"Project Lowband - Updated"

007 · Post by **007** » Tue May 20, 2003 8:24 pm

For those few people who are following my "Project Lowband" plans for upper midwest domination of 6m while mobile, it's official: I take delivery of the Antenna Specialists black ball/flange and 96" whip/theaded adaptor tomorrow. I have the spring and another standard stainless ball coming from a fellow batlabber also, so when it comes, the holes are goin' in the fender.

jim · Post by **jim** » Tue May 20, 2003 8:30 pm

It must stall your engine when you transmit !!!

007 · Post by **007** » Tue May 20, 2003 8:34 pm

Hmmm, I think if I leave the factory 105A alternator on the car, and turn the X9000 up to 150+ watts that it may just happen.

You could always COD me on of those 500 watt amps you mentioned the other day

007 · Post by **007** » Fri May 23, 2003 11:03 pm

All the AS parts are here...from the popular credit card commercial:

Black ballmount: $45

Spring and whip: $35

Knowing you have the best mobile lowband antenna: Priceless

Radio_Cowboy · Post by **Radio_Cowboy** » Sat May 24, 2003 12:22 pm

Next step......have a shot of liquid courage and use that drill, man....

Waitin to see your final install, Jimmy....sounds sweet!

-RC-

007 · Post by **007** » Sat May 24, 2003 2:05 pm

I put it all together and held it up to the fender this morning...what a sight! I'm half tempted to paint the spring and whip black...we'll see.

I've got no problems with the holes, but that might change when I buy the 1-5/16" holesaw and am holding the DeWalt up to the fender

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Sun May 25, 2003 6:49 am

Drill it man! Did you buy the vehicle to use or as an investment? If you bought it as an investment, you really made a bad choice. So drill it and USE it! That ball and whip are doing you no good sitting in the garage.

007 · Post by **007** » Sun May 25, 2003 10:00 am

I took it work last night and threatened that the guy who made the first stupid remark on the radio was getting it installed on his car.

One of them actually thought it would be cool and wanted it, on an unmarked no less.

007 · Post by **007** » Sun May 25, 2003 10:02 am

wa2zdy wrote:Drill it man! Did you buy the vehicle to use or as an investment? If you bought it as an investment, you really made a bad choice. So drill it and USE it! That ball and whip are doing you no good sitting in the garage.

The words "investment" and "GM" don't collide in the same book

I gotta stop at a hardware store today and get a hole saw....should be drilled by tonight.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun May 25, 2003 2:18 pm

Skip the hole saw and use a hole punch. Greenlee makes these and they produce a nice clean and perfectly burr free round hole.

Hole saws are just nasty. Also be sure to take some primer and paint the bare metal edge of the hole.

Also silicone each bolt hole for a good seal.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun May 25, 2003 5:51 pm

I don't think that using a 3/4" holesaw and covering it with a 3" diameter mount will matter if it has a clean hole or not!
I agree that the Greenlee punch makes a nice hole, but it's only a hole that will get covered and not be judged in a car show

007 · Post by **007** » Sun May 25, 2003 6:38 pm

Too late to grab a Greenlee...stopped at an Ace Hardware on my way to work, and got a holesaw. It's only 1 hole, and like Jim said - it's not visible or anything. There is a 3" plastic flange that covers the hole, and who cares about the trunk.

I'm gonna have to hit the Smirnoff Ice when I get home, 'cuz the more I look at my car and that huge-ass antenna, the colder my feet get

Radio_Cowboy · Post by **Radio_Cowboy** » Sun May 25, 2003 7:15 pm

007 wrote: I'm gonna have to hit the Smirnoff Ice when I get home,

Dude!! That's a chick drink big time! Hit the ole Jim Beam or have a shot of takillya to calm them nerves...... Drinkin smirnoff Ice will no doubt give you cold feet.....and probably PMS to boot!

-RC-

007 · Post by **007** » Sun May 25, 2003 10:10 pm

I don't have JB on hand.....oh, wait a minute....yes I do, in a collector JB caboose....you older guys know what I'm talking about...JB had a whole set of ceramic train cars that were big "flasks" of 90 proof.

