Great to hear CB being used sensibly. I'm a UK HAM operator but used CB (AM SSB and FM) in the late 70's. 1/4" or 1/2" copper tubing would give an even better bandwidth and more ground plane radials would improve omnidirectionability. If you have conductive (damp) ground try a full size 5/8th wave using earth as the ground plane. It's very low angle radiation...as long as your not in a valley :-) 73 and great work.
I gave you a thumbs up when I saw the cat in the window. Turned out it was a great video. Still like the cat. I am a simple man, I see a kitty, I click thumbs up.
nice use of resources. Thumbs up for the mention of the Washington, One of these days i'll blow the dust off of mine. Been in a box for the last 30 years.
Excellent build, Sir. I have to replace my entire setup. A tree blew down in a storm and fell right into my mast. 38 lower is usually my home channel. I'm still rebuilding my setup. Nice job, Man. I'll have to try that build. Ol' 786 Ironman, somewhere around the middle of South Cackalackee, we're back out.
Mower Junkie, I have been building my own wire antenna's for over 50yrs and my latest one is a 5/8 wave vertical dipole except it doesn't have any ground plane radials. So far I have qso's with operator's over 80 miles away in a base station/18 wheeler with my barefoot transceiver during groundwave propagation. When skywave propagation conditions are good my farthest qso was with a operator on 27.185mHz am in Balize. My swr from 26.965mHz to 27.405mHz am/ssb has been 1.0. The reason why you're homemade antenna's are stronger in north/south/east/west direction's are due to the radial's. I don't have any radial's at all and get out strong in a 360 degree radius due to the base of the dipole is feed in the middle instead of the bottom. You're vertical dipole antenna is better than the vertical groundplane antenna. Do an experiment with both of the antenna bases at the same height and you will see how much better the dipole is then the groundplane. Go back and watch you're own vertical dipole antenna video when you where in you're vehicle and you're wife was at home talking to you and you will see what I mean. 73 Maverick 233 Southern, CA
Thanks for this video, I am building one my self I should have it up today. I love watching you content. Now I just need to find some deals on some radios. Thanks for everything.
very nice i built one almost exactly like this about 6 months ago when i got back into cb.. i made a t out of 1/2 inch pvc for the radials and mounted the t to the pole .. it allowed me to raise the antenna up higher.. so the ends of the radials are mounted to the ends of the pvc t and not tied to the house.. 73's
Nice, just getting back into it, looking at a Cobra 148GTL and am going to mount my antenna on a post bolted to a sandstone slab on a 700m escarpment. Skip is going to be fun. Going to copy your rig but with 4 ground plane wires at 37 degrees. Bouncing between 1/2 and 1/4 wave. Might do both.
Good meeting you both in Shelby today! Re-viewing this video to see what I need to build my antenna to see if I get out better than with the antenna I have now.
i made a antenna similar to this using copper wire 10 guage , and i put 4 radials on it. trial and error... but people 20 miles away say it sounds real good.. my radials are supported with 1". p v c also and zip ties to get close to 40 degree angles, and adjust and adjust... my s. w. r. is super good. 1.2 all channels. just a 4watt radio.
you can use two lengths 8.5 feet long and make a dipole that you can turn and use sorta like a beam. that is useful also for the dx conditions. copper pipe also works well for making verticals. fro anything cb related 1/4 wave just keep using 8.5 feet lengths. that is the 102 inches and the proper wavelngth for the 27mhz band.. the antenna is fairly broad band and will also work up into the bottom of 10m with out any issues.
Apple Even just an Antron 99 up 30 feet will get you working everyone. Mount it to the top of the house maybe? I have mine up on a guyed mast. 30 feet of fence post. works great
Just for the heck of it... You sait the p.v.c. pipe wasn't glued yet for tuning. With mine , I cut the p.v.c. pipe about 6" short of the needed length , drilled a 1/8" hole in a cap and with the copper wire sticking out the too a bit I check and clip to get my s.w.r. I thought also after siliconeing the top it should hold my wire up and straight in my p.v.c. pipe . ?? So far its working ! Thanks m.J.
Hi 151 SC, I love your video's, they are very informative.. You say that you put the ground plane at a 45 degree angle.. This should give you a 55 ohm impedance... As we are working with 52 ohm coax, to get the ground plane to match 52 ohm, I did the math and the angle would be 42 degrees... I know I am splitting hairs here, but we don't know how big a difference it would make... Food for thought, as your dipoles work very well when compared to factory built devices... I am in Newfoundland, Canada and hope to hook up with you sometime on lower side of 38.... Cheers and 73's from Robert, North Atlantic, N.A.1221
Thanks for the comment Robert. You are correct, 42 is better...But 45 is easier to calculate. Mine are actually set a little less than 45 degrees. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Thanks, It's an old 1968 Sears 10 XL, that I restored 10 years ago. It's the only machine I'll use to cut My 2 acre yard. Take care, Thanks for watching.
One of my issues is, my roof is very high, and steep, so a ladder or climbing it is out of the question ,yet it would be easier to mount on the home instead of the middle if the yard... still looking for ideas for my old school Teabury I picked up from a friend
Pity you can't go with more radials. As you probably already know, it's all about ground efficiency, you need those return currents on the gp wires to screen out that lossy ground. Otherwise a portion of your output power is simply warming up the ground. This varies on your soil conductivity, the height above ground and the number of radials. The higher the antenna the less radials needed to screen out the ground below. The poorer the soil the more radials.
Only 2 things I would do different 1) The PVC would fit over the mast pipe with 2 stainless bolts with washers & Lock nuts to hold it to eliminate clamps. 2) I would use smaller diameter sections of PVC stepping it down smaller with each section to the tip for better wind resistance.
You think like I do, originally I was going to have it slip over the mast pipe, but My local hardware store did not have the pipe or fittings I needed to do it that way. the wind is not a problem here, even in Our worst storms this antenna barely moves. Thanks for the comment, and I'm glad I got You thinking. 73's from 151 SC.
