Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Use a propane torch and solder to connect each of the two 1/2-inch female to 1/2-inch threaded male copper adapters to the two 4.5-foot lengths of 1/2-inch copper water pipe. Use a medium-grit sanding cloth to clean and shine all copper connections, surfaces and fittings for maximum conductivity and radio signal efficiency. Do not attach the copper end caps to these two sides of the dipole until after you have made the final adjustments to the antenna.
Twist the two 1/2-inch threaded female to 3/4-inch male PVC adapters onto the two previously assembled 1/2-inch copper dipole halves. Tighten by hand but not too tight, so that you can easily disassemble the copper elements from the center PVC portion later.
Use PVC cement to attach the two dipole halves to the 3/4-inch PVC tee. The center PVC section serves to connect, but electrically insulates, the two halves of the copper dipole antenna. Drill a 1/8-inch hole through each of the two threaded copper fittings just outside the threaded portions of those fittings. Use PVC cement to attach one 10-foot section of PVC pipe to the bottom of the PVC tee.
Unscrew the copper portions of the antenna from the center PVC portion temporarily to prevent melting the PVC. Insert the two 8-inchstranded copper insulated wires into each of the two 1/8-inch holes drilled previously. Use the propane torch and solder to secure the two wires solidly in the drilled holes. When cool, reassemble the copper and PVC parts.
Use the two 12-inch heavy duty zip ties to secure the 1:1 choke balun to the 10-foot PVC mast section just below the PVC tee. The coax connector of the balun should be pointed down the mast. Attach the two wires soldered to the dipole previously to the two terminals of the balun. Attach the coaxial cable to the balun and run it to your radio operating position. Attach the SWR meter between your radio and the incoming coaxial cable transmission line.
Use PVC cement and a connector fitting to add another 10-foot section of 3/4-inch PVC pipe to the mast. Raise your antenna into the air in an open area or as high as possible. Use a few lengths of 50-lb. test fishing line as guy wires to support your antenna as necessary. You will need to raise and lower your antenna several times to make final frequency resonance adjustments.
Check the SWR of your new antenna using the SWR meter and a 52 MHz low-power transmitted signal according to the manufacturer's instructions. Your antenna was designed to be slightly longer than necessary because too long is better than too short. If you are satisfied with the SWR, leave the antenna as it is.
If you want to lower the SWR, lower the antenna, cut off 1-inch increments from both ends of the copper pipe dipole halves, raise the antenna and recheck SWR. Repeat this process until your SWR is 1:1 on 52 MHz or is satisfactory to you. Remove 1/2-inch increments when you get close to your target SWR. Solder on the copper end caps when your final adjustments are complete.