Post An1CMSIYxTQxHapJQW by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
(DIR) More posts by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
(DIR) Post #AmUfFFXzV4UrmF0uGG by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-09-29T11:05:07Z
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So guess what. It's tower time here.More details to come in this thread.#amateurRadio #hamRadio #hamRadioTower #hamRadioShack #tower #antennaTower
(DIR) Post #An1CMNzGzFcvublqnw by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-09-29T11:10:07Z
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So, long story short, this tower was put up for sale, for $450. 42 ft (12.8m) extended, crank-up, with the crank-up fixture, a 6-band hexbeam antenna, a rotator, and some coax for the heck of it. All less than 2 hours away. You best bet I took that deal.So now I have a tower. Jesus christ I see why city projects are always over time and over budget.Long story short: it'll be about $3,500 all told. Short story short: I want to have it up by 2026. So let's talk about the details.The tower itself has three parts: two 22 ft (6.7m) sections, and a final 6ft (1.8m) topper. There's one winch to lean the thing up, and another to extend it (it's telescoping, one of those long sections fits into the other). We're currently giving it the Bubba treatment of a light sanding, Rust Reformer, and then some cold galvanizing spray.#amateurRadio #hamRadio
(DIR) Post #An1CMOekV2ntzFAyS8 by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-09-29T11:14:05Z
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The goal is to have everything painted and prepped ASAP, just so it's not degrading sitting out in the elements. I have the rotator part stored inside, because from what I know, they can't evacuate water on their side, so I'm keeping it dry (we'll come back to it). I'll need to replace those winch cables, I'm looking into if I can use Mastrant or if I have to buy steel winch cable.The antenna is a 6-band hexbeam (20, 17, 15, 12, 10, 6m), and the ropes on it are pretty gunked up. The coax is also destroyed, frayed and cracked. Luckily, Mastrant to the rescue, that stuff is like ambrosia except for towers, I swear. So once I can buy it (for, like $20), I'll restring that antenna. I'm also going to paint the fiberglass, partially for UV, but also just so I don't get any more fiberglass shards in my fingers.#amateurRadio #hamRadio
(DIR) Post #An1CMPPBiNx0JGu3pw by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-09-29T11:18:34Z
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From what I know about my ground and the weight of that tower, I'll probably need like a 4x4x4 ft concrete pour. Now, getting down 6 inches is a task that requires half a day and a pickaxe so that isn't being done without power tools. Luckily, I know someone with a backhoe. That's also some like, 5-6 tons of concrete, which means I'm getting it from the local concrete supplier, not mixing it myself.Going to buy some copper, and put a Ufer ground in that foundation once it's poured. Pound in two 10-ft (3m) grounding rods to bond to it, and those are the starting point for the ground system. The house ground is only ~10 ft away, and there's the entire backyard to run what will probably become two, 64 ft (19.5m) grounding radials, with 8-ft (2.4m) rods every 16 ft of run. Plug this into a PolyPhaser lightning arrestor setup, we'll be fine.As for coax, I think I have enough LMR400 as it is. I'll have to replace everything with N connectors though.#amateurRadio #hamRadio
(DIR) Post #An1CMQbHGvDQ13ZEJs by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-09-29T11:23:08Z
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I can also source an old MFJ remote coax switcher that needs a little repair. Once I get that in, that can be mounted at the tower (as designed), and I'll be dangerous, mount that before the lightning arrestor, that way I only need one, not one-per-antenna. If it gets damaged I can rebuild it.The rotator is absolutely ancient. 4-wire motor (only 3 have ever been used), 3-wire analog control box (it's a knob with a mechanical position switch, it rotates it's own internal gearing until it lines up with said knob.) I'm missing two screws, and it drags the knob when going clockwise, so I might have to take it apart and clean it. But I think the rotator is good, if, old.#amateurRadio #hamRadio
(DIR) Post #An1CMQrEJbyYoX1yBU by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-09-29T11:26:23Z
