Updating The Antenna Farm! New Comet GP3 Antenna, New Coax, New WX Station!

[@RobCanada]

I was an antenna installer for 42yrs, when trying to get a cable through a wall cut a 60 ˚ slope on the end of the cable. You can then use one of the existing cables as draw wire. Then put a small amount of of tape around the two cables (just the end of the cut slope ) and push from the outside as you are only using it as a guide to align the cable in the cavity. If you try pulling you'll need more tape to hold it but then it might be too big for the hole. Self Amalgamating tape, stretching cause some kind or action (I was always told it released a chemical) so it will then stick to itself. The electrical tape is just to hold the amalgamating tape in place whilst the bonding process happens. without it the tape sometimes unwraps.

[@jackmortimer329]

Thanks for the great video about a facet of amateur radio that is seldom talked about (it seems to me). I especially appreciate the detail of installing the connector to the coax. That should be very comforting to many of us newbies. 73

[@KL5TY-Bill-Alaska]

I just ordered the Comet CX-333. So far and I haven't even got it but based on what I read for the one I ordered and your video I think I am going to love it.

[@colinmcdonald7591]

Every half wave of more elevation above ground means more gain and better line of sight. On 2M that's only a meter, like 3 feet. Even if you are just peaking up above the hills, that 5/8s over 5/8s design with a higher angle of radiation works great. I used the Tram/browning 1480 which is essentially the same kind of antenna as the GP-3 for years at 20Ft then 32Ft and it worked incredibly well. Newer hams who have never had a larger outdoor antenna are just unaware of how much better it is in all ways. Even if you can only put an antenna like this up 6 feet or on the top of a fence or something it'll be massively better than a mobile whip in the house or a HT antenna. Even this antenna in an attic does reasonably well. It's great to use good quality low loss coax, but if you are on a budget, 50Ft of cheap RG8X only has a couple DB of loss on VHF and with the antenna offering almost 5DBI of gain on VHF you will still have something that beats a mobile magnet mount or a J-pole or other smaller antennas. Remember, coax loss is measured at 100 feet of coax so RG8X looks bad on VHF when you read the loss specs, but you rarely need 100 feet of coax for a VHF antenna installation. Most people can get away with 50 feet then the coax losses are half of the specified loss rating at VHF and UHF. I ran my Tram 1480 with 40 feet of RG58 for a few years until I could afford some low loss coax. It made a little difference in the performance on TX and RX when I went to the low loss stuff, but it wasn't like OMG, the antenna is now hearing things it never heard or I can talk twice as far or anything like that. A few DB is like an S-unit. Only really a factor on weak signal work and not generally with repeaters or local simplex. You can even use 75Ohm tv cable as it's cheap and easily available, even the low loss stuff like RG6. Home Depot sells it. Get a couple F to PL259 adapters and you can run that with no problem. If you calculate the coax length right, you can even eliminate the slight impedance mismatch at the radio and antenna...or you can just live with the extra .5 increase in SWR. Is it perfect, no, but it's ridiculously cheaper than high end 50 ohm low loss coax. .25 a foot instead of $2.25 or more. Anyway just some ideas to improve without needing to spend a whole lot.

[@KI7JOM]

Thanks for bringing us with, Mike!

[@Rusted_Link]

The Amazonians recently had the Klein Tools 10 mm nut driver set of two for $16. I bought two sets of two. Best tool ever for antenna work.

[@u2fanforever1]

Nice weather station! I gotta get one of those. I have the Comet GP 6 and GP 3 - they are an awesome antenna!

[@M6JKW]

Great video as always thanks for making and posting 73 🙂👍

[@AdamSWL]

Really like my Comet GP-9 2/70/23 tribander. They are a good antenna and really perform well. To aid longevity of the powder coating on the fiberglass, I added a couple of coats of clear marine varnish to help stop/slow the UV from breaking it down.

[@softstart100]

Great video, enjoyed looking at your set up.

[@dave-wk4t]

I’ve used the camo mast poles and still have some in service. I changed my VHF/UHF Comet antenna mounting over to two chainlink fence top rails screwed together. Twenty feet of secure elevation for cheap.

[@Mike_M_KI4MRC]

I picked up the Peet Bros weather station when I was in Orlando last year. I think you would love it particularly because it is APRS ready.😂

[@hamradiotube]

Oh, I see what you did there!

[@FIL357]

Like the toothbrush trick. 😁👍 and the rest. Thanks Mike. Phil, Suffolk. U.K. 🇬🇧

[@AndrewB416]

Getting ready to do this with the exact same Comet GP3 antenna on my TV tower. Taking down the old TV antenna and putting this up. Hope it works well! 35 feet of height and I am hoping to get clear across Lake Ontario up here in Canada :)

[@CJ-fk7hs]

Great video as always, just one suggestion, tape from bottom to top. Like you would install shingles on a roof. Not a big deal though really in this install, just belt and suspenders type stuff to potentially save a future trip up.

[@Ammed_KN6STX]

The mast is a bit wobbly up on that roof.

[@Mandarin110631]

great video Mike- thank you as always!

[@stephanhersey1186]

I am surprised you don't have a grounded lighting surge protector at the house entrance of your coax. Especially there in Texas. Good luck. Steve, k7ofg.

[@paulsengupta971]

I just imagined lightning striking the antenna when Mike held it up in the air...

[@Sonicgott]

There is something so cathartic about setting up a new antenna and receiving a nice strong signal! Cheers, and 73. KF0QNM.

