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Monday, October 11, 2010

More 80 Meter Vertical

Beth has commented that I need to get a "Frequent Buyer" card for my local big box hardware store. Since starting on this project I've been making trip after trip to buy yet one more bunch of screws, a particular clamp, a spool of wire, a ..... the list goes on. For a project that started with a $7 set of fiberglass poles this one certainly is a great example of "the devil's in the details".

I'm finally to the point of pruning it to frequency. Along the way I've fashioned a hinged base out of a large gate hinge and two conduit hangers, I've added 40 meter capability and I've made the bottom 23' a four wire vertical cage. Top loading is provided by two 6' elements forming the top ends of two of the guys, a coil wound out of 14 gauge insulated wire on a piece of 4" thin wall PVC sewer pile and a vertical 6' element. 40 meter coverage is provided by a 9' stub (connected directly to the top of the 23' vertical cage below the coil) that makes up the top of the third guy. Additional support is provided by tying the mast to my deck railing at approximately the 9' level.

Normally this will be a winter installation. I plan to paint the mast white.

Actual on the air reports will need to wait until I finish tuning it to 3560KHz.