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Post by Night Ranger on Jul 25, 2011 22:20:56 GMT -5
With the success of my three home made Lazy H antennas it is time to take the next logical step, and that is to co-phase two Lazy H antennas together. Technically such an antenna is called an "HR 2/4/.5 array" minus the screen reflector. I do plan on adding a screen reflector once I have the driven elements working correctly. The driven element part of the antenna will be about 78 feet long and 19 feet high. The take off angle should be the same as a single Lazy H at 17 degrees above the horizon, but the azimuth beam width will be narrower than a single Lazy H antenna. Estimated gain before the screen reflector is installed is between 8 and 9 db gain over a half wave dipole. Once the screen reflector is installed the gain should be between 11 and 12 db gain over a half wave dipole. I doubt there is another antenna like it on the CB band in North America.
I have to cut down four small trees to clear a path for this large an antenna. I have already taken down three of the trees, and I'm hoping to take down the fourth tree tomorrow if weather permits. Hopefully the Summer sporadic E skip season will not fall out before I get it completed. If it does I'll aim the array west and use it to bang in to California via F layer skip.
Night Ranger
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss 
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Post by Sandbagger on Jul 26, 2011 6:58:38 GMT -5
With the success of my three home made Lazy H antennas it is time to take the next logical step, and that is to co-phase two Lazy H antennas together. Technically such an antenna is called an "HR 2/4/.5 array" minus the screen reflector. I do plan on adding a screen reflector once I have the driven elements working correctly. The driven element part of the antenna will be about 78 feet long and 19 feet high. The take off angle should be the same as a single Lazy H at 17 degrees above the horizon, but the azimuth beam width will be narrower than a single Lazy H antenna. Estimated gain before the screen reflector is installed is between 8 and 9 db gain over a half wave dipole. Once the screen reflector is installed the gain should be between 11 and 12 db gain over a half wave dipole. I doubt there is another antenna like it on the CB band in North America. I have to cut down four small trees to clear a path for this large an antenna. I have already taken down three of the trees, and I'm hoping to take down the fourth tree tomorrow if weather permits. Hopefully the Summer sporadic E skip season will not fall out before I get it completed. If it does I'll aim the array west and use it to bang in to California via F layer skip. Night Ranger Or you could look for a slightly used Laser 500. ;-) |
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Post by Night Ranger on Jul 26, 2011 7:45:54 GMT -5
Or you could look for a slightly used Laser 500. ;-) That would not be as much fun or as interesting for me. I like the fact that I'm using antennas that almost no one else on the CB band is using, and a good signal report is more satisfying on an antenna that I built from scratch. Once I get the HR 2/4/.5 array up I may be the only one on the CB band using one. When I get around to building the West Coast array I may go with an HR 3/4/.5 array or an HR 4/4/.5 array depending on the height of the trees. I would be surprised to learn anyone else has ever used one of those on the CB band. Those are the kind of antenna's the Voice of America, the BBC (when the BBC had a shortwave broadcast service), Radio Deutchevella, Radio Netherlands and the like use. Check out one of the biggest HR antennas ever built at the link below. It was used by the Russian Woodpecker.  www.thelivingmoon.com/45jack_files/03files/Russian_Bases_Woodpecker_Duga_Radar_Ukraine.html |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
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Post by Sandbagger on Jul 26, 2011 9:53:06 GMT -5
Or you could look for a slightly used Laser 500. ;-) That would not be as much fun or as interesting for me. I like the fact that I'm using antennas that almost no one else on the CB band is using, and a good signal report is more satisfying on an antenna that I built from scratch. Once I get the HR 2/4/.5 array up I may be the only one on the CB band using one. When I get around to building the West Coast array I may go with an HR 3/4/.5 array or an HR 4/4/.5 array depending on the height of the trees. I would be surprised to learn anyone else has ever used one of those on the CB band. Those are the kind of antenna's the Voice of America, the BBC (when the BBC had a shortwave broadcast service), Radio Deutchevella, Radio Netherlands and the like use. Check out one of the biggest HR antennas ever built at the link below. It was used by the Russian Woodpecker. www.thelivingmoon.com/45jack_files/03files/Russian_Bases_Woodpecker_Duga_Radar_Ukraine.htmlOh I know, it's far more rewarding to build your own stuff (and make it work!). On a side note, I remember the infamous "woodpecker" from back in the 70's. While the web page states a frequency upper limit of 19 Mhz, I used to hear it on the CB band on occasion when the sunspot cycle was high in the late 70's. It wasn't so strong that it was a severe disruption, but it was somewhat annoying. It's possible that what we heard on the CB band may have been a harmonic of the fundamental signal. But it was an interesting piece of lore from back then. |
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Post by cbrown on Jul 26, 2011 10:37:23 GMT -5
Ya, I don't think there is a radio op from the 70's that didn't hear the famous woodpecker on some band.