I copied your idea and it works Awesome..... I'm just getting back into CB radio after 40 years.... bought a Cobra 29 LTD classic to use as a base unit....102" whip with about 75' LMR 400 mounted on the chimney with old bedframe that I cut up for angle iron to use as a mast. Top of the antenna is about 34' off the ground. SWR's barely move now! I've been fuckin with my SWR's for too long and it works Awesome! Thanks... I couldn't have done it without tour video. 👍👍🍻73's
@@MowerJunkie Thanks! I hope so too! Could I ask you a question? I don't have you on Facebook, John. I wondered if it really matters if I use solid, or stranded wire for my Radials? And thanks for any tips and advice, Love your video's.
Question. I have a dual antenna whip nagoya. It has 3.5vhf and 5.5 of gain uhf. If i tune the uhf frequencie tona desire, will the gain dimish or be affected and the vhf .
Hello John, I've been looking for that elbow connector that has the narrowed ends to hold the ground planes. I've looked on Amazon and could not find that particular one. Can you point me in the direction to get one or the link? Also I want to ground the antenna to a grounding rod, and what gauge wire and to where do I connect the ground wire to the antenna? Thanks!
I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work! Have you ever tried making a whole wave loop antenna? Just curious how that would compare with the other antennas you have made. Seems like it would be a great stealth antenna in an attic or on top of the roof if it works.
I own 4 Imax 2000s, an A99, an Astroplane, a Colossal by Zero5, an I-10K, an Avanti Sigma II 5/8, a Sirio GainMaster, a Shockwave, a Sirio Vector 4K, ( Dumped my M.R. Coily - *_cheap_* 😒 ) and several 1970s era Penetrators. My home-built proprietary design *"LAMBDA"* (for want of a better name & trademark) noticeably outperforms every other one - regardless of Local, DX, groundwave, skywave or pure skip. - All anyone has to do is think, learn, use your imagination, calculate correctly, ignore everything written by *The DB* and you, too, can build something spectacular which beats everything commercially available.
Great comment! I completely agree. I have had a lot of factory built antennas, and the best antenna I have ever had is a homemade that I built Myself, though it was not the one in this video. Thanks for watching, Take care.
@@MowerJunkie Now try your hand at building a 12' foot boom, 3-element Quad at .18-R & .15-D and you'll cry tears of joy because you'll be so amazed by it's incredible quietness, super ears, amazing gain, Sweet low TOA for DX, tiny profile & cuteness.
Hey im trying to make this antenna but my copper isnt stiff and falls without support. Could I put it in a pvc pipe like you did to keep the antenna eite standing up straight?
That's why I used the PVC pipe, the wire needs to be supported. I recommend using number 12 or 14 copper house wire, because it will stay straight in the pipe. if You're using speaker wire, it can be taped or zip tied to the outside of the pipe. Take care and good luck with Your antenna.
i'm making one theses in cheap purple martin bird house you can comfuge cb dipoles this way it shouldn't effect performance at all on the cb radio you can do it right if look at mower junkie videos on youtube some cb antennas he does.
Do you have a specific brand of rg8x coax you prefer? I’m seeing a lot of bad reviews, and want as little loss as possible. And don’t want to buy twice. Thanks for all the videos and knowledge!
Hello. Mower Junkie. I have a question. I built a dipole antenna which is the antenna is part of the mast. The top 8" it s 3/4 PVC with a cap then a 1 1/2" T The bottom is 10" of 1 1/2" PVC. I want to put that up on the back side of my garage. Living in New York with the cold Winters will I have to worry about that antenna snapping? I'll probably put 3/4 of the antenna above the roof. Mounting it to the back side of the garage.Thanks! Vinnie
Your thoughts on this.. I'm putting a 102" SS whip on my pickup, behind the cab on the bed rail. If I run a wire from the mount on each side of the bed would it act as a ground plane? Or even help? Better left alone?
just wondered about it , because I'm putting it right behind the cab (center) on the rail is all. Thanks love the channel and the simplicity of it all. Btw, I'll be attempting to make this antenna for my base when I'm, ready for it.
I have an old Hi-Gain cb antenna from the 70's from my dad that I am using. It is working but it has a spot for 3 radials. Do you know how long the radials should be.? Roger
I have a couple questions. Is there a sort of majic number for the length of the antenna. I know it will probably have to be slightly adjusted. But like 13ft, 20ft. I don’t understand 10meter etc. 1/4 wave, 5/8 wave. Also how long do the ground plains need to be. Also do I need to running a ground rod and if so where too?
Chevy 10 meter band is above the CB Band into 28 Mhz the morse code area you hear on the "Black Radios" 1/4 wave antenna's are like the 102 inch whips on vehicle's 5/8 waves are like the Antron 99's and such... The length's for the main wire and radial's are mentioned in the video....
Will a CB radio with ground antennae interfere with car speakers that blast thumping music through the walls of my house and windows? Some say yes, some say no? Is it possible to disrupt house from those speakers? Thanks, like your videos.
Nice antenna! I notice that you prefer Realistic radios in most cases. Have you ever worked for Radio Shack in the past or just enjoy their radios? I worked for the Shack for a short period back in the 90’s.
Thanks, My Mower is a 1968 Sears Custom 10, I did a full restore to it about 9 years ago, and it has been a great machine. Thanks for watching, Happy new year.
Yes, the ground radials need to be trimmed to the same length as the active element. Good luck with Your build, let Me know how it compares to Your Antron. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Excellent video. Another person on here asked you a question about how you keep the top wire straight in the top pole or doesn't it matter as long as the wire is right length ? Also , as far as the radials can I get away with using 2-3 as long as they are right length ? Thanks
the 12ga wire will stay straight on it's own, with Mine, after I tune the antenna, I fill the pipe with expanding foam and cap the pipe. this will stop the wire from sagging in the pipe. if You use more radials, You will have a better ground plane, and the antenna will be easier to tune. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie , thank you for your quick reply. Can I ask a couple more questions. Do the radials have to be grounded from each other ? If a full 1/4 wave is 108 inches why was your feed & radials cut to 102.5 inches for the c.b. band? I'm going to try & make one of these but if it doesn't work then I may buy a whip. They come in 102 inches long & if I added a spring ( 4 inches) then wouldn't I still be 2 inches short of a 1/4 wave ?
