Basic CB Radio Base Station Antenna, Homemade with wire + PVC

I needed a basic vertical antenna for My garage, So that I can talk with locals. on the roof I have a 3 element horizontal that I use for skip, But it's not very good for local use. to fix this.....I put My Homemade antenna back to work!
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[@joohop]

Nice Work Buddy That Thing Should Last For Years Bless Up

[@ronleblanc9832]

Guess it goes to show you can make an antenna just as good as a comercial antenna and might last longer to the weather

[@jacksharmonoquinn572]

Never boring, always finding a new angle on things... keep on ...keeping on

[@Yankw-vj9ds]

That is great antanna .Back in 90 I made a antanna out a set of bed spring with a old Tbarry and antanna matcher mowerjunky always great watching your videos 73s 2600 yank in western PA

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@mikecricket113]

So much fun. Antenna experimenting is definitely a gratifying sub hobby. Great job 👍. Hope you and the YL are doing well. Keep on living the dream. 73

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks Mike. Antenna building is actually My favorite part of the hobby. Thanks for watching, 73's

[@cbradioghosttalk1986]

Another great episode. Just always enjoy your experiments and you always seem to be spot on. Thanks, John. Skip is starting to show up in Northern NY but just runs for a few minutes. No contacts but did hear Jamaica and S America. 73s to all Northern NY 202

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks 202. I usually do a lot of research before starting a new project. I've found that it makes the job easier, when I have a full understanding of what I'm doing. Take care, Thanks for watching.

[@norman2999]

@@MowerJunkie : Your logic is pure and flawless.🖖.

[@chrishorst6993]

Need to call you the “King of homemade CB antennas”

[@Guns_N_Gears]

I made one like this about 6 or so years ago out of a Diople turned up vertical. Mine was only a 1/4 wave per element so in total 17', and I was very surprised at how good it was. Talked all over on that antenna. Aside from the PVC, the cost was 0. I made it out of scraps, so that was a bonus. I actually plan to build another 1 soon, but this time I am not going to use PVC. I'm going to see if I can assemble the entire unit from spares and scraps. Good video👍

[@artdodd2932]

Always enjoy your videos

[@fernandoscrenci4874]

WOW!! Fantastic Job!!✔️👍 You are Antenna-Man!!

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks! Wait till You see the one I'm working on now. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@48pluto]

a Vertical low to the ground with ground radials makes a excellent DX antenna. Many ham's do it. You may come to the conclusion that higher isn't better. At least not for DX. But we'll see in the next video how it goes!

[@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee]

Good deal man I'm going to make me one of these this summer 👍

[@MowerJunkie]

Awesome! It really is a great design. even with the top only 17' in the air, I have talked to other station up to 50 miles away in every direction....with only 200 watts.

[@warrenscott9990]

Great MJ! Add about 2 more ground radials and see of it gets better

[@leolbenwayjr6561]

Lol I was calling for you today john on 38 lwr.no condition to the Carolinas. I did contact the west indies. 613 vermont undertaker radio. Great vid 151. Take care.

[@DK5ONV]

Excellent job

[@maninthevan53]

Awesome, I have a Matco 3 element beam myself without a router that I manually adjust, poor on local I tried an Antron with a ground plane , I just wast my money, I switch to a stardust and man Night to day performance this works great also on 10 meters, nice job Mower junkie

[@MowerJunkie]

Your story sounds the same as Mine, The 3 element Yagi's are great for skip.....But You gotta have a vertical for local use. Take care Danny, Thanks for watching.

[@williambowman7244]

I had stardust back when still called starduster but the construction wouldn't support wis seasonal winds and the elements bent too easily but yes it worked great before the winds I have had antron going on 20+ years now using a 40+ ft piece spare romax all wires combined as heavy ground to my houses triple ground grid two 9 ft ground rods tied to water ground and electric grid ground it gets me upto 60+ ssb miles point point occasional good conditions hit as far as 100+ mile skip hits when running have hit all 48 states plus alaska haven't hit hawaii yet but have gotten to europe as well

[@maninthevan53]

@@williambowman7244 Yes very true this is my second one the last snowstorm and wind just wipe it out the first one that lasted 5 years , well we didn't really had a big storm

[@jackson4861]

Danny, you have better luck with a starduster ?

