Author |
Message |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 106 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 8:40 pm: |
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Well the landlord caught on and said the Imax had to go. So the Top One (Astroplane Clone) has arrived. So now the question is living in a mobile home park, does anyone have any mounting suggestions? I was thinking of burying a 16 foot 4x4 in the ground 4 feet and cementing it in. Then bolting 20 foot of mast up alongside this, with the ant. mounted to the top. Or I've also considerd stand off mounts to the side of the mobile home and running the mast up that way. Any opinions and suggestions are welcome. Thomas "852" CEF750 |
Bruce
Senior Member Username: Bruce
Post Number: 4112 Registered: 9-2003
| Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 9:26 pm: |
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mine worked GREAT 15 foot above a 50 by 12 foot alumn room ! |
Starface
Advanced Member Username: Starface
Post Number: 810 Registered: 1-2005
| Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 10:36 pm: |
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why did the imax have to go? But your still able to have an antenna? |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 107 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 11:01 pm: |
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the landlord didn't approve of the 24 footer strung up in the air. Thats why I went with the topone. |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 108 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 11:09 pm: |
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Bruce was that 15 foot to the bottom hoop?? |
Wildrat
Senior Member Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 1112 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 10:12 am: |
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Why does the IMAX have to go and the top one will be OK? WR |
Bruce
Senior Member Username: Bruce
Post Number: 4114 Registered: 9-2003
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 12:15 pm: |
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TOP OF IT |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 109 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 6:16 pm: |
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Wildrat, because of the height difference. In order to get the Imax feedpoint at 36 feet, that would have put the tip at 60 feet. And he wasn't in approval of that. But with the top one only being 12 feet in height, and maybe mounted on a 20 foot mast. He'll let me get away with that. |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 110 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 6:18 pm: |
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Bruce you're saying the top of the antenna was just 15 feet above the roof., So that put the bottom hoop only 3 feet above the roof. And it worked good there? |
Bruce
Senior Member Username: Bruce
Post Number: 4115 Registered: 9-2003
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 8:03 pm: |
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top of the cone where the top of the 15 foot pipe was u bolted not the tip and cap hat which meens the bottom was about 6 foot and even that low it worked well if you go up 20 foot it will be quite happy. it was flattened by a hurricane but lasted untill the winds got up to 100..... |
Tech833
Moderator Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1492 Registered: 8-2002
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 10:22 pm: |
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The Top One only needs to be a few feet above ground or your roof to work well. It will absolutely scream if you can get the hoop 18-20 feet above ground! With height restrictions, that narrows your choice down to a Top One if you still want performance. A Top One will hand an Imax its own butt at 20 feet or less. Of course, if you have no height restrictions and can get the bottom of the Imax 20 feet or more above ground/roof, it will noticeably outperform the Top One. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1981 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Friday, October 13, 2006 - 11:16 pm: |
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What i did out in my yard to test antennas was dug a hole 12" deep, 12" inches square. Bought a heavy piece of 4ft Galvanized pipe and drove all into the ground. Put a cap on end going into ground, so, dirt didn't get up inside pipe. Poured cement into hole around pipe. Kept pipe and cement a few inches under ground,so, if no longer used, could be covered with dirt,grass,sod,ect. Mount antenna on strong mast and just sit mast down pipe in the ground. |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 114 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 10:01 pm: |
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Ok, I got the Topone up and running. I put a 10 foot 4x4 up in the yard approx. 20 feet from the side of the house. I dug a hole 3 foot deep and concreted the 4x4 in. Then I mounted the topone to a 20 foot mast and mounted it to the 4x4 with conduit straps. I used 20lb. test fishing line to center the hoop around the mast. After installation I performed a swr check, and they was flat 1 on all 40 channels. The bottom hoop is 12 feet above open ground and so far I'm impressed with it's performance. There's not alot of skip running here this evening but I've been able to make contacts that I previously couldn't, some as far as 50 miles away and barefooted. I was skeptical about this little ant. at first but I'm becoming a believer. Now I can't wait for the skip to start rolling so I can see how it does there. Thanks for all the help guys. "852" CEF750 |
Tech833
Moderator Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1494 Registered: 8-2002
| Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 11:27 pm: |
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You're welcome! Glad you got that antenna. We (here on this board) keep preaching the Top One for low-level installations, but people still doubt. Usually people that have never had one. |
1861
Advanced Member Username: 1861
Post Number: 578 Registered: 2-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 11:40 pm: |
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GLAD YOU GOT IT GOING . WE HAD REAL HEAVY WINDS YESTERDAY , I LOOKED OUT BACK WINDOW AND MY I MAX WAS BENT OVER , MY TOP ONE DIDN,T SEEM TO EVEN QUIVER |
Road_warrior
Senior Member Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1985 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 1:23 pm: |
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Good deal there 852! |
852
Intermediate Member Username: 852
Post Number: 129 Registered: 3-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 8:53 pm: |
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Finally had some DX move in this evening, especially from Fla. I made contacts in Sarasota, Tampa Bay, and West Palm Beach on LSB 38 with my barefoot Galaxy DX2547 and the TopOne Astroplane. I'm really impressed at this little antennas performance.It's certainly a suprising little package. Thanks alot!!!! Thomas "852" CEF750 |
1861
Advanced Member Username: 1861
Post Number: 580 Registered: 2-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 9:50 pm: |
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Glad it is working for you Thomas . I was hitting all over Florida today with my Cobra 200gtL and TOP ONE from here in PA. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1999 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 12:19 pm: |
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I missed the Dx yesterday. Hey 852, glad to hear that Top One is working good for ya! Sounds like your enjoying it. RoadWarrior |