@@MrTumbleweed1951 I have tried using 108" long wire, and in order to get a good SWR reading, I had to trim it down to 102.5. so now I just start with 102.5". when You put a spring under Your whip it does not change the radiating length of the antenna, the signal will only use the actual element. the spring is just a spacer between the antenna and base. there is an equation to calculate the exact length for the frequency You use. if I remember correctly, for 27.385 the antenna length should be 102.7" not 108.
@@MowerJunkie I built a similar Antenna years ago. Rather than using expansion foam for the vertical wire, I drilled 2 holes in the top PVC cap, made a loop in the wire, and ran zipties through the holes back to the loop. Worked a treat, and super cheap
too small of a ground plane. try connecting a wire to the tin and running it to a gsrden hose spout or a steel stink pipe coming through your roof if you have one. you have swr meter?
MJ ----- I want to put an antenna up a pine tree that's about 50' tall. I just received my new Uniden SSB CB. I'm waiting for my RG8x and connectors to get here. It would be difficult to put the ground plane radials on top of a tree that far up. Could this antenna be tuned with a decent SWR without ground plane wires on it or would the SWR be too high without them? If this antenna wouldn't work well without the ground plane wires could you suggest another homemade antenna configuration that would work sticking out the top of the pine tree? Thanks ...... the word is you da man when it comes to antenna builds. Thanks again.
Hi James, unfortunately this kind of antenna needs the ground plane wires. the SWR would be sky high without them. You could use a simple wire dipole, it would be the easiest to mount on a tree. check out My Dipole video here, ua-cam.com/video/tRbJAhFCzH4/v-deo.html I hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
@@MowerJunkie Thanks! I think I'm going to build your dipole antenna this week. I'll put the radiator and GP wires in some conduit, turn the antenna vertical and mount it to the pine tree. One last question, if the entire antenna is not completely above the tree, will that hurt the SWR reading and transmit distance? Thanks again "Antenna-Guru"
@@jamesj4111 That's awesome! let Me know how the Dipole works out. The Tree should not affect the antenna at all. a vertical dipole will work great in a tree.
@Linkavich Chamofskee Actually I was in Michigan a few weeks ago horseback riding, the saddle strap broke, I got thrown off and broke some ribs and bruised a lung. So ..... I need to wait a couple more weeks before I can get my butt up the tree. Still going to get it up there though.
Ok I hate to keep bothering you but I’m just out here trying to learn. I keep watching your video and keep noticing different things. I see you mounted the pvc to a metal (galvanized?) pipe. I was planning on having a piece of pvc instead of the pipe only plan on getting a few feet above the roof. My question is. Since the element is inside pvc do I still need to ground the antenna? For things such as lightning and if so would I just attach a ground wire to the ground of the connectors? I plan on building this and sticking it up as soon as my coax gets here. Thanks for the advice. I also took your hint and I’m not gonna mess with 5/8 just a 1/4 like you. I wish we lived closer together so we could make contact but I don’t have enough power to get where you stay from here just accross the state line not far from Myrtle beach.
@@MowerJunkie so wouldn’t it be a bad idea to ground it at the coax ground? Or do I need to use a metal pole something similar to what you have and then ground it?
@@jvcmercado I'm not sure how much help it will be, But check out this video. it's the install of an amp in My car. ua-cam.com/video/zeeYOjrWeXs/v-deo.html
John I just have one question when you put the long wire inside the pvc do you connect it to anything or just let it lay inside also what do you connect the other two wires on outside to
The wire that goes into the pipe is soldered to the center conductor of the so-239 connector. I use a small hose clamp around the outer ring of the coax connector, to attach the ground plane wires. Thanks for watching, Take care.
@@kentuitts6523 Yes, if You use #12 or #14 solid copper wire, it will stay in place on it's own. or You could fill the pipe with expanding foam to hold the wire.
Thanks for the video, Sir. I'm going to try to replicate your design. Can you advise me why you refer to yourself as "151"? I've heard recently folks say a number in addition to their handle. Where does that come from. Thanks in advance. You got a new subscriber.
I get asked this question a lot. Most of the Handles and call numbers are Self assigned. Some radio Clubs will give You numbers to use. for example, I'm a member of "World Wide Sidebanders" So sometimes You Might hear Me call out as WWS-568. The 151 that I use comes from the 151 cubic inch engine that Chevrolet made in the 70's, it's My all time favorite engine. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Ok I’ve done more research and I’m back again I wanna build a 5/8 vertical like this one but 5/8. Does anyone know how long the radials should be? I’ve read that they like 16 degrees but does length matter? I’m assuming it does.
to make a 5/8 vertical You will need to make a matching coil for the feed point of the antenna. the coil will balance the antenna, and give the proper resistance for the antenna. A 5/8 is not an easy build, I would recommend a 1/4 wave, it's already 50 ohm and does not require any additional matching.
@@MowerJunkie I guess I didn’t do enough research i did see someone talking about a coil but I though coils were used to be able to make an antenna shorter for say mobile applications. Well with your reply I guess a 1/4 wave it will be. I know you told a measurement of how far out they are but does it matter how long the ground radials are?
I built my antenna out of plumbing parts and steel pipe, i get about 15 miles on it barefoot. Which is surprising because of the area I'm located. I have a video of it on my channel, Whats your 20 I swear I've heard you on 38 lsb. I live near hickory NC. ALSO according to what studies I've seen the radiation pattern for 2 radials is practically identical to 3 or more radials so don't sweat that.
Thanks, I've tried to find info on the radiation pattern using only 2 radials, but I have not found it yet. I'm on My way to Your channel now, to check out Your build. Thanks for watching. 73's from 151 SC.