[@jackson4861]

@@MowerJunkie That problem is easily rectified with three vertical elements turning your mako into a comet !

[@JoeR203]

How many acres do you have? (I'm still searching for a house in SC.) I heard Puerto Rico today (3-20-21) on ch. 20 AM. Heard nothing on SSB

[@ehayes5217]

BTW, realize this antenna's meant for local, but ground-mounted verticals are very effective for DX'ing, due to their very low angle of radiation towards the horizon; base of vertical wud be just barely above ground level (not elevated) w/ radials laying on ground or buried just beneath the surface; enjoy ur vids & keep experimenting! 73's from TN

[@timmack2415]

@@radiowave75 45 degree radials give a better match (to 50 ohm's) for a 1/4 wave antenna. (102" radiator) Half-wave antennas do much better with horizontal radials. The best performing antenna I have, is a half-wave, vertical dipole. (Two pieces of 10 AWG wire, center fed and no matching network or radials are needed as both "halves" of the antenna are there). It outperformance my A-99 100% of the time, both locally and for DX. I've never had a single report of the A-99 doing better in the 3 years I've been using it.

[@spankthemonkey3437]

@Mower Junkie I have the 102 whip it's actually 103 with the connecting lug. Perfect for CB right on frequency or channel 20 if using the quarter wave ham radio antenna formula. One thing I found out is that radials need to be 12 percent longer than the radiating element. I have mine at 115 inches and optimal angle is actually 42 degrees. But that really doesn't matter as much as length of radials. I have 10 guage braided copper wire for my radials and have them tied of with nylon rope. I took the wire put it in flat wire connecter and stuck it in right under where the antenna mounts and you screw on the coax connecter. actually have a two step tie off🤣 I have 50 pound braided fishing line trippled and wrapped around then taped to the insulation on wire then have that tied off to nylon rope about the size of a pencil. Us CBers have our ways of doing things. My swr is flat most of the time. I thought something wasn't right at first flipped my meter over to power it was working fine. Sometimes it will spoke to 1.1 or 1.2 if it's windy and whip is moving around. What are you using for radiating element

[@MowerJunkie]

Wow! that sounds like a great set up! I hope You made a video of it. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.

[@norman2999]

I agree with Mower Junkie!! Make a video of your antenna and then your radio in action going through your antenna!! Show us local & skip contacts, it's all good!!

[@vacuumfireradio253]

You should try building a copy of the Sirio Gainmaster...there are videos on YT of how to do so. It's just coax, wire, tape and time...cost around 5 dollars...awesome antenna

[@davidaix5771]

Well the sunspots Cycles are certainly improving and 10 meters is starting to open up and 10m is starting to open up so is 11

[@MowerJunkie]

I can't wait for the DX to get better! it should be soon. Thanks for watching, 73's

[@davidaix5771]

@@MowerJunkie I'm trying to get my technician license real soon hey tecs are allowed to be on 10m? correct???

[@Bernard-John]

Hi,interesting subject, well explained, today I am getting a Lemm 3/4 wave 10/11 meter vertical antenna, sometimes it's just easier to buy one, 😀, thanks from Rotterdam 👍

[@MowerJunkie]

Enjoy the hobby, 73's from 151 SC.

[@chadbain559]

I use the same antenna expect mines pvc going in to old Shakespeare boat antenna I took wire out put 102.5 the same as you I watched when you made it you ever use 4' whips for the ground planes...

[@LEEBO-56]

Very interesting, yes sir, very interesting..keep up the great video's brother..BE SAFE AND STAY WELL EVERYONE..( DESPERADO 56 NORTH OF TAMPA FL. WAVING-A-HAND ) 73 's

[@MowerJunkie]

Much appreciated, 73's from 151 SC.

[@chipc4936]

Another great video! Interesting about 27.370 MHz. You never know who will be on those “special” frequencies. Please keep us updated on that antenna’s performance. 73

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks, will do!