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Post by Night Ranger on Jul 26, 2011 11:29:29 GMT -5
On a side note, I remember the infamous "woodpecker" from back in the 70's. While the web page states a frequency upper limit of 19 Mhz, I used to hear it on the CB band on occasion when the sunspot cycle was high in the late 70's. It wasn't so strong that it was a severe disruption, but it was somewhat annoying. It's possible that what we heard on the CB band may have been a harmonic of the fundamental signal. But it was an interesting piece of lore from back then. I remember hearing it a few times on the CB band as well, but mostly I heard it below 20 MHz. The second noise blanker on my Kenwood TS-850s was specifically designed to take out the Russian Woodpecker. I think even the Drake TR-7 noise blanker was tweaked for the Russian Woodpecker. I remember the woodpecker disappeared around late 1989 at about the same time Mikhail Gorbachev started talking about glasnost. There was also a very dramatic change in the tone of the propaganda spewing out of Radio Moscow at about the same time. Night Ranger |
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Post by Night Ranger on Sept 5, 2011 15:14:38 GMT -5
My first HR 2/4/.x array for the CB got a step closer today. Since I had Labor Day off I went back in the woods behind the house to where I plan to put up my East/West facing HR 2/4/x array. I have already cut down many smaller trees back in the woods with an axe and a hand saw to make room for the antenna. It is slow going, but I need the exercise since I sit too much at work.
I had two large trees still standing in the way between the two trees I want to support the HR 2/4/x array facing west. One was large and one was very large. I cut the first one down with some effort, but then I looked at the larger tree. It's trunk was big enough that I wondered if I could cut it down with an axe. Finally I said what the heck and hooked up the pull ropes. Well it definitely took awhile. I had to stop and rest several times. I was covered in sweat. My shirt was soaked and even the front of my blue jeans were soaked in sweat. Finally after about two hours I started to hear the crack of wood fibers in the tree trunk. This wood was hard too. The axe hit and stopped on several occasions. Finally the large snapping, breaking, and cracking that only a large tree can make started to happen. The tree slowly leaned in the desired direction and it made the sound that only a large tree can make as it moved through the the air and smashed in to the other trees. At first they held it up at a 55 degree angle, but even they were snapping and cracking from the weight. Finally the tree twisted and slammed in to the ground. I managed to cut up some of the tree with the hand saw and a lopper, but I was whipped. I called it a day, pecked up my tool and went inside. There is definitely a big hole in the tree canopy where the two large trees stood. Now I only have two small trees to clear out, and I can begin building the HR 2/4/x antenna array and aim it at California.
On another note the tropical storm moving across the U.S. kicked in the Sporadic E skip between South Carolina and Pennsylvania today. I could hear the local jammer in PA on channel 21 playing some recorded loop for at least 30 minutes or more. After verifying via the live feed that he was local to Sandbagger, I decided to use his signal as a directional beacon. The jammer might not have meant to be helpful, but he actually was.
I sat down at my CB and began spinning the rotatable dipole to find the exact spot where the side of the dipole nulled out the jammer in PA. Then I went outside and checked the direction of my dipole on my compass. From the Charleston, South Carolina area the jammer in Pennsylvania was coming in 15 degrees to the right of North. I checked my Lazy H facing Sandbagger which I aimed with a map and a compass and it is centered on 20 degrees to the right of North. Considering the beam width of the Lazy H, it is dead on towards Sandbagger's area for all intent and purposes. When I get around to building the higher gain narrower lobed HR 2/4/.5 antenna facing Sandbagger's part of the country, I'll know right where to point it.