I plan on making a PVC dipole antenna with the two wires instead... I'm going to use a metal mast to attach dipole above my garage. My concern is lightning and what do I attach the ground wire to. Do you need to purchase a lightning resistor and attach it from the os-239 and the coax . Also attaching a ground wire and putting it down into a grounding rod will it throw the SWR off? I think a video is needed to explain this more. I'm more concerned with safety than my signal.
@@swink49 twist it, solder it or bolt it. it does not matter how You connect it. I use connectors so that it can be taken apart easily. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@swink49 the ground plane needs to be a resonant length. so if Your antenna is exactly 102.5" above the ground, it might work. if not, You'll need ground radials.
Great to hear CB being used sensibly. I'm a UK HAM operator but used CB (AM SSB and FM) in the late 70's. 1/4" or 1/2" copper tubing would give an even better bandwidth and more ground plane radials would improve omnidirectionability. If you have conductive (damp) ground try a full size 5/8th wave using earth as the ground plane. It's very low angle radiation...as long as your not in a valley :-) 73 and great work.
Mr. Mower you're the master of homemade antennas thanks for taking your time to teaching us the step-by-step to build one.
Thank You Ramon, building antennas is My favorite part of this hobby. 73's and happy DXing.
I gave you a thumbs up when I saw the cat in the window.
Turned out it was a great video.
Still like the cat.
I am a simple man, I see a kitty, I click thumbs up.
Another awesome video and build, John!
nice use of resources. Thumbs up for the mention of the Washington, One of these days i'll blow the dust off of mine. Been in a box for the last 30 years.
Please put that old Washington back on the air, A good radio is a terrible thing to waste. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Excellent build, Sir. I have to replace my entire setup. A tree blew down in a storm and fell right into my mast. 38 lower is usually my home channel. I'm still rebuilding my setup. Nice job, Man. I'll have to try that build. Ol' 786 Ironman, somewhere around the middle of South Cackalackee, we're back out.
sorry for Your loss 786. I hope You can get back on the air soon. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Mower Junkie,
I have been building my own wire antenna's for over 50yrs and my latest one is a 5/8 wave vertical dipole except it doesn't have any ground plane radials. So far I have qso's with operator's over 80 miles away in a base station/18 wheeler with my barefoot transceiver during groundwave propagation. When skywave propagation conditions are good my farthest qso was with a operator on 27.185mHz am in Balize.
My swr from 26.965mHz to 27.405mHz am/ssb has been 1.0.
The reason why you're homemade antenna's are stronger in north/south/east/west direction's are due to the radial's. I don't have any radial's at all and get out strong in a 360 degree radius due to the base of the dipole is feed in the middle instead of the bottom. You're vertical dipole antenna is better than the vertical groundplane antenna. Do an experiment with both of the antenna bases at the same height and you will see how much better the dipole is then the groundplane. Go back and watch you're own vertical dipole antenna video when you where in you're vehicle and you're wife was at home talking to you and you will see what I mean.
73
Maverick 233
Southern, CA
Thanks for this video, I am building one my self I should have it up today. I love watching you content. Now I just need to find some deals on some radios. Thanks for everything.
That's great! I hope it all works out for You. Please let Me know how it turns out. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
very nice i built one almost exactly like this about 6 months ago when i got back into cb.. i made a t out of 1/2 inch pvc for the radials and mounted the t to the pole .. it allowed me to raise the antenna up higher.. so the ends of the radials are mounted to the ends of the pvc t and not tied to the house.. 73's
That's great! I hope You like Yours as much as I like Mine. I find the performance to be incredible!
73's and thanks for watching.
MANY years ago, my 1st base antenna was a 1/4 wave, drooping ground plane. Worked pretty darn good on a Heath-Kit GW-10
Nice, just getting back into it, looking at a Cobra 148GTL and am going to mount my antenna on a post bolted to a sandstone slab on a 700m escarpment. Skip is going to be fun. Going to copy your rig but with 4 ground plane wires at 37 degrees. Bouncing between 1/2 and 1/4 wave. Might do both.
Hi John, still listening for you on 38lsb when the band opens. Looks great. 73, 290 Bob
copy that, and Thank You Bob. If I hear You, I will definitely give You a shout. 73's from 151 SC.
I had a heck of a time hearing you, but I think I got it. Thanks!!
Thanks for watching. 73's from 151 SC.
Great build, I will make myself one for my new setup
Hey there John. Great talking at ya again. 73's .Chris
Copy that 125, the pleasure was all mine. have a good one Chris, 73's from 151 SC.
Awesome ,seems to work good.Keep up the videos.
Great Job with the homemade I'll give it a try.
Good meeting you both in Shelby today! Re-viewing this video to see what I need to build my antenna to see if I get out better than with the antenna I have now.
The pleasure was all Mine. Please let Me know how the antenna project works out. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie How did you clamp the ground plane wires? Hose clamp? What wire guage for the gp wires?
@@bowlsantander9730 I used small hose clamps, clamped to the outside of the coax connector. The ground plane wires are #14 solid copper wire.
Nice antenna young man, I enjoy doing this for something to do also. 73's
Thanks Nick, 73'3 from 151 SC.
This is Mamacat great live video Mower junkie
i made a antenna similar to this using copper wire 10 guage , and i put 4 radials on it. trial and error... but people 20 miles away say it sounds real good.. my radials are supported with 1". p v c also and zip ties to get close to 40 degree angles, and adjust and adjust... my s. w. r. is super good. 1.2 all channels. just a 4watt radio.
Nice.... I got the Killer Bee 250..... Works great for skip too
I wish there were more people using CB in my region
Great video! Your stile remind me of @eLASERJAW (RIP)
I'm not so crafty using an antron with a ground plane. Used a 8ft ground rod. My Washington loves it.
you can use two lengths 8.5 feet long and make a dipole that you can turn and use sorta like a beam. that is useful also for the dx conditions. copper pipe also works well for making verticals. fro anything cb related 1/4 wave just keep using 8.5 feet lengths. that is the 102 inches and the proper wavelngth for the 27mhz band.. the antenna is fairly broad band and will also work up into the bottom of 10m with out any issues.