[@The2Time4792]

Great video 151

[@danieljohnson8437]

COPPER! Winner, Winner, Chicken dinner. Dan.

[@mr.stonerUDX714]

awesome video mini bike junkie 73s john!!!

[@chrisolson968]

I think you should just put your 3 element yagi vertical. Then you can talk local and dx. Most of the stations in dx you make contact with are using vertical antennas. It would be a better use of your beam to be vertical. Trust me, you will wish you did it sooner. Also you should experiment with making a 1/2 wave or 5/8 vertical antenna. You wouldn't have to even put radials on it. Make a loading coil or a shunt match, or a ring match like a maco v58. The old 1/4 ground plane works. Also you don't need a matching system for the 1/4 wave. But if you make a 1/2 wave or a 5/8 vertical, you will have a good signal in all directions. Remember you can have a vertical signal and after its refracted off the ionosphere it can be horizontal when it comes back down to the dx station and vise a versa. Do some research and give it a whirl. 73.

[@MowerJunkie]

I really like building and experimenting with antennas. If I put My Yagi vertical.....It would take away all My fun. But seriously, I have tried My 3 element set up as a vertical beam. when I had it vertical it was picking up an insane amount of electrical noise. So I guess I'll just have to keep experimenting. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@mattgrossmann4167]

I've been binge watching all these homemade antenna videos and I love them. My only question is how much power can they handle safety? I'd love to make a homemade antenna, but my base radio is a stryker 497 doing a touch over 100w barefoot.

[@MowerJunkie]

I usually run between 200 - 500 watts, and all of the homemade antennas I made handled it well.

[@mattgrossmann4167]

@MowerJunkie awesome! Thank you for the quick reply on an older video! Much appreciated sir! 73's sir

[@MowerJunkie]

@@mattgrossmann4167 Thanks for watching, 73's

[@moyamoyavaper5227]

Thanks for the video.

[@Ranchhand323]

There's many different Ttinidads. Are you sure it was Trinidad / Tobago ?

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

If you are allowed than what about a Slim-Jim antenna for 26-27.99125Mhz

[@tf7274]

Higher the better on cb. Once you've had an antenna over 80ft...you'll never say an antenna close to the ground is better...even with ground elements. Although my only experience is on 27 mhz. Top of my antenna was at 102 ft...it was amazing.

[@norman2999]

T F: 102 feet?! That's crazy-awesome!! What kind of range were/are you getting with which radio(s) on sideband(s) and AM? What kind of terrain is/was the antenna on? Is/was the antenna on a motorized (direction adjustable) set-up? Here's the last & most important question: Who has/had to climb the 80 foot mast to make adjustments/repairs to the 22 foot antenna?! 😬😲 (😆🤣!!)

[@tf7274]

@@norman2999 I'm on an old Dairy farm. We have a concrete silo on the farm with an enclosed ladder. It was built in the 70's so the cage is pretty basic. Ladder goes to 84ft. So with a small mast the top of my Imax was well above the dome roof. 12 watts got me into the city 50 min drive away. Dx wise you hear contacts that others are buried in the static. My favorite dx contact was 12 watts with this setup from Manitoba (very flat terrain) to a mini van mobile 12 watts in New South Wales, Australia.

[@tf7274]

208 km was my longest local contact. This was with clear conditions before wifi/led/wireless made interferences on a quiet night.

[@foxman362]

trindad is over near south amercia on eastern side they very close to Equator it's got be sunspots solar cycle doing this.

[@jesteruno]

Do you have a video on how to build this antenna?

[@MowerJunkie]

Yes, Here is a link to the build. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHWxeqOLj9t8aM0

[@jesteruno]

@@MowerJunkie Thanks!!!

[@tufftrucker40]

151. I'm learning all sorts of cb stuff from you and I sure appreciate it. But I have another question for you...have you ever used an antenna called a pt99 I believe it's by procom?? I have been eye balling that antenna as a first for my base using a 2 button president Washington. If so your thoughts would be most appreciated. 620 ks

[@MowerJunkie]

I haven't tried one, But I've talked to a lot of people that use the PT99, They all sounded good and were happy with the antenna. Good luck with Your base, 73's from 151 SC.

