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View Full Version : Putting an Antron99 up-Any Suggestions/Advice



Mistah Gravy
03-22-2012, 10:45 PM
hello folks,i am new to the site(a coupla' weeks old)and i am looking for any suggestions and/or advice i can get to ensure the best possible installation whether it be equipment/materials or just how i install it so i do the best possible job and get the best possible results.let me put it out there that i live in a town that has been said to be a low-land kind of town.the two towns that i am nestled inbetween are both higher than my town.not that it matters but i live in a small farming town in New Hampshire.

O.K.-i have the brand new Antron99 with their mounting kit(no ground plane kit-was told by many that it won't make much of a noticable difference but if you think otherwise then feel obliged to opine.....).

i bought a 12ft section of galvanized fence post(should i buy more than one and put them together to get up higher?).

i bought a (4)four pack of those come-along tie-down straps that i plan on using to secure the whole push-pole/antenna to the tree that i end up using.

i plan on purchasing 100ft. of LMR 400(not sure if i'll buy direct bury because i think it to be a much neater install if i pipe it through conduit and then bury it).i plan on buying 100ft. of coax because the tree that i currently plan on using is going to necessitate 100ft(possibly 25ft.more,i still have to measure it out to be in the right ballpark).

all of this is going to be hooked up to one of my Phillipine made Cobra 148GTL w/extra upper&lower channels.stock Cobra Mic although i have been wondering which aftermarket mic i could use on this 148 that won't be too much and won't be too little because i've been told that the 148's kick ass audio/modulation wise right out of the box.does anyone have a suggestion on a good quality mic that adds to this radio.i'd like one with echo option and maybe a roger beep but both are just something i would "like" to have.

i have two factory made amps.both of which are right now in the shop.i sent my other Philly made 148GTL and these two amps in to get all tuned up and to have one amp basically tuned to that radio that i sent.the amps-(1)Power Plus 250--(2)Magnum 2000.....both of them have 2pills(ToshibaSC2879's)and both have pre-amp.the Magnum2000 has a SSB switch.i've looked around on the web for info on both and only found newer model Magnum2000 for sale with the spec.'s and i believe it said that it will push out 150watts with 1-15watts input on CW/FM.they don't list anything about AM but they do say this amp is for 10-11meters(my radio is 5watts,should i have it pushed up to 10-12watts?

as far as the Antron99 installation-what other materials.equipment should i get for the actual installation/mounting up in a tree.are the tie-down straps a good way to secure it to a tree?
also,what is going to give me a good ground?i will also be doing a lightning stake with wire running down the whole thing and going down to a stake driven into the ground.i've got a couple of questions about the lightning stake/rod
1)what wire(size/type-model/brand/thickness etc..) should i use and should it be stripped of the jacket or only leave the two ends bare for the obvious?
2)what should i use for a stake and how long/thick should it be and how far does it need to be driven into the ground(can i have it too far down and can i have it not far enough)
3)this wire-should i wrap it around the whole antenna/push-pole and just keep wrapping until i get to the bottom of the antenna/push-pole and then let it run straight down to the stake,or should i attach it to a certain point of the whole set up(like,do i attatch it at a half way point of the entire antenna/pole,bottom of the push-pole,where?)
4)is there anything at all outside of what i have mentioned that i should purchase and put in with this set up,that would help my antenna get out and hear any better(other than a better amp which i will eventually buy but for now i have what i have)or just generally make for a better install and better antenna set-up.i am not rich,i am out on disability right now but if i can't afford it right now then i will wait and save up for and buy it.i am slowly building a business on eBay going out to all kinds of auctions and sales(estate,store closings/liquidations/overstocks)as well as some auctions online that are specifically only for businesses but this is all slow going but i am slowly growing but for now i don't depend on that income.so yeah,if it will help my set up,i will save and buy it.

