Author Topic: comments on best mounting options  (Read 824 times)

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Offline WA7FWF

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comments on best mounting options
« on: October 06, 2014, 04:19:47 PM »
My H field is working , E field is still in build but I have quickly realized I'm going to have to mount it all outside to get away from noise, so reading up I gather mounting height is not really an issue but a quiet spot is, so keeping  my controller in the house and running shielded cat 5 out what would be best? can I put both H and E amplifiers in the same weather proof box and and then for E run a coax to the E preamp in another spot? mount it all in the same box and have the the whip out the top and have the ferrite antennas mounted to the same box?
any advantages in a grounded metal box over plastic?  what y'all think?

Thanks
Kevin

Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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Re: comments on best mounting options
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2014, 04:50:19 PM »
E field needs to be several meters above ground.  It functions as vertical "Probe"... not as a loop or other antenna. It requires AIR between itself and Earth. No ground should be connected anywhere in the combined system, other the at the controller ground block. E Field probe MUST be outside, away from structures and noise,. It is very sensitive.. Any probe length >15CM is not recommended. And the 15CM I use is actually too 'large'. A metal bottle cap will work. Don't ground anything except the controller block. If you're running shielded ferrites on H field, that shield ground connects to the -loop connection of the antenna on the amp. The E field preamp connects directly to the E field amplifier with coax, RG6, double to quad shielded. The E field Amplifier can be right next to the controller.. many of us use a 1' shielded (required) CAT 5, 5e or 6 jumper from E amp to controller.  No problems. H field amp must be right at the antennas, shortest ant leads possible, and connect with shielded (required) CAT5, 5e, or 6 to the controller, max length 10 meters or so. I'd not put both amps in the same box... for current RED system E field, the rule is MORE coax, less CAT...

BTW what's your station number????

Mike
« Last Edit: October 06, 2014, 04:52:43 PM by Cutty Sark Sailor »
 


Offline WA7FWF

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Re: comments on best mounting options
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2014, 05:53:07 PM »
My station is 1196  Newman California.

  10 meters? I read that up to 30m of interconnect cat 5 was OK.. I'm probably between 15 and 20 right now, my shielded cat 5e exits the shack goes underground through a conduit and then pops out in  one corner of the yard, unshielded antennas right now but I'm planning shielded in the future.

  Based on your input  I will keep the E amp/filter in the shack and run RG6 Quad to the preamp in the other corner of the yard, best chances for a quiet spot and just use a one inch square of copper inside the pipe for the antenna

Thanks
Kevin

Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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Re: comments on best mounting options
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2014, 07:35:40 PM »
Yes, you can use "up to 30m"... but shorter is better...  My H field is actually on a 16m CAT 6 ... I'm not sure why 10m consistently sticks in my mind and comes out my fingers when I reply at times...  #-o
 


 

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