Many because of Scott (VO1DR) who shares the next visitor submit:
by Scott Schillereff, VO1DR
Additional to my article about radio throughout journey to Portugal, quite a few readers requested for particulars on how I mounted my whip antenna system to my digital camera monopod for /P use. Listed below are some pictures and notes on this.
Normal notes:
- It is a “straight-through” design. Simply direct connections from the BNC middle pin to whip (through brass nut), and BNC housing to radial connector.
- This isn’t a cook-book building article, somewhat only a show-and-tell of how I constructed mine. You should use what you will have available to construct one thing related.
- I counsel you begin together with your telescoping whip, so you realize the dimensions and threads for mounting bolt.
- You possibly can use any kind of connector for the radial (wingnut, knurled nut, spade lug, alligator clip, no matter you want). I choose banana jacks since a) I can push within the radial banana plug quick, b) the plug is a weak launch level (pulls aside if somebody walks into the radial), and c) I can simply connect extra radial wires, if desired.
- Use a robust case (metallic clamshell or solid aluminum work nicely). With the whip prolonged, there will be substantial forces (bending second) from wind or dealing with. A tiny plastic case could be fractionally lighter however would possibly fail.
- For measurement, the one I used (25 x 25 x 50 mm; 1” x 1” x 2”) is about as small as I’d go. It must have a large enough footprint to sit down firmly on a digital camera mount becoming.
- Use excessive warmth (e.g., Weller 100-140 W solder gun) when soldering the middle pin wire to the brass whip mounting nut. Solder the wire to the brass nut earlier than you epoxy the nut.
- I customized made the white plastic insulating bushing (the place whip screws in). This was from a nearly-right bit from my junk field. You will be inventive right here. You possibly can additionally epoxy on brief piece of close-fitting, thick-walled PVC pipe across the outdoors of the whip mounting gap as a supporting sleeve to present some lateral help to whip when it’s screwed in.
- Dry-fit every thing (earlier than epoxying) to verify nothing touches that shouldn’t and you may screw within the digital camera nut and whip positive. Take a look at correct continuity of middle pin and radial connections to BNC becoming. As soon as glued, there’s no going again!
- For surfaces to be epoxied (metallic nut sides and backside, insides of mounting case), barely roughen with sandpaper or jewellers file, then clear with isopropyl alcohol and Q-tip. This may improve adhesion and power.
- Use good-quality, high-strength, long-cure epoxy (e.g., JB Weld), not el-cheapo 5-minute epoxy from the Greenback Retailer. LET THE EPOXY COMPLETELY CURE BEFORE MESSING WITH IT! Simply stroll away from it for a day… (your endurance might be rewarded).
Determine 1 – VO1DR Antenna Mount, clamped onto high of monopod. Coax goes to BNC on left; whip screws into high; raised radial connects by banana plug on proper
Determine 2 – Antenna mount unclamped from high of monopod. The black plastic becoming (at proper, with wedge-shape) suits into slot on platform at high of monopod (at left) and clamps in with cam arm. Giant metal screw attaches wedge becoming to antenna mount case. Ruler reveals scale of issues.
Determine 3 – Antenna mount case (proper) unscrewed from digital camera mount becoming. Metal screw is customary digital camera mount measurement (1/4-20 thread measurement). Black silicone cap retains mud out of BNC connector. In case your digital camera mount doesn’t have a removable wedge becoming (just like the one on the left), you’d merely screw the digital camera mount screw immediately into the underside of the antenna mount case.
Determine 4 – Prime of monopod dissembled to point out (clockwise from high): black monopod tube with telescoping whip saved inside (stainless-steel with 10 mm brass mounting bolt), antenna mount case, removable digital camera mount becoming, and spherical high plate of monopod. For my monopod, I needed to take away one tiny screw and apply mild torque to interrupt a weak glue joint of this spherical piece on high of the monopod leg. It stays a cosy hand match (no screw wanted).
Determine 5 – Absolutely assembled whip antenna mount with wiring. Radial (blue wire) with tie-off twine (yellow) at left; RG174 coax (5 m) at proper. Whip is simply ever screwed in hand-tight. Deploying within the area, I first tie off the monopod to one thing (park bench, picnic desk, fence, tree), then screw the collapsed whip into the antenna mount and clamp mount on high of monopod, then plug in radial and tie the yellow twine off to one thing (straight out at 2 m peak or slope right down to floor anchor), and eventually join the coax to the rig. When all in place, I rigorously increase the whip (slowly, with two arms to scale back bending forces). Take-down is all in reverse.
Determine 6 – Element of antenna mount case. Case is 50 mm x 25 mm x 25 mm aluminum clam shell field with sq. metallic finish plates. These finish plates are screwed in to carry the 2 halves collectively. White plastic bushing gives extra lateral help for the whip when it’s screwed in. The bushing is glued to outdoors of case with CA (Krazy) glue.
Determine 7 – Within antenna mount case. On left, a ¼-20 metal nut is epoxied to within case with sturdy JB Weld epoxy. In most important case, a ten mm brass nut is epoxied to within case with an insulating washer beneath. This brass nut connects to the whip and is “scorching”, so should be insulated from the black aluminum case. Yellow wire connects middle of BNC to brass nut (soldered). Black wire connects floor aspect of BNC to radial banana jack. Use loads of epoxy; there’s numerous pressure exerted on the metal and brass nuts.
Determine 8 – Element of within case. Be aware separation of banana jack solder submit and fringe of 10 mm brass nut. Solder yellow wire to nut earlier than epoxying in nut.
Hope you discover this handy. Simply use what you will have available and a few ingenuity to make yours!
Greatest 72, Scott VO1DR