HF Antenna

[dons2346]

The 393 does not have a coax pig tail, just a simple clamp.

[Tom N]

Originally Posted by dons2346

The 393 does not have a coax pig tail, just a simple clamp.

Can you tell me or post a photo of how you connected the coax to this "clamp".

-Tom, W3TLN

[dons2346]

Here is a pix of my mount. If you look at the antenna, you can see a couple of colored bands on it. Going towards the rear, you can kinda see the clamp as a silver band. The antenna lead from my tuner is attached there with an eyelet and nut/bolt. The high tension lead is then taped to the antenna below that. Maybe you can blow up the pix to see it better

[Tom N]

I have the antenna but haven't unpacked it.

Where do you attach the coax shield??

Very nice roof mount. I like the actuator.

Does it load on 160??

-Tom

[dons2346]

Originally Posted by Tom N

I have the antenna but haven't unpacked it.

Where do you attach the coax shield??

Very nice roof mount. I like the actuator.

Does it load on 160??

-Tom

I did not attach the shield, it is left open at the antenna. The other end is grounded at the tuner which is grounded to the coach frame.

The mount was made by K7PED and I bought it back in 2004. I don't know if he is still making them or not.

I can't load 160 because my tuner won't. I am using a SGC 237

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Anyone tried the BuddyPole shock cord rigid whip with a remote tuner? Have been thinking about one of these on a quick disconnect mount on the rear ladder.

I picked up a used 12' shock cord whip antenna and set it up today. Quick fabbed up a bracket for the rear ladder at about 5' height with 3/8-20 mount and grounded to the coach chassis. Kenwood TS-480 with matching LDG KT-100 external tuner near the antenna. From SoCal made a couple quick mid afternoon solid contacts in Utah and Colorado on 20m. Heard folks from Michigan and the northeast. Satisfies the requirement for quick setup - maybe 30 seconds to snap the whip sections together and screw it onto the mount. Will play with it some more to get a better feel for how it is performing. Maybe try to find the 17' rigid shock cord whip.

[Wb2IVU]

Originally Posted by nightstars

Just a howdy from another RVing Ham. So far I had only planned to work 2 - 10 - 12 meters. For a vertical I'm just thinking about using a 11-meter whip and a tuner. (KL7IEK)

A friend of mine, also an RVer and a Ham, uses a CB antenna. This antenna, has a air wound coil midway on the mast and a adjustable whip. (You see them on trucker mirrors.) Anyway, he picket it up at a Pilot gas store for about $40. This antenna is amazing for what it is. With the help of his LDG automatic tuner, it covers 10, 1through 15. He mounted it on the rear ladder and never worries about it.

Just something to think about

[vsheetz]

Thanks all.

I have now installed an Eagle One, which works very well. Easy to set up as it stays attached to the rear ladder, one just has to raise / lower the sections. I like it.

For mobile or no setup required I also installed a CB 108" whip to the rear ladder. While not great, it does get out on 20m well enough.

Radio was a Kenwood 480, moving to a icom 7100. Both with radio unit and LDG tuner mounted in a rear compartment very near the antennas, and the radio controller head inside the living area via a 50' separation cable. I really like this setup. Good efficiency due to short antenna cables and minimal equipment taking space inside the coach living area.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by Butte64

Thanks Tom, I will check out that tuner. I am going to be using an ICOM 7100 and was thinking about using the ICOM Ah4 tuner but am open to lots of ideas.

I have the Icom 7100 and the LDG tuner for it. Get the LDG tuner. Cheaper, wider tuning range, more memories, less $$$. I have nothing bad to say about it.

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by 1bigmess

I have the Icom 7100 and the LDG tuner for it. Get the LDG tuner. Cheaper, wider tuning range, more memories, less $$$. I have nothing bad to say about it.

Ditto. I have LDG tuners for all my radios, including the 7100. They work very well.

[Wb2IVU]

Ham's in general like to re-invent the wheel so to say when it comes to RV-ing and ham radio.. Personally, I prefer a antenna I can use while motoring down the road and when I am parked for a couple nights. I can't see putting up dipoles, throwing wires into trees, or anything that could be a hazard to other campers, pets or freak out the camp ground Management.

Therefore, if your light on cash (I know I am), I wanted a simple, low cost, tried and true antenna system, that could offer multi-band use. I ended up with the Hustler mast and individual coils for the bands I worked the most (75/80, 40 & 20) I mounted the mast to the ladder on the back of my Coach.. and away I went. The Hustler system is fairly cost effective if you buy them used and it words great...

As for using a 102" CB whip.. you can and with a Icom AH-4 automatic (actually any tuner "should work") tuner the AH-4, is designed to tune 80-10M.in a marine environment But, those auto-tuners, even used do not come by inexpensively. That said, I have use a LDG auto tuner with my Icom IC-706 M2G, and a Wilson CB antenna and I found I could load, 20-10. It worked fairly well for what it is. I still keep that antenna in the RV as a backup. Maybe extending the "whip" would allow it to tune 40, but I have not tried that.