Night Ranger
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,250
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Post by Sandbagger on Sept 5, 2011 17:15:15 GMT -5
My first HR 2/4/.x array for the CB got a step closer today. Since I had Labor Day off I went back in the woods behind the house to where I plan to put up my East/West facing HR 2/4/x array. I have already cut down many smaller trees back in the woods with an axe and a hand saw to make room for the antenna. It is slow going, but I need the exercise since I sit too much at work. I had two large trees still standing in the way between the two trees I want to support the HR 2/4/x array facing west. One was large and one was very large. I cut the first one down with some effort, but then I looked at the larger tree. It's trunk was big enough that I wondered if I could cut it down with an axe. Finally I said what the heck and hooked up the pull ropes. Well it definitely took awhile. I had to stop and rest several times. I was covered in sweat. My shirt was soaked and even the front of my blue jeans were soaked in sweat. Finally after about two hours I started to hear the crack of wood fibers in the tree trunk. This wood was hard too. The axe hit and stopped on several occasions. Finally the large snapping, breaking, and cracking that only a large tree can make started to happen. The tree slowly leaned in the desired direction and it made the sound that only a large tree can make as it moved through the the air and smashed in to the other trees. At first they held it up at a 55 degree angle, but even they were snapping and cracking from the weight. Finally the tree twisted and slammed in to the ground. I managed to cut up some of the tree with the hand saw and a lopper, but I was whipped. I called it a day, pecked up my tool and went inside. There is definitely a big hole in the tree canopy where the two large trees stood. Now I only have two small trees to clear out, and I can begin building the HR 2/4/x antenna array and aim it at California. On another note the tropical storm moving across the U.S. kicked in the Sporadic E skip between South Carolina and Pennsylvania today. I could hear the local jammer in PA on channel 21 playing some recorded loop for at least 30 minutes or more. After verifying via the life feed that he was local to Sandbagger, I decided to use his signal as a directional beacon. The jammer might not have meant to be helpful, but he actually was. I sat down at my CB and began spinning the rotatable dipole to find the exact spot where the side of the dipole nulled out the jammer in PA. Then I went outside and checked the direction of my dipole on my compass. From the Charleston, South Carolina area the jammer in Pennsylvania was coming in 15 degrees to the right of North. I checked my Lazy H facing Sandbagger which I aimed with a map and a compass and it is centered on 20 degrees to the right of North. Considering the beam width of the Lazy H, it is dead on towards Sandbagger's area for all intent and purposes. When I get around to building the higher gain narrower lobed HR 2/4/.5 antenna facing Sandbagger's part of the country, I'll now right where to point it. Night Ranger I'm surprised you could get an accurate heading via skip, considering the multi-pathing, and continuous signal fluctuation that usually occurs. But that Lazy-H sure does work fine. You were in there steady for nearly 2 hours last night on 10 meters, with signals no lower than S8, and as high as +30 over at times. But as for "lumberjacking", I'd put away the axe in favor of a nice big chainsaw. Exercise is highly overrated, especially considering the pain in the joints the next day.....  |
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Post by spitfire441 on Sept 5, 2011 18:57:58 GMT -5
My first HR 2/4/.x array for the CB got a step closer today. Since I had Labor Day off I went back in the woods behind the house to where I plan to put up my East/West facing HR 2/4/x array. I have already cut down many smaller trees back in the woods with an axe and a hand saw to make room for the antenna. It is slow going, but I need the exercise since I sit too much at work. I had two large trees still standing in the way between the two trees I want to support the HR 2/4/x array facing west. One was large and one was very large. I cut the first one down with some effort, but then I looked at the larger tree. It's trunk was big enough that I wondered if I could cut it down with an axe. Finally I said what the heck and hooked up the pull ropes. Well it definitely took awhile. I had to stop and rest several times. I was covered in sweat. My shirt was soaked and even the front of my blue jeans were soaked in sweat. Finally after about two hours I started to hear the crack of wood fibers in the tree trunk. This wood was hard too. The axe hit and stopped on several occasions. Finally the