My 12 dollar Walmart mag mount antenna works awesome! I have talked Skip clear across the country! Pretty sweet! Great video! Thanks
Apple I have had one in the past. Give a nice groundplane vertical a try about a 30 feet up. Its a whole new world
KC1KUG thats what I heard! I talked from California to Georgia! It was awesome! Thanks for the tip brother!
Apple Even just an Antron 99 up 30 feet will get you working everyone. Mount it to the top of the house maybe? I have mine up on a guyed mast. 30 feet of fence post. works great
KC1KUG That would be awesome! My radio is a bearcat 980ssb and I’m surprised how far my set up reaches! I can transmit and receive miles away!
you should get a tram 300 mag mount hads lower swr you don't need trim the antenna.
Very nice. Should be super broad!
Just for the heck of it... You sait the p.v.c. pipe wasn't glued yet for tuning. With mine , I cut the p.v.c. pipe about 6" short of the needed length , drilled a 1/8" hole in a cap and with the copper wire sticking out the too a bit I check and clip to get my s.w.r. I thought also after siliconeing the top it should hold my wire up and straight in my p.v.c. pipe . ?? So far its working ! Thanks m.J.
Hi 151 SC,
I love your video's, they are very informative..
You say that you put the ground plane at a 45 degree angle..
This should give you a 55 ohm impedance...
As we are working with 52 ohm coax, to get the ground plane to match 52 ohm, I did the math and the angle would be 42 degrees...
I know I am splitting hairs here, but we don't know how big a difference it would make...
Food for thought, as your dipoles work very well when compared to factory built devices...
I am in Newfoundland, Canada and hope to hook up with you sometime on lower side of 38....
Cheers and 73's from Robert, North Atlantic, N.A.1221
Thanks for the comment Robert. You are correct, 42 is better...But 45 is easier to calculate. Mine are actually set a little less than 45 degrees. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
This is probably what my cobra with HF needs
Dude what is that riding lawn mower?! That thing is stylin!
Thanks, It's an old 1968 Sears 10 XL, that I restored 10 years ago. It's the only machine I'll use to cut My 2 acre yard. Take care, Thanks for watching.
One of my issues is, my roof is very high, and steep, so a ladder or climbing it is out of the question ,yet it would be easier to mount on the home instead of the middle if the yard... still looking for ideas for my old school Teabury I picked up from a friend
Pity you can't go with more radials. As you probably already know, it's all about ground efficiency, you need those return currents on the gp wires to screen out that lossy ground. Otherwise a portion of your output power is simply warming up the ground. This varies on your soil conductivity, the height above ground and the number of radials. The higher the antenna the less radials needed to screen out the ground below. The poorer the soil the more radials.
Only 2 things I would do different 1) The PVC would fit over the mast pipe with 2 stainless bolts with washers & Lock nuts to hold it to eliminate clamps. 2) I would use smaller diameter sections of PVC stepping it down smaller with each section to the tip for better wind resistance.
You think like I do, originally I was going to have it slip over the mast pipe, but My local hardware store did not have the pipe or fittings I needed to do it that way. the wind is not a problem here, even in Our worst storms this antenna barely moves. Thanks for the comment, and I'm glad I got You thinking. 73's from 151 SC.
Hey! Let that cat come in the shop!
👍👍 Thanks 🍻 73's Wayland NY
I copied your idea and it works Awesome..... I'm just getting back into CB radio after 40 years.... bought a Cobra 29 LTD classic to use as a base unit....102" whip with about 75' LMR 400 mounted on the chimney with old bedframe that I cut up for angle iron to use as a mast. Top of the antenna is about 34' off the ground. SWR's barely move now! I've been fuckin with my SWR's for too long and it works Awesome! Thanks... I couldn't have done it without tour video. 👍👍🍻73's
I still haven't got my antenna up. Watching and learning. Straight Shooter 311 Northern Indiana.
I hope You get Your antenna up soon, You're missing out on a lot of fun! Take care 311, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie Thanks! I hope so too! Could I ask you a question? I don't have you on Facebook, John. I wondered if it really matters if I use solid, or stranded wire for my Radials? And thanks for any tips and advice, Love your video's.
Both wires will perform the same, But the stranded will last longer. the stranded wire will withstand the constant flexing better.
@@MowerJunkie Thanks! I found some heavy stranded Speaker wire in my Basement! I might just double that up B/C I think it's 14 gauge.
That's great, A single strand of 14 gauge will work very well.
Question. I have a dual antenna whip nagoya. It has 3.5vhf and 5.5 of gain uhf. If i tune the uhf frequencie tona desire, will the gain dimish or be affected and the vhf .
Did you use rope to keep the top wires straight up in the pipe
Hello John, I've been looking for that elbow connector that has the narrowed ends to hold the ground planes. I've looked on Amazon and could not find that particular one. Can you point me in the direction to get one or the link? Also I want to ground the antenna to a grounding rod, and what gauge wire and to where do I connect the ground wire to the antenna? Thanks!
Because it is made with plastic, Is there no need to ground the structure?
I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work! Have you ever tried making a whole wave loop antenna? Just curious how that would compare with the other antennas you have made. Seems like it would be a great stealth antenna in an attic or on top of the roof if it works.
Thanks Scott. A Friend sent Me some plans for a full wave loop antenna, I'm sure We'll see one in the future. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.
I think I might try to get the pipe and T to make one of these today.
What solder did you use there Mower Junkie
(CB Sodbuster)
I own 4 Imax 2000s, an A99, an Astroplane, a Colossal by Zero5, an I-10K, an Avanti Sigma II 5/8, a Sirio GainMaster, a Shockwave, a Sirio Vector 4K, ( Dumped my M.R. Coily - *_cheap_* 😒 ) and several 1970s era Penetrators.
My home-built proprietary design *"LAMBDA"* (for want of a better name & trademark) noticeably outperforms every other one - regardless of Local, DX, groundwave, skywave or pure skip.
- All anyone has to do is think, learn, use your imagination, calculate correctly, ignore everything written by *The DB* and you, too, can build something spectacular which beats everything commercially available.