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Future plans - Stick a 2m/70cm J-pole on there (I can source one from a friend if I make them a monoband one), a CB whip (if we can), and a 900 MHz antenna for some #meshtastic. I'm going to see about swapping my G5RV for a trapped 40m dipole design, to give me 40m and 80m. All that leaves is 30m and 60m, which I can get (I think) with just throwing enough wire over my trees to make a 60 meter (inverted) delta loop antenna. That's it. Maybe besides putting a weather station up there if there's even room, that's it.As fas as in the shack goes, I'm looking into a coax isolation switch (to disconnect the radios when everything is powered down), and probably a low-power RF amplifier (like one that RM Italy sells that'll get 250W out, powered off DC) since it'll take extending the (unused) dryer circuit to get 240V to that room.I'd love a proper ACOM amp or something but oh hell no that's nearly $5k alone.#amateurRadio #hamRadio
(DIR) Post #An1CMRgHFooDMqujke by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-08T05:01:35Z
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Okay so, just went out to the hardware store:✅ Rebar10x 3/8" for the inside10x 1/2" for the corners and outer frame✅ Roll of tie wire✅ 4 AWG copper grounding wire200ft roll✅ 4x 2x4-5 boards for suspending the bolts✅ 4x 2x6-5 boards for framing the concrete⬜ 2x 5/8x10' copper-clad ground rod⬜ White paint - mark dig zone⬜ 2x terminal screws for the rotator control unit✅ 6x 3/4x30" hot-dipped galvanized L-shape anchor bolts⬜ Mastrant rope
(DIR) Post #An1CMSIYxTQxHapJQW by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-08T05:08:23Z
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My rebar choices were just because they only had 11 pieces of 1/2" rebar and I just couldn't be bothered - so a quick check with my tower consultant said it would be fine.I'm holding out on the rope because I need to cross-check it against the (steel) winch cable. If I can not double my order cost just in shipping costs I'd like that.
(DIR) Post #An1CMSjrJzGgeFb6yO by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-08T05:13:35Z
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Oh, right!I got the (initial) funding put together. The foundation is going down before December. Basically as soon as my friend's backhoe gets out of the shop (that's 2 minutes from my house) we're driving it over and digging a hole, and the next day I'm calling in for some concrete.That's why the sudden hardware store. Because I need to get the base of it prepped.#antennaTower #amateurRadio #hamRadio
(DIR) Post #An1CMTTEbHZ2uypLhQ by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-10T00:29:57Z
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Foundation bolts arrived, I ordered them two days ago. Correct size wood, ground rods... I have all the materials. Just waiting on that backhoe.
(DIR) Post #An1CMUHvYo77SCXpiK by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-10T17:00:22Z
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First major milestone! First item checked off the org todo list. All materials acquired, just waiting on that backhoe. Only $1180 in so far.... oh jeebus.#hamRadio #amateurRadio #hamRadioTower
(DIR) Post #An1CMUyozKQPbEc5ZY by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-15T00:33:16Z
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Painted out the rough dig zones (with conduit trenches), for the utilities to come out and make sure we aren't about to strike a gas line (we aren't).Backhoe is coming next Monday!This is happening.#amateurRadio #hamRadio #hamRadioTower #hamRadioShack
(DIR) Post #An1CMWACaV7fGowgwy by PopeASDF@dobbs.town
2024-10-15T03:48:54Z
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@tek_dmn when I redid my back yard I put down 600ft of #2 copper for a groundplane.. such a good idea. Enjoy!!!
(DIR) Post #An1vhZjkzbf0N6zWgy by tek_dmn@mastodon.tekdmn.me
2024-10-15T12:16:56Z
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@PopeASDF I've got just enough space to put down about 120 ish feet of radials here unless I want to dig up my entire backyard to make a copper spiderweb
(DIR) Post #An27YSLiI2AIIpABRg by PopeASDF@dobbs.town
2024-10-15T14:29:47Z
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@tek_dmn I have a super tiny backyard and we were ripping the entire thing out… I looked at copper mesh but ended up doing a spiderweb… the installers looked at me like I was crazy ;)