[@foxman362]

mower junkie needs sell them on ebay or sell one to local car and truck repair shop in town.

[@BxnditWxlf]

Just finished mine!

[@jackson4861]

You are driving that amp way too hard lol, rock on mower junkie!

[@MowerJunkie]

LOL, come on, 40 watts on SSB won't hurt it. besides, it sounds great on the air, and 40 in = 220 out. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@diamondmetalworks13]

@@MowerJunkie so an amp will push your signal out further, but do nothing for receive. So this is really impressive you get that kind of reception. You guys in the south have something special going on down there with radios.

[@Mel0763]

@@diamondmetalworks13 Some amps do have a receive pre-amp in them in order to boost the received signal.

[@diamondmetalworks13]

@@Mel0763 interesting. I’m really new to all this stuff. Thank you

[@foxman362]

mower junkie needs get NanoVNA it would show everything inside your homemade antenna even swr.

[@jakemichael8586]

1/4 wave antennas work best near the ground! do some reading on it. i would not rise it take care

[@MowerJunkie]

I've done a lot of research on it too, and I'm only planning on putting the feedpoint at 17' above ground (half wave). this should be the best height for this antenna. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@jakemichael8586]

@@MowerJunkie thanks for the reply! good you did yore research! look in to a sleeve vertical. take care

[@johnhosler9417]

I got a 16 foot fiskar fiberglass telescopic pole , and 4 wire ground radials at 102, length, my next step is the vertical antenna, 1/2 copper tubing?

[@johnhosler9417]

A copper pipe 1/4 wave vertical with 4 wire ground plane works well . I used a 8 foot section of that fiberglass on top of 20 feet of top rail. I talk about 12 miles nightly with a 6-7 recive. No idea about swr I just cut to length and prayed for the best , it definitely works well.

[@Ka0145]

Greetings from Northwest Oregon I'm still trying to reach out to you one of these days we'll make contact 145 Northwest Oregon standing by LOL

[@MowerJunkie]

Big wave Your way 145, I hope We get that contact soon. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@travishorn1847]

Not all meters are the same some are a little more stingy than others, 👍

[@polarwind2574]

What height you think you will raise it to?

[@MowerJunkie]

it should end up about twice as high as it is now. Thanks for watching, Take care.

[@klv400]

It would be a lot of less headache just to buy a amtron 99.....

[@MowerJunkie]

Way to boring to just put up a factory made antenna. The fun for Me is in the engineering.

[@indianakid4050]

Will 151 the way at it you said you're 17 foot off the ground that's almost a half a wavelength and that's why you're getting out cuz of the ground wave there's a lot of Science in antenna making but I wouldn't move it I'd leave it where it's at 73

[@sherwoodtyler77]

is that a 1/4 wave or 1/2 wave?

[@MowerJunkie]

it's a 1/4 wave ground plane. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@shep6123]

I like to have see you make that antenna I would like to make one ☝️ and see if that antenna would hope my get out on my CB I cannot get out very well the Area I live at

[@MowerJunkie]

check out this video, it shows how I built the antenna. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHWxeqOLj9t8aM0

[@tnipp1285]

👍👍

[@majorkonfuzion1007]

How many output wats on cb ?

[@MowerJunkie]

Just enough to get the job done. Thanks for watching, Take care.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

More height man.

[@americaswayout4489]

You might like to see this version of your ground plane because of its bandwidth, from lower 26 megs to over 30 megs. With your new radio that covers a much wider group of frequencies having the lower SWR over such a wide number of channels gives you a better chance of talking to folks like in England or New Zealand with England having an FM service of 40 channels just under 28 megs or 10 meters or New Zealand below our channel 1 using the 0s like 26,330 as their channel 1 and not the 5s. With skip only getting better for the next 6 years or so then slowly going down after that, many new CB opportunities to hear far away places will become a daily adventure? kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6erkqVtpLOSiqs blowonthepie.co.nz/nz-cb-frequencies/