As you can see. Had to make a few adjustments. Re-heating and moving the feed point can be a little difficult. The next step is to cover everything exposed with the hot glue. Also, it's a good idea to get some of that glue in between the wire tie and the coax. This will lock everything into place and help keep the weather out. Fewer problems.. Less headaches later...
This decoupling loop is sometimes mistaken for a matching balun. We'll just call it a choke and not put everyone to sleep with a long discussion of antenna theory. Just a few points on this topic.. Adding a choke like this is a good habit to get into. Another idea for this is one of those plastic snap-on ferrite cores. They come in different sizes depending on the size coax used. Either way is up to you. This J-pole is a balanced antenna going into an unbalanced feed line and can cause RF to get back into the Rig and into the shack. Save your equipment and try to protect yourself... This is easy to do.. So, take this extra step.. Please be safe..
Surprisingly, the 18 gauge wire in this ladder line is very rugged. It's good to keep some open space between the tip of the antenna and whatever you decide to hang it from. Try not to place the antenna close to any metal objects as well. We hang ours from some string thrown over a tree branch. Good to get the antenna at least 10 feet off the ground. And, remember height determines range at 2 meters. The gain for a 1/2 wave J-pole is approxmitately 2.4 dbi over a 1/4 wave whip. Not bad for only a few bucks. |