all-right,that is a lot to read.i apologize for that but it is something that i am known for whether it be me writing someone an email or making a post on a forums site that i belong to,or a post on FaceBook. i just write a friggin' lot and can't help it.with that,if you do make it through the whole post here and have read it all,or just read some of it-if there is a specific question that you feel knowledgable or experienced with then quote that part of this post and answer.i do appreciate every bit of info and suggestions that anyone can offer.as you can tell,i am a newb and have never done a base install(i have a mobile set-up which is just plug-n-play in my case).thank you and i look forward to any of your posts,Mistah Gravy626-Scott

High Voltage Mobile NJ
03-25-2012, 08:22 PM
sounds like you got some nice good hardware and you are ready to go !!!!! do your research on the groudplane kit they make a totally new version now that are flat out i believe and work alot better than the cheeze ball ones the used to make . i try to find ya a link . i cant wait to here ya out there. :D

Mistah Gravy
03-31-2012, 10:00 PM
thank you High Voltage.i'd definitely like to check out the new groundplane kit.my question is-once i've got the LMR400:i have the Antron mounted to the 12ft.galvanized fence post.all i do is get it up in that tree and strap it to the tree?what about grounding?don't i need to ground it all to something else like a plate?
i've got:
Antenna
LMW400(will buy soon)
tie-down straps(four)
radio equipment
i think that's all i've got.only things i do need to buy that i know of are the LMR400 coax and Dosy or Bird meter,most definitely likely it'll be a Dosy since the Birds are so much $$


my apologies for writing so damn'ed much.it's a bad habit and i am now realizing how much i actually write and am working on cutting it down.i sure as hell wouldn't have red 1/10th of all of that shit i wrote up there!!

707 Lumpy Delaware
03-31-2012, 11:26 PM
Gravy, I hope you don't have neighbors close by, because you know A99's are notorious bleeder sticks, they bleed RF into just about anything

BOOTY MONSTER
04-01-2012, 12:01 PM
as far as the Antron99 installation-what other materials.equipment should i get for the actual installation/mounting up in a tree.are the tie-down straps a good way to secure it to a tree?
also,what is going to give me a good ground?i will also be doing a lightning stake with wire running down the whole thing and going down to a stake driven into the ground.i've got a couple of questions about the lightning stake/rod
1)what wire(size/type-model/brand/thickness etc..) should i use and should it be stripped of the jacket or only leave the two ends bare for the obvious?

the 4 gauge solid sold at home depot and such will do nicely . these links are worth a read .

http://www.iceradioproducts.com/35.html
(http://www.iceradioproducts.com/35.html)
http://www.iceradioproducts.com/31.html

2)what should i use for a stake and how long/thick should it be and how far does it need to be driven into the ground(can i have it too far down and can i have it not far enough)

ground rods are typically 8 ft long . FWIU you can leave a few inches above ground and it wont make any difference electrically ..... but if someone happens to fall on it , particularly face first ....
but you could sit a bucket over it .

3)this wire-should i wrap it around the whole antenna/push-pole and just keep wrapping until i get to the bottom of the antenna/push-pole and then let it run straight down to the stake,or should i attach it to a certain point of the whole set up(like,do i attatch it at a half way point of the entire antenna/pole,bottom of the push-pole,where?

as short and straight as possible . i'll suggest connecting to the top and bottom clamps where the antenna is bolted to the pipe . i'll also suggest just using one pipe and the pipe also acts as a ground element , as will the ground wire going to the ground rods . at your 100ft. pulse height i wouldn't worry about adding ground elements to a 1/2 wave ..... unless you just want to or you're bleeding really bad into local electronics , but that a different bag of worms .