Great comment! I completely agree. I have had a lot of factory built antennas, and the best antenna I have ever had is a homemade that I built Myself, though it was not the one in this video. Thanks for watching, Take care.
@@MowerJunkie Please, *_expound!_*
@@JAFO. A 2 element Homemade Yagi that I built, has outperformed 2 Maco beams, an Antron, an Imax, a Tram 1/2 wave, and a few others.
@@MowerJunkie Now try your hand at building a 12' foot boom, 3-element Quad at .18-R & .15-D and you'll cry tears of joy because you'll be so amazed by it's incredible quietness, super ears, amazing gain, Sweet low TOA for DX, tiny profile & cuteness.
How long is the vertical wire?
May I please know: If I were to purchase an antenna what would reccomend?
Hey im trying to make this antenna but my copper isnt stiff and falls without support. Could I put it in a pvc pipe like you did to keep the antenna eite standing up straight?
That's why I used the PVC pipe, the wire needs to be supported. I recommend using number 12 or 14 copper house wire, because it will stay straight in the pipe. if You're using speaker wire, it can be taped or zip tied to the outside of the pipe. Take care and good luck with Your antenna.
i'm making one theses in cheap purple martin bird house you can comfuge cb dipoles this way it shouldn't effect performance at all on the cb radio you can do it right if look at mower junkie videos on youtube some cb antennas he does.
Do you have a specific brand of rg8x coax you prefer? I’m seeing a lot of bad reviews, and want as little loss as possible. And don’t want to buy twice. Thanks for all the videos and knowledge!
I've been using coax made by Tram. I'm very happy with it. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
It would have really helped a ton more, had to filmed the beginning of you build.
Hello. Mower Junkie. I have a question. I built a dipole antenna which is the antenna is part of the mast. The top 8" it s 3/4 PVC with a cap then a 1 1/2" T The bottom is 10" of 1 1/2" PVC. I want to put that up on the back side of my garage. Living in New York with the cold Winters will I have to worry about that antenna snapping? I'll probably put 3/4 of the antenna above the roof. Mounting it to the back side of the garage.Thanks! Vinnie
if You used schedule 40 PVC pipe, it should survive the winter.
@@MowerJunkie Thanks for that info. Hope I'll be able to talk to you once I get the antenna up. 1155 Condor Upstate NY.. 73's
Do u recommend a pvc or wood or metal to use as a pole and why? I have a base 5`6 antenna butni m not shure what to use as a pole
the pole doesn't matter, as long as the antenna is a quarter wave, and has a minimum of 2 ground plane wires mounted at a 45 degree angle.
Your thoughts on this.. I'm putting a 102" SS whip on my pickup, behind the cab on the bed rail. If I run a wire from the mount on each side of the bed would it act as a ground plane? Or even help? Better left alone?
if it's mounted to the truck, You don't need any extra ground plane. Your truck will be the ground plane. Thanks for watching, Take care.
just wondered about it , because I'm putting it right behind the cab (center) on the rail is all. Thanks love the channel and the simplicity of it all. Btw, I'll be attempting to make this antenna for my base when I'm, ready for it.
Thought i recognized your voice thiss is 335 kevin in the diesel car
I have an old Hi-Gain cb antenna from the 70's from my dad that I am using. It is working but it has a spot for 3 radials. Do you know how long the radials should be.?
Roger
103 to 108 inches, or 1/4 wavelength
Sir I am looking for instructions for a 17' 5 element long john 11 meter beam Thx if you can help
I have a couple questions. Is there a sort of majic number for the length of the antenna. I know it will probably have to be slightly adjusted. But like 13ft, 20ft. I don’t understand 10meter etc. 1/4 wave, 5/8 wave. Also how long do the ground plains need to be. Also do I need to running a ground rod and if so where too?
Chevy 10 meter band is above the CB Band into 28 Mhz the morse code area you hear on the "Black Radios" 1/4 wave antenna's are like the 102 inch whips on vehicle's 5/8 waves are like the Antron 99's and such... The length's for the main wire and radial's are mentioned in the video....
the magic number is 468/freq=length
What is the red indicator light that illuminates when transmit?
it's a modulation indicator, it lets You know the radio is transmitting audio.
Will a CB radio with ground antennae interfere with car speakers that blast thumping music through the walls of my house and windows? Some say yes, some say no? Is it possible to disrupt house from those speakers? Thanks, like your videos.
Possible? Yes. Likely? That would depend on output power
Please get your volume higher.
Nice antenna! I notice that you prefer Realistic radios in most cases. Have you ever worked for Radio Shack in the past or just enjoy their radios? I worked for the Shack for a short period back in the 90’s.
Nope, I've never worked for them. I'm just a big fan of Radio Shack products. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Do you have too have radios wires?
I like to build antenna cb antenna for a 11 meter cb
yes, you need the ground plane wires. this antenna will not work without them.
Got antenna built got 1.3 swr. Does swr go up when using power . Hot box 250
It might go up a little, but shouldn't go much higher then with stock power. Thanks for watching! 73's from 151 SC.
What kind of mower is that orange mower? That looks awesome!
Thanks, My Mower is a 1968 Sears Custom 10, I did a full restore to it about 9 years ago, and it has been a great machine. Thanks for watching, Happy new year.
nice video i'm building one today did u have to trim the ground radials or just the top section. going to compare it to my a99.
Yes, the ground radials need to be trimmed to the same length as the active element. Good luck with Your build, let Me know how it compares to Your Antron. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie thank you from 142 central ny
Excellent video. Another person on here asked you a question about how you keep the top wire straight in the top pole or doesn't it matter as long as the wire is right length ? Also , as far as the radials can I get away with using 2-3 as long as they are right length ? Thanks
the 12ga wire will stay straight on it's own, with Mine, after I tune the antenna, I fill the pipe with expanding foam and cap the pipe. this will stop the wire from sagging in the pipe. if You use more radials, You will have a better ground plane, and the antenna will be easier to tune. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie , thank you for your quick reply. Can I ask a couple more questions. Do the radials have to be grounded from each other ? If a full 1/4 wave is 108 inches why was your feed & radials cut to 102.5 inches for the c.b. band? I'm going to try & make one of these but if it doesn't work then I may buy a whip. They come in 102 inches long & if I added a spring ( 4 inches) then wouldn't I still be 2 inches short of a 1/4 wave ?
