centre and the steel line. I positioned the closed end upwards, so that it wouldn't collect rainwater. A ground wire then runs down to the clamp on water pipe underneath. That's the only side I have the coax grounded on. Then the coax runs through the attic and down to the push button switch selector, which feeds the 'radio of the day'. A matching transformer didn't seem to make much difference mike |
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