It's a collector, but what the hell...it's from the 70's and the paper seal has long since unglued itself.

I got sidetracked tonight by the opposite sex anyway, so I'll have to contemplate it tomorrow

FWIW, I have the antenna next to me on a table as I decide it's fate......I almost wish I didn't have to cut it down so far for 52 MHz. It only needs to be in the 56" area...I could put an NMO on for that!

Hmmmmm.......nah

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Mon May 26, 2003 6:44 am

I'd love a source for a thin whip that long that I could put in the NMO mount I have. I'm not sure how to describe exactly what I mean, but I'm sure you know. The standard long whips are too thick to go in the little hole.

Ideas?

RidgeRunner · Post by **RidgeRunner** » Mon May 26, 2003 7:59 am

WA2ZDY, I know exactly what your talking about. Right now I am using AntennaX's lowband whip....(can’t remember the model number) It was about the best thing I could do that would work in a NMO mount. I will not disagree with anyone here on the fact that the "big honkin 1/4 wave steel whip" can not be beat! Someone I know actually put their "big honkin 1/4 wave steel whip" on the enritzoo (way off on spelling) Just to see the characteristics of the antenna. The thick steel whip actually gives the antenna some wide bandwidth and it performs excellently. I suppose what I am running it good, but if I wanted best I could go the route of what 007 is doing.

I am a huge fan of 6 meters happens to be my favorite band! Last week or so here I have worked a handful of stations while mobile, and most of them were mobile as well!

By the way 007 I dont know if you ever saw the pics of my install, I posted them here a while back.

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 26, 2003 9:36 am

RidgeRunner wrote:By the way 007 I dont know if you ever saw the pics of my install, I posted them here a while back.

Nope...I'll try a search, but do you have a link to them perhaps?

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 26, 2003 11:00 pm

The ballmount idea is -DEAD- on the Impala for lowband.

Here's why: Did the measuring/cutting/holding to fender and staring routine after work tonight. The antenna when cut is 55" long. An NMO mount is just over 53" long, and is 3 less holes in my car. I cannot justify all that hardware and 3 other holes when a NMO mount 6m antenna is less than 2" shorter. Now if this were 27 MHz, that's another story.

The project has been shelved until I put an HF radio in the car, then it may go with a 7' whip and an SGC tuner in the trunk

That would kick A@@ and take names.

Radio_Cowboy · Post by **Radio_Cowboy** » Mon May 26, 2003 11:05 pm

aww damn Jimmy!

Just put a CB in your car.......hell, I probably got an extra laying around here somewhere I'd give ya just to see it done....

-RC-

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Tue May 27, 2003 6:08 am

007 wrote:The ballmount idea is -DEAD- on the Impala for lowband. :evil:

Here's why: Did the measuring/cutting/holding to fender and staring routine after work tonight. The antenna when cut is 55" long. An NMO mount is just over 53" long, and is 3 less holes in my car. I cannot justify all that hardware and 3 other holes when a NMO mount 6m antenna is less than 2" shorter. Now if this were 27 MHz, that's another story.

The project has been shelved until I put an HF radio in the car, then it may go with a 7' whip and an SGC tuner in the trunk :D That would kick A@@ and take names.

The longest NMO antenna I've had was the 49" Larsen. But you're right, that scenario you described does make more sense.

As for HF, the CB whip with the tuner will work fine on 10m, pretty well on 15m, and so-so on 20m. Below that it will just be useless. Sure the SGC will show the rig a good match, but after a good transmission, put your hand on the SGC. It'll be warm. With all your power being turned into heat in the tuner, not much is being radiated by the antenna.

These are the facts of life with a short antenna. You need some electrical length. Invest in a REAL HF antenna. Sure it'll cost you a few bucks, but the difference will be worth it. Trust me, I've spent plenty of time on HF in the car, and I started with the CB whip for lack of anything better. You'll get real tired of it real fast.

"Project Lowband - Updated"

"Project Lowband - Updated"

I know

Re: I know