4)is there anything at all outside of what i have mentioned that i should purchase and put in with this set up,that would help my antenna get out and hear any better(other than a better amp which i will eventually buy but for now i have what i have)or just generally make for a better install and better antenna set-up.i am not rich,i am out on disability right now but if i can't afford it right now then i will wait and save up for and buy it.i am slowly building a business on eBay going out to all kinds of auctions and sales(estate,store closings/liquidations/overstocks)as well as some auctions online that are specifically only for businesses but this is all slow going but i am slowly growing but for now i don't depend on that income.so yeah,if it will help my set up,i will save and buy it.

a simple air core coax choke at the antennas feed-point to keep any potential CMC's off the coax . 5 neat even turns on a 4 1/4 inc former does nicely . i used a 4 inch former ..... close enough .

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/BOOTY-MONSTER/IMG_0160-1.jpg

Mistah Gravy
04-04-2012, 04:19 PM
i thought i posted already but i guess i never hit send.-
Lumpy i do have neighbors near by(within a hundred feet in both directions)-what do you propose i do to fix any bleed over into their tv's and what not.i don't have a lot of power right now and in the future i don't expect to run more than a thousand watts.right now i've only got 270peak.

Booty-thank you very much. that is some great info and an awesome respnonse.thank you for the links and all.i really do appreciat it a lot.

High Voltage Mobile NJ
04-05-2012, 12:17 AM
use alot of duck tape , or aka 100 mile tape so ya dont beat the hell out of the tree . nylon flat rope works awsome in combination to .

Mistah Gravy
04-05-2012, 02:50 AM
duct tape to secure it to the tree?i bought four of those nylon tie-down(come-a-long) straps.i've been told by others that they work well and last a long time as long as i don't by the chinsy ones.
anyways,what kind of filter should i install inline to avoid bleedover to my neighbors tv's and other devices,and will i lose anything by using an inline filter?

noisemaker
04-05-2012, 09:59 AM
There are a few things to try to keep it from bleeding.. Keep in mind that technology has come a long way since the infamous bleed stick destroyed your neighbors old CRT tv! First thing to do is make sure the antenna is 36' or better from the ground. Hammer an 8' ground rod in the ground and ground the antenna to it. Also bond your existing elec service ground to the ground rod as well. If this is not possible, the try bonding a cold water pipe to the ground rod.

Build an "ugly balun". It helps but its not a 100% cure. Info can be found at www.hamuniverse.com/balun.html.
Use GOOD coax. LMR400 would be a great choice- very low loss!

Start there and see if anything bleeds. If your neighbors have those static touch lamps- you will own them no matter if you bleed or not. Theres no real cure for those- into the trash pile they go! lol

You can try the ground plane kit but that usually does nothing

BOOTY MONSTER
04-05-2012, 11:50 AM
the hamuniverse link is for a very broad banded ham choke . if you just gonna use the CB a smaller 4 1/4 inch former with just 4 1/2 -5 wraps works better for preventing common mode currents on the coax shield .
here's a link to a post about coax chokes here .

http://www.cbjunkies.com/threads/202-coax-choke-info

u (http://www.cbjunkies.com/threads/202-coax-choke-info)sing the wrong number of turns and/or the wrong diameter for those loops and you can actually cause or increase CMC's .......

there's been some good threads about electrically insulating the 99/2000 type antennas from earth ground and the mast and adding sloping 1/4 wavelength ground elements ...... and some good debates in those threads .
here's one of many that you may find interesting .

http://www.worldwidedx.com/cb-antennas/35427-isolating-vertical-endfed-antennas-their-support-structures.html
(http://www.worldwidedx.com/cb-antennas/35427-isolating-vertical-endfed-antennas-their-support-structures.html)

Mistah Gravy
04-07-2012, 10:15 PM
wow,thanks NoiseMaker and Booty.i really can't thank you guys enough for all of this very helpful and very descriptive/detailed information.i don't see how i could go wrong following all of the instructions oi have received.i've been on other websites whether it be for video gaming or CB radios,and i have yet to get such useful and helpful information described as well and as detailed as i have gotten here at CBJunkies.
definitely a great site with supah great people on the other end of the keyboard.
THANKS!!