Author Topic: 10 meter dipole build!  (Read 7325 times)

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Fat Clyde

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10 meter dipole build!
« on: March 01, 2012, 08:53:13 PM »
Ok so a very generous Elmer gave me a squirrel ravaged balun, antenna wire, insulators, and coax to hook it up. What knot should I use to connect the antenna wire to the balun and insulators? I plan to set this up this Sunday if I have time... Also what wire should I use to ground it... I have a built in tuner so I should have a a lil room for error.

AD

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2012, 09:11:44 PM »
When. Built my in december i used this http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-005111


Did not use a ballun as i have a tuner.  I just wrapped the ends like tied like starting a knot and then just wrapped the tail around the wire.  I will shoot a photo tomorrow and post it for ya.

I used no ground on mine.  First contact for AZ was to Georgia, second Buenos aries Agentina and the third Rangotowa (sp) North Cook Island. 

Mil surplus fiber glass poles to get it 30 ish feet up.

I used the HRO copper plated steel antenna wire.  Bought 100 ft of it to play with.   
« Last Edit: March 01, 2012, 09:15:14 PM by AD »
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!

BTPost

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2012, 09:27:41 PM »
If the End Insulators have a hole for the wire, then I run the wire thru the hole and leave about 6" on the other side. Then Wrap that 6" back around the Antenna Wire, until it is all used and then wrap the whole area in Rubberized Electrical Tape. My baluns have Eye Bolts that screw into the Two Sides. I use a Wire Thimble to carry the Antenna Wire thru the EyeBolt and then leave about 9" of wire, after the Thimble. I use 6" of that to wrap around the Antenna Wire, and Tape over that Wrap.  Then use the last 3" which has a Ring Lug soldered on the end, and stick the lug on the EyeBolt Shank that is screwed into the Balun, and locked in place with a Nut, threaded on the EyeBolt Shank. My Dipole has been up in the Air for 30 years, with no issues.  Just Say'en.... YMMV....
« Last Edit: March 01, 2012, 09:29:50 PM by BTPost »
Bruce in alaska AL7AQ

idial1911

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2012, 09:28:18 PM »
How are you keeping your military mast poles up AD?
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AD

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2012, 09:43:28 PM »
I am not.  HOA thing.  I did this before Christmas and told the neighboors i was going to put up Christmas lights.  I used a closet wooden dowl beat intot the ground about 18 inches. 

6-8 sections of poles, hoist it up, slide it over the dowl and tie off the ends of the insulators with 550 cord so i had a slope of about 35 deg below the horz.  Had it up for two week and then pulled it down.

Our friend MG has one up all the time.  My poles came with the plastic plates to tie guys to. You can stick them about 1/2 up with little wind and they work OK. 
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!

Fat Clyde

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2012, 09:49:19 PM »
Ok so should the tag end you wrap be included in the length of antenna?  For 10 meter I think each leg should be 8 to 9 feet long. Should I add length to account for the wrapped wire?

BTPost

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2012, 09:59:25 PM »
No, Usually that is NOT Counted in the Antenna Length.  I would figure on cutting the Antenna for 28.5 Mhz, unless you plan on doing a lot of FM Repeater work at the Top End of the band.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2012, 10:04:50 PM by BTPost »
Bruce in alaska AL7AQ

Fat Clyde

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2012, 01:44:33 PM »
So can just shorten to tune by wrapping the wire back on to itself?

BTPost

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2012, 02:18:09 PM »
Yea, I set up all mine with an Impedance Bridge/Spectrum Analyzer and Tracking Generator... this let me prune the antenna just where I want it....
Bruce in alaska AL7AQ

Fat Clyde

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2012, 08:38:40 PM »
This rig has an antenna tuner... Is close good enough or will I have to shorten it to tune it?

idial1911

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2012, 09:10:12 PM »
This rig has an antenna tuner... Is close good enough or will I have to shorten it to tune it?

This is why I recommend against doing the dipole build for first antenna... Grab a g5rv, string it in the trees, plug it in, hit "tune" and get on the air.....

Save all the clipping, trimming, shortening stuff for later.

The 40$ it costs for for a g5rv, will get you on everything from 80-10 with a quick tune up.. Thats all i have, a g5rv in the trees, 7 feet in the air, I just hit 20 countries today.. The antenna needs to be higher, clear of the trees, 1000 ways I could improve it, but I still get on the air almost every day, and have a blast..

Took me literally 30 minutes from unpacking the antenna, to my first qso.
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Fat Clyde

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2012, 09:36:51 PM »
So.... No? LOL...

idial1911

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2012, 09:49:06 PM »
So.... No? LOL...

I mean without putting some test equipment on it, like an swr meter, or an antenna analyzer you won't know. If the SWR is to high you could blow your radio. Your tuner will tune it down, but depending on the tuner and what it's range is. "close" has a lot of variables. Some tuners have a wider range and can tune down things better. I have two tuners here one can tune from a 10:1 and the other only 5:1.. So it depends on all those things.
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Fat Clyde

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Re: 10 meter dipole build!
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2012, 09:23:31 AM »
Ok not a problem... I have access to a tuner... Thanks.