best antenna

[abcd567]

.........I made it 8 elements. Does the number of elements make any real discernable difference? ( I may have been a sparky but antenna theory was not one of my strong points). Thanks in advance for anyone who may be able to answer.

Regards,
Gregg

Adding elements increases gain for planes far away, and reduces gain for planes nearby. Please see attached image below.
I have not tried more than four elements. Theoretically:
4 element dipole co-linear antenna gain = 5 dBi
8 element dipole co-linear antenna gain = 8 dBi

Franklin-Co-Linear-Antenna-Directivity.gif

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[fungus]

Adding elements increases gain for planes far away, and reduces gain for planes nearby. Please see attached image below.
I have not tried more than four elements. Theoretically:
4 element dipole co-linear antenna gain = 5 dBi
8 element dipole co-linear antenna gain = 8 dBi

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Many thanks.

[mickopla]

It all depends on the dc connection arrangement on your inserter and on your dc powe adaptor.

My inserter has an F-female connector and the dc adaptor has a barrel male pin. They dont match, so I prepared a pigtail from a small piece of coaxial with solderable braid (copper or tinned copper). On one end of pigtail, I fitted screw-on F-male connector, and on the other end soldered a dc barrel female socket. See photos of dc barrel pin & socket below .

Alternatively, you can cut the male barrel pin from adapter wire and solder adaptor dc wire to coaxial pigtail's center wire & braid. Check with voltmeter to ensure that you have connected +ve wire of dc adaptor to center wire & -ve wire to shield of coaxial pigtail.


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Finally got up and running today with my whipped CoCo which is for now in my attic. Results have been ok with a max range of 220km using just the antenna. I have the power inserter, in line amp and 14v power adapter but am at a loss to how to connect the adapter to the power inserter. adcd567 has outlined what needs to be done but to be honest i probably need a visual as i can't get my head around exactly what i should be doing.

Mike

[peterhr]

The inserter has 3 connections
1) to the antenna
2) to the reciever
3) to the power supply

it has a capacitor (200pf maybe) between connections 1 & 2
it has a small choke (coil of wire) between connections 1 & 3

The choke puts a voltage up the wire to the amplifier
The capacitor stops the power going down the wire to the reciever

Be aware - the amplifier will pass power up the wire to the antenna - so put a meter on the antenna terminals and make sure there is no short circuit - or something will get damaged when the power gets connected.

[abcd567]

Finally got up and running today with my whipped CoCo which is for now in my attic. Results have been ok with a max range of 220km using just the antenna. I have the power inserter, in line amp and 14v power adapter but am at a loss to how to connect the adapter to the power inserter. adcd567 has outlined what needs to be done but to be honest i probably need a visual as i can't get my head around exactly what i should be doing.

Mike

Mike, Please see attached photo below.
Since you are not using a shorted top antenna, you can omit the dc blocking capacior between amplifier & Coco. (Check coco with a multitester to be sure there is no short between core & screen)

DSC02844R.jpg

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[mickopla]

Mike, Please see attached photo below.
Since you are not using a shorted top antenna, you can omit the dc blocking capacior between amplifier & Coco. (Check coco with a multitester to be sure there is no short between core & screen)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2955[/ATTACH]

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Which wires from the coax did you solder to the dc barrel female socket? Picture becoming clearer now in my head but need a dc barrel female socket so another online order wait

[abcd567]

Which wires from the coax did you solder to the dc barrel female socket? Picture becoming clearer now in my head but need a dc barrel female socket so another online order wait

If you dont want to wait, simply cut the barrel male pin from dc adaptor wire, and solder adapter wire to coaxial pigtail, center wire positive wire, braid negetive wire. After cutting out the barrel pin, you will need a multitestet (avometer) to test and mark which wire of dc adapter is positive.
Fit an F -male sctew on type connector on the other end of coaxial pigtail.
For pigtail, use coax cable with copper or tinned copper braid so that you can solder dc adapter wire to it.
Good luck!

[abcd567]

Which wires from the coax did you solder to the dc barrel female socket? ......

Central condctor of coax pigtail connects to center pin of barell socket, assuming that your dc adaptor has a center-positive pin. Braid connects to the metallic barrel.

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[mickopla]

Central condctor of coax pigtail connects to center pin of barell socket, assuming that your dc adaptor has a center-positive pin. Braid connects to the metallic barrel.

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Thanks so much adcd567. Think i know what to do now. I'm very tempted to cut the barrel and work from there. Would i be right in saying a multimeter would do the job to test for positive and negative?

[abcd567]

Thanks so much adcd567. Think i know what to do now. I'm very tempted to cut the barrel and work from there. Would i be right in saying a multimeter would do the job to test for positive and negative?

Yes a multimeter will show which wire of dc adapter is positive & which is negetive. Multimeters have two terminals/probes, colored red & black. Red is poditive & black is negetive.
If you connect poditive of multimeter to positive wire of dc adapter (with power on), meter will show the voltage something around 15volts. If you have connected the other way round, it will show error or -ve reading depending on the meter. If it is analouge (moving needle) type, the neddle will try to move in the opposite (wrong) direction.

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[abcd567]

Thanks so much adcd567. Think i know what to do now. I'm very tempted to cut the barrel and work from there. Would i be right in saying a multimeter would do the job to test for positive and negative?

Mike, if you are not familier with use of multimeter and/or soldering job, better take help of some friend who is familier/proficient in this type of job.

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[fungus]

Thanks so much adcd567. Think i know what to do now. I'm very tempted to cut the barrel and work from there. Would i be right in saying a multimeter would do the job to test for positive and negative?

...Also make sure your multimeter is set on DC volts or you wont get the correct reading (on AC).

Regards,
Gregg

[mickopla]

...Also make sure your multimeter is set on DC volts or you wont get the correct reading (on AC).

Regards,
Gregg

Thanks guys. I have done quiet a bit of soldering before so i'm fine with that. Your tips will help me get the Multimeter to do what it should. Hopefully tomorrow i will get a chance to complete the job.

Mike

[abcd567]

Thanks guys. I have done quiet a bit of soldering before so i'm fine with that. Your tips will help me get the Multimeter to do what it should. Hopefully tomorrow i will get a chance to complete the job.

Mike

Good luck! Remember positive to central wire, negetive to braid.

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[mickopla]

20131213_134017.jpg

In the pic above of the power inserter i know the dc power should go to the HF+DC connector but what connects to HF and IN. Also would i be right in saying the Antenna connects to LNB of the in line amp?

Mike