large snapping, breaking, and cracking that only a large tree can make started to happen. The tree slowly leaned in the desired direction and it made the sound that only a large tree can make as it moved through the the air and smashed in to the other trees. At first they held it up at a 55 degree angle, but even they were snapping and cracking from the weight. Finally the tree twisted and slammed in to the ground. I managed to cut up some of the tree with the hand saw and a lopper, but I was whipped. I called it a day, pecked up my tool and went inside. There is definitely a big hole in the tree canopy where the two large trees stood. Now I only have two small trees to clear out, and I can begin building the HR 2/4/x antenna array and aim it at California. On another note the tropical storm moving across the U.S. kicked in the Sporadic E skip between South Carolina and Pennsylvania today. I could hear the local jammer in PA on channel 21 playing some recorded loop for at least 30 minutes or more. After verifying via the life feed that he was local to Sandbagger, I decided to use his signal as a directional beacon. The jammer might not have meant to be helpful, but he actually was. I sat down at my CB and began spinning the rotatable dipole to find the exact spot where the side of the dipole nulled out the jammer in PA. Then I went outside and checked the direction of my dipole on my compass. From the Charleston, South Carolina area the jammer in Pennsylvania was coming in 15 degrees to the right of North. I checked my Lazy H facing Sandbagger which I aimed with a map and a compass and it is centered on 20 degrees to the right of North. Considering the beam width of the Lazy H, it is dead on towards Sandbagger's area for all intent and purposes. When I get around to building the higher gain narrower lobed HR 2/4/.5 antenna facing Sandbagger's part of the country, I'll now right where to point it. Night Ranger I'm surprised you could get an accurate heading via skip, considering the multi-pathing, and continuous signal fluctuation that usually occurs. But that Lazy-H sure does work fine. You were in there steady for nearly 2 hours last night on 10 meters, with signals no lower than S8, and as high as +30 over at times. But as for "lumberjacking", I'd put away the axe in favor of a nice big chainsaw. Exercise is highly overrated, especially considering the pain in the joints the next day..... You sure have been busy, I salute you, my man. I know whats involved in taking down big trees. I have been heating my house for 7 years with just processing wood from my property. As for using an axe to fell the big ones,I'll us my Stihl MS490. Most of my exercise comes from humping the cut wood out from the forrest, you cannot get a tractor/quad back there as the area is strewn with large granite boulders. I take it the SNUBWAP was not a total loss then, had good condx to Mike I understand. I need to get working on clearing some trees and aming one of the Lazy H's your way, they do work. I spent the day dirt bike riding with the grandkids and Genes kid. After a full day off road on a 1982 Honda XR80, I was to whipped to play radio. Gene's (Firestarter) son is a good off road rider, way better than his dad,LOL. |
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Post by Night Ranger on Sept 5, 2011 20:19:40 GMT -5
I'm surprised you could get an accurate heading via skip, considering the multi-pathing, and continuous signal fluctuation that usually occurs. But that Lazy-H sure does work fine. You were in there steady for nearly 2 hours last night on 10 meters, with signals no lower than S8, and as high as +30 over at times. But as for "lumberjacking", I'd put away the axe in favor of a nice big chainsaw. Exercise is highly overrated, especially considering the pain in the joints the next day..... Well basically I just went back and forth several times with the rotatable dipole until I had him nulled out. Broadside to the dipole he was usually s5 to s9 on my TRC-451. When I had him in the null spot he was either completely gone or S3 or less. Last night was a pleasant surprise. I have heard a few stations in PA tonight as well on 38 LSB. Canada has been in pretty hot tonight. Unfortunately your signal on 10 meters is not as strong as it is on 11 meters, but I suspect that is the narrow banded nature of the Yagi design. I'm assuming you are using the Maco M103c on 10 meters. Most of the time you were s7 to s8. My static level was really bad last night, but it finally let up later today. |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,250
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Post by Sandbagger on Sept 6, 2011 6:24:15 GMT -5
