[VHFcontesting] My rover antenna upgrade plan

k4gun at comcast.net k4gun at comcast.net
Fri Feb 1 20:17:23 EST 2008


I like that a lot.  That's pretty much what I'm going for.  You don't have the upper portions guyed do you?

This is actually giving me other ideas about perhaps changing to rigid conduit, going taller with 4 sections and keeping all 4 on a single mast.  I'll see what I can figure out.

Thanks.

Steve

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Dan Evans <dan.evans at insightbb.com> 

> Hi Steve, 
> 
> Sounds like you will be getting very close to the setup I run. 
> 
> I have a commercial made push up mast I found at Dayton a few years 
> ago. It's 20', or 4 five foot sections. Plus I usually add a 6' 
> extension at the top. It's a bit difficult to explain, but basically I 
> mount an antenna at the top of each section of the push up mast. The 
> top antenna is usually the Par Moxon for 6, at 26'. Next is generally 
> the 432 yagi at 20'. And then the 2m yagi at 15'. No 222 until I can 
> swing another transverter, but it would go under the 2m yagi, at 10' 
> above the truck. Sometimes I switch the order of the yagis, but this is 
> the basic layout. When lowered, the yagis all stack one on top of the 
> other as I nest the push up mast. Nested height is about 11 feet, watch 
> those tree limbs! I can't really use them while moving, but I am a 
> solo Rover so I don't generally operate on the move anyway. [If I do, I 
> run a recorder to do the logging] 
> 
> The last time out I braced the mast with a cross bar across the bed of 
> my F150. And the bottom of the mast goes in my AR40 rotator which is 
> bolted to the bed of the truck. I plan to add a set of ladder racks to 
> the truck soon to make for a better cross brace for the mast. 
> 
> So I currently run 3 bands on one mast. Setup consists of me getting 
> out of the truck, climb in the back, spend 2 or 3 minutes raising the 
> mast, get down and call CQ. When I'm ready to roll, I turn the mast to 
> face front, lower the mast, and hit the road. 
> 
> Here are links to a couple of pics from last September: 
> 
> http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q148/Indiana_Dan/?action=view¤t=6-28-20 
> 07007.jpg 
> http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q148/Indiana_Dan/?action=view¤t=07sepvh 
> fqsoparty009-1.jpg 
> http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q148/Indiana_Dan/?action=view¤t=07sepvh 
> fqsoparty004-1.jpg 
> http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q148/Indiana_Dan/?action=view¤t=07sepvh 
> fqsoparty018.jpg 
> http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q148/Indiana_Dan/?action=view¤t=6-28-20 
> 07012.jpg 
> 
> 73 
> Dan 
> -- 
> K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269 
> Check out the Rover Resource Page at: 
> List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books 
> Ask me how to join the Indiana Ham Mailing list! 
> 
> 
> 
> k4gun at comcast.net wrote: 
> > I'm already plotting improvements to my rover rig for June. After the January 
> contest, I learned a lot of lessons. I need better antennas. 
> > 


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