@@MrTumbleweed1951 I have tried using 108" long wire, and in order to get a good SWR reading, I had to trim it down to 102.5. so now I just start with 102.5". when You put a spring under Your whip it does not change the radiating length of the antenna, the signal will only use the actual element. the spring is just a spacer between the antenna and base. there is an equation to calculate the exact length for the frequency You use. if I remember correctly, for 27.385 the antenna length should be 102.7" not 108.
@@MowerJunkie Thank you very much sir. I'm enjoying learning from your videos
@@MowerJunkie I built a similar Antenna years ago. Rather than using expansion foam for the vertical wire, I drilled 2 holes in the top PVC cap, made a loop in the wire, and ran zipties through the holes back to the loop.
Worked a treat, and super cheap
When you were talking to the guy near Shaw AFB, S.C. and Paxville, S.C., what was your location?
Near Camden SC. Thanks for watching, 73's
Might be a silly question but could a guy use a magnetic antenna on top of a house with a 28" by 28" tin ground plane?
I would not try to transmit on the set up You described, it would work for receiving, but would have a very high SWR on transmit.
too small of a ground plane. try connecting a wire to the tin and running it to a gsrden hose spout or a steel stink pipe coming through your roof if you have one. you have swr meter?
MJ ----- I want to put an antenna up a pine tree that's about 50' tall. I just received my new Uniden SSB CB. I'm waiting for my RG8x and connectors to get here. It would be difficult to put the ground plane radials on top of a tree that far up. Could this antenna be tuned with a decent SWR without ground plane wires on it or would the SWR be too high without them? If this antenna wouldn't work well without the ground plane wires could you suggest another homemade antenna configuration that would work sticking out the top of the pine tree? Thanks ...... the word is you da man when it comes to antenna builds. Thanks again.
Hi James, unfortunately this kind of antenna needs the ground plane wires. the SWR would be sky high without them. You could use a simple wire dipole, it would be the easiest to mount on a tree. check out My Dipole video here, ua-cam.com/video/tRbJAhFCzH4/v-deo.html
I hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
@@MowerJunkie Thanks! I think I'm going to build your dipole antenna this week. I'll put the radiator and GP wires in some conduit, turn the antenna vertical and mount it to the pine tree. One last question, if the entire antenna is not completely above the tree, will that hurt the SWR reading and transmit distance? Thanks again "Antenna-Guru"
@@jamesj4111 That's awesome! let Me know how the Dipole works out. The Tree should not affect the antenna at all. a vertical dipole will work great in a tree.
@@MowerJunkie Thank you for your help. Will let you know how it turns out! Thanks again!
@Linkavich Chamofskee Actually I was in Michigan a few weeks ago horseback riding, the saddle strap broke, I got thrown off and broke some ribs and bruised a lung. So ..... I need to wait a couple more weeks before I can get my butt up the tree. Still going to get it up there though.
Ok I hate to keep bothering you but I’m just out here trying to learn. I keep watching your video and keep noticing different things. I see you mounted the pvc to a metal (galvanized?) pipe. I was planning on having a piece of pvc instead of the pipe only plan on getting a few feet above the roof. My question is. Since the element is inside pvc do I still need to ground the antenna? For things such as lightning and if so would I just attach a ground wire to the ground of the connectors? I plan on building this and sticking it up as soon as my coax gets here. Thanks for the advice. I also took your hint and I’m not gonna mess with 5/8 just a 1/4 like you. I wish we lived closer together so we could make contact but I don’t have enough power to get where you stay from here just accross the state line not far from Myrtle beach.
Yes it should be grounded, otherwise those ground plane wires will attract lightning.
@@MowerJunkie so wouldn’t it be a bad idea to ground it at the coax ground? Or do I need to use a metal pole something similar to what you have and then ground it?
How long was the vertical wire in the antenna?
102.5" long.
I have a coax antenna, a t2lt! Where would i attatch groundplanes to it? The outside of the pl plug?
I attach them to the coax connector at the base of the antenna. Thanks for watching, Take care.
@@MowerJunkie on the outside of the connectors?
Do u now were I can get schematic for pc borad 385ag and 196ad washing base. Top the borad and bottom of pc borad
Sorry, I don't know where to get the schematic for them. Thanks for watching! 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie think you like your home made antenna. I toke to NY TX FL Ok.
It's working okay with just two radials? That's good to know. I thought you needed three or four.
it would work better with more radials, But it is still a good performer with 2 ground radials.
How do you hookup ground plain did put it on pl259 end of connector made circle loop wire two ground plain is 12 guage bare copper wire?
I stripped the wire 1/2" , then used a small hose clamp to clamp the wires to the outer ring of the pl259.
How long pvc is 103 inches or 104 inches.
@@foxman362 I just cut it 9', and call it close enough.
thats 9 ft pvc that what your saying 102inches is like 8ft.
@@foxman362 anything over 103 inches will work.
i have a amp like that but is a palomas-2 no automatic ssb option i have not tryed tohook up need help on how to wire
If You need My help setting up that amp, just let Me know. I'm always willing to help a radio Friend.
Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie great thanks im in dallas tx , if u have a link on how to wire amp u can send me
@@jvcmercado I'm not sure how much help it will be, But check out this video. it's the install of an amp in My car.
ua-cam.com/video/zeeYOjrWeXs/v-deo.html
John I just have one question when you put the long wire inside the pvc do you connect it to anything or just let it lay inside also what do you connect the other two wires on outside to
The wire that goes into the pipe is soldered to the center conductor of the so-239 connector. I use a small hose clamp around the outer ring of the coax connector, to attach the ground plane wires. Thanks for watching, Take care.