I'm surprised you could get an accurate heading via skip, considering the multi-pathing, and continuous signal fluctuation that usually occurs. But that Lazy-H sure does work fine. You were in there steady for nearly 2 hours last night on 10 meters, with signals no lower than S8, and as high as +30 over at times. But as for "lumberjacking", I'd put away the axe in favor of a nice big chainsaw. Exercise is highly overrated, especially considering the pain in the joints the next day..... Well basically I just went back and forth several times with the rotatable dipole until I had him nulled out. Broadside to the dipole he was usually s5 to s9 on my TRC-451. When I had him in the null spot he was either completely gone or S3 or less. Last night was a pleasant surprise. I have heard a few stations in PA tonight as well on 38 LSB. Canada has been in pretty hot tonight. Unfortunately your signal on 10 meters is not as strong as it is on 11 meters, but I suspect that is the narrow banded nature of the Yagi design. I'm assuming you are using the Maco M103c on 10 meters. Most of the time you were s7 to s8. My static level was really bad last night, but it finally let up later today. Yea, I do notice that my antenna doesn't do as well on 10 meters as it does on 11. I have to run a tuner just to get the SWR under 3:1 on 10 meters, so I'd imagine there's a quite a bit of mismatch loss to deal with as well as less than optimal element length and spacing. But it is what it is and it works well enough for the Sunday night net. It would probably work better on the flat side as well, but since 98% of my talking is local, vertical makes more sense. |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,250
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Post by Sandbagger on Sept 6, 2011 6:28:10 GMT -5
I'm surprised you could get an accurate heading via skip, considering the multi-pathing, and continuous signal fluctuation that usually occurs. But that Lazy-H sure does work fine. You were in there steady for nearly 2 hours last night on 10 meters, with signals no lower than S8, and as high as +30 over at times. But as for "lumberjacking", I'd put away the axe in favor of a nice big chainsaw. Exercise is highly overrated, especially considering the pain in the joints the next day..... You sure have been busy, I salute you, my man. I know whats involved in taking down big trees. I have been heating my house for 7 years with just processing wood from my property. As for using an axe to fell the big ones,I'll us my Stihl MS490. Most of my exercise comes from humping the cut wood out from the forrest, you cannot get a tractor/quad back there as the area is strewn with large granite boulders. I take it the SNUBWAP was not a total loss then, had good condx to Mike I understand. I need to get working on clearing some trees and aming one of the Lazy H's your way, they do work. I spent the day dirt bike riding with the grandkids and Genes kid. After a full day off road on a 1982 Honda XR80, I was to whipped to play radio. Gene's (Firestarter) son is a good off road rider, way better than his dad,LOL. No fences taken out eh? ;D The SNUBWAP was pretty good. Fairly steady conditions had Michael in there like a local, and we even had Wayne in there! On a side note, what happened to 220? It's gone again. |
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Post by spitfire441 on Sept 6, 2011 17:11:24 GMT -5
You sure have been busy, I salute you, my man. I know whats involved in taking down big trees. I have been heating my house for 7 years with just processing wood from my property. As for using an axe to fell the big ones,I'll us my Stihl MS490. Most of my exercise comes from humping the cut wood out from the forrest, you cannot get a tractor/quad back there as the area is strewn with large granite boulders. I take it the SNUBWAP was not a total loss then, had good condx to Mike I understand. I need to get working on clearing some trees and aming one of the Lazy H's your way, they do work. I spent the day dirt bike riding with the grandkids and Genes kid. After a full day off road on a 1982 Honda XR80, I was to whipped to play radio. Gene's (Firestarter) son is a good off road rider, way better than his dad,LOL. No fences taken out eh? ;D The SNUBWAP was pretty good. Fairly steady conditions had Michael in there like a local, and we even had Wayne in there! On a side note, what happened to 220? It's gone again. No fences taken out. However not to say there wasn't any bruses. WAYNE!  ...and where was I  Yea, wheres 220? I havn't had a chance to see. It can't be good.  |
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Post by Night Ranger on Sept 7, 2011 18:43:55 GMT -5
The deer have discovered the large trees I cut down earlier this week, and found their leaves quite tasty. I walked out in the back yard, and there were two adult deer and two fawns munching on the leaves.
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Post by homerbb on Sept 8, 2011 8:09:44 GMT -5
Jealous.
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...and where was I 
