Quote Originally Posted by halfwatt959 View Post
Howdy folks. I want to build my own base antenna just to do it. I don't expect any miracles, in fact failure on the first few tries. That said this is what I'm thinking: copper pipe in progressive sizes so they slide into each other for adjustment purposes with 4 ground radials of 3/8 copper pipe at 1/4 wave length set at 45-60 degrees. I'm currently undecided as to how to construct the gamma match. I also thought I would clear coat the whole thing to resist corrosion. Is the clear coat a bad idea? Is the whole project a bad idea? Was planning on 5/8 wave length since Ive benn informed that a full wave would have too steep of a radiation patern to be effective for practicle communication use. I am planning on using a choke at the feed point. Is this just dumb or is it semi-solid planning. There is nothing wrong with my Mako v5/8 I just want to make my own. Any help, advice and or tutoring will be greatly appreciated. Like I said I don't expect spectacular results or to reinvent the wheel just well just that I want to build my own junk. Thanks again 73s
I understand you want to build you own antenna, but unless you have plenty of extra time and access to a lot of high end aluminum parts, better off now-a days buys an antenna that was designed by a professional and made of high quality parts. They are cheap enough today, I do understand the need to make yourself, but unless your retired with plenty of time to design and access to a lot of high quality parts. It will probably work great for only a limited amount of time. Just my opinion with the low cost of antenna's and the high quality design of the antenna's on the market. Especially when spend thousands on the radio, what is a couple of hundred on an antenna.