@@MowerJunkie so the conduter wire is just laying lose inside the long pvc pipe
@@kentuitts6523 Yes, if You use #12 or #14 solid copper wire, it will stay in place on it's own. or You could fill the pipe with expanding foam to hold the wire.
@@MowerJunkie ok john thanks I am going to try to build one later this spring I am 34xray01 out of topeka kansas when I am on I run 36 through 40
Mower..One more question. No need to ground that antenna to a grounding rod correct?
It will work without grounding, but it will be safer and have less static if it's grounded.
@@MowerJunkie Thank you!
So the wire in the pvc is 102.5as well as the ground plane wires? Or did I miss something?
Yes, all 3 of the wires are the same length. if You need to trim it to tune it, They all need to be trimmed equally.
Loving the channel, and tips. This looks simple enuff even I can do.
Hey there mower junkie, is 102.54 inches including ground plane wires and the main element?
the active element at the top is 102.5" tall, and each ground radial is 102.5" long.
@@MowerJunkie beautiful mower junkie, I got mine cut to that and hanging about 30/40 feet up. Beautiful swr, thanks for the return! 73s
I really appreciate your videos, maybe I’ll catch you on channel 37 lsb! You have a good evening sir.
Thanks for the video, Sir. I'm going to try to replicate your design. Can you advise me why you refer to yourself as "151"? I've heard recently folks say a number in addition to their handle. Where does that come from. Thanks in advance. You got a new subscriber.
I get asked this question a lot. Most of the Handles and call numbers are Self assigned. Some radio Clubs will give You numbers to use. for example, I'm a member of "World Wide Sidebanders" So sometimes You Might hear Me call out as WWS-568. The 151 that I use comes from the 151 cubic inch engine that Chevrolet made in the 70's, it's My all time favorite engine.
Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Ok I’ve done more research and I’m back again I wanna build a 5/8 vertical like this one but 5/8. Does anyone know how long the radials should be? I’ve read that they like 16 degrees but does length matter? I’m assuming it does.
If it doesn’t work out I’ll cut it down and make a 1/4 wave.
to make a 5/8 vertical You will need to make a matching coil for the feed point of the antenna. the coil will balance the antenna, and give the proper resistance for the antenna.
A 5/8 is not an easy build, I would recommend a 1/4 wave, it's already 50 ohm and does not require any additional matching.
@@MowerJunkie I guess I didn’t do enough research i did see someone talking about a coil but I though coils were used to be able to make an antenna shorter for say mobile applications. Well with your reply I guess a 1/4 wave it will be. I know you told a measurement of how far out they are but does it matter how long the ground radials are?
I built my antenna out of plumbing parts and steel pipe, i get about 15 miles on it barefoot. Which is surprising because of the area I'm located.
I have a video of it on my channel, Whats your 20 I swear I've heard you on 38 lsb. I live near hickory NC.
ALSO according to what studies I've seen the radiation pattern for 2 radials is practically identical to 3 or more radials so don't sweat that.
Thanks, I've tried to find info on the radiation pattern using only 2 radials, but I have not found it yet. I'm on My way to Your channel now, to check out Your build. Thanks for watching. 73's from 151 SC.
I plan on making a PVC dipole antenna with the two wires instead... I'm going to use a metal mast to attach dipole above my garage. My concern is lightning and what do I attach the ground wire to. Do you need to purchase a lightning resistor and attach it from the os-239 and the coax . Also attaching a ground wire and putting it down into a grounding rod will it throw the SWR off? I think a video is needed to explain this more. I'm more concerned with safety than my signal.
What’s the best base antenna these days? IMAX?
Imax is an okay antenna, But a Colossal 10k, Maco v-5000, and v 5/8 are great vertical antennas.
So what is the farthest range you got with your new antenna?
with a 20 watt SSB radio, I can talk to other local stations about 30 miles away.
IMAX 2000 all day!
Is there a simple way to ground a PVC dipole above the roof of a garage
for lighting and also will it affect the SWR? THANK YOU!
ground your mast, and the outer coax ring. remember to keep the bottom half of the antenna 3 feet away from the mast.
I built one, Check it out here ua-cam.com/video/Z5Q_XTEE2KU/v-deo.html
@@MowerJunkieWhat if I use a wooden or PVC mast . Then can the antenna be closer? Thank you!
@@KerfMan Yup, that will work fine. It just can't be near metal or large objects.
@@MowerJunkie Thank you! 73s
How many watts can this antenna handle? Thanks for sharing...
I'm not sure what the power handling would be, But I have been putting 225 into it without any problems. Thanks for watching.
@@MowerJunkie 10-4, thanks for the reply. Getting ready to setup a base in western NY...
I had a 15 foot whip I talked all over with it just running bare foot with a mobile radio..
How long that was the ground plane wires
all 3 wires are the exact same length, each one measures 102.1", I started out with 102.5 and trimmed it, to tune it. Thanks for watching
What happened to budwig Center connectors same as you built
What fastens the vertical wire inside the pvc pipe?
I used stiff solid copper wire and expanding foam.
12gage wire? Also the ground plane wires are 102 inches as well?
I used 14ga house wire. I started out with 104" for all wires, and trimmed all wires equally to tune it.
What the cat do?
That’s weird I’ve done the same thing almost the same thing little different but I like yours better
What size wire u used
For this antenna I used 14 ga solid copper wire. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie think you . Greenbrier tn.
@@MowerJunkie they call me 16 killwatt on radio.
Is that 2 or 4 ground plain radial
It only has 2 ground radials. it's a little directional, But works well.
It's plane, not plain. Two totally different words and meanings.
Could you not use a so239 connector
You can attach the coax directly to the antenna.
So I coukd just solder a copper wire on top of so239 for the antenna?
@@swink49 twist it, solder it or bolt it. it does not matter how You connect it. I use connectors so that it can be taken apart easily. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
Mower Junkie i have another question dont mean to bother.. But for the ground plane could I run a copper wire down to an earth ground ?
@@swink49 the ground plane needs to be a resonant length. so if Your antenna is exactly 102.5" above the ground, it might work. if not, You'll need ground radials.