[@cliftonhead9665]

I have a 100ft roll of M&P (13), are the connectors all the same or they fit by cable size. Also, where can I get same connectors Giga dont carry them but sales the coax ?..

[@dienadel30]

I just got the ok from the landlord (bro in law) to put up a 32 Foot fiberglass mast in the N corner of the property game changer thinking EFHW sloper will have a perfect N, S run approx perfect distance for a 40-10M with tuner setup !!

[@hamradiotube]

Sweet!

[@justinmoyers1179]

Give it some of that hawk tuah 😂😂

[@Krispin291]

Goodness gracious! There are a lot of cables behind that desk!!!🤦🏻‍♂️🙄🤣🤣🤣

[@hamradiotube]

We don't talk about those 🤣

[@curtw8827]

I have the GP3 in my condo attic, works well.

[@WX4CB]

Npw you DID make sure your anemometer on the weather station was pointing in the right direction right? Most need the station to be facing north/south in a specific orientation 😂

[@hamradiotube]

My roof line just so happens to point due N/S so all I have to do is line the WX station up with the house and I'm golden

[@milwman1958]

Retired Mason, here I always have trouble getting in the hole lol Using an oversize bit 1/4” for hammer drill or just rotary and caulk it to seal it up it solves 99% of your troubles.Scott KF0HRF

[@Veedy]

" sometimes it's hard sticking it in the hole " ..... confessions of a master ham.

[@MattPatterson1411]

Geez…. That sure is a tight hole! Waller it out a bit.

[@akiddoo8113]

I rebuilt one of those recently. Bad design with base mount. Overlap of tube over base is too little. Wind will egg it out with it swaying in wind. Fixed it by fill top part of tube with fiberglass to extend base.

[@soulstudioshamradio]

So many jokes on this one..I'll be nice 😅

[@Markb.photography]

Where does one get the mast sections 🤔🤔🤔

[@hamradiotube]

Army surplus stores mostly.

[@Algeman]

That weather station does not have the ability to recharge batteries. They must be periodically replaced. The solar panel is for reading solar strength. The center post you pointed at is a bubble level to assure it's level.

[@hamradiotube]

Right, but I use rechargeable batteries so that's what I put in it. There is a bubble level but the thing I pointed at(not the bubble level) is some type of solar sensor. A photo eye it might be called...

[@robslagle]

you should hookup that weather station to APRS

[@hamradiotube]

I'll get right on that 👎🏻 🤣

[@johnratcliffe6438]

That looks ridiculous. Why didn't you just put the weather station somewhere else? Don't Comet make a GP9? That would have been a better choice.

[@PendejoRyan]

Hey! Nice ladder!

[@hamradiotube]

You like that??

[@PendejoRyan]

@hamradiotube 🍆🍆🍆

[@dienadel30]

What is that running on the monitor behind you at the end of the video is that GridTracker ?

[@hamradiotube]

That is a Geochron

[@mikegianfrancesco9431]

Great video Mike just curious about something about gp-3 installation shouldn’t the radials be above the mast just curious I was always told they should that you get way better swr

[@AdamSWL]

I think you might find that to be the case with a metal mast. Mike appears to have a fiberglass mast which would not affect the radials or antenna adversely.

[@auburnsportsmansclub5066]

No grounding?

[@garyh8315]

The call for vet lube was sooooooo close.

[@jerronranimo9295]

Hey Dave, I'm about to install an antenna too. My question is: I don't see you using a lightning arrestor on your cable? And did you ground your mast? Lots of ppl tell me to do all that stuff but do I really have to do that for VHF/UHF?

[@hamradiotube]

I'm not sure who Dave is but hopefully he'll chime in here. I myself have done none of that stuff though.

[@jerronranimo9295]

@@hamradiotube Sorry Mike for calling you Dave. Thnxs.

[@gfodale]

I imagine it would be a bit difficult to ground a "fiberglass" (ie non-conductive) mast. Also, as a side note, I use shorting plugs, rather than lightning arresters. I set up a coax patch panel. If an antenna is not in use, it's grounded with the shorting plug. A little bit of soldering, and a lot less expensive. (something I learned in the 80's at the base ham station.)

[@KO4AFL]

hey mike, great work. is your weatherstation on the internet as well? I have mine on wunderground

[@hamradiotube]

I think I had the old one connected to Wunderground. Haven't set this one up yet.

[@stahpit1971]

I’m here for the expert comments saying how wrong you did everything 😂

[@gfodale]

I thought I did real good about not saying he should have tinned the center conductor of the coax, or tie a pull string on the old coax to make pulling the new coax a lot easier, and stuff like that. LOL

[@stahpit1971]

@ 😂

[@nivid01]

And the mast is too wobbly with all that weight on it up so high. It needs guy wires!

[@Retired_Five-0_W4WAG]

“Put the Cable in the Hole” 🙊🤣

[@kd5you1]

The Comet GP3 is a really great antenna. I have two on my Winlink gateways in the attic above the second floor, and I can reach repeaters two counties away. 73 KD5YOU

[@Mike500912]

Did you align the anemometer ?

[@hamradiotube]

Thank you for checking on me. Yes. I totally did not mention that in the video but that's kind of important. The ridge line of my house just so happens to point due N/S, so as I was meddling around with my mast, I was also making sure it was aligned. Didn't even think about it when I was doing it, it was totally subconscious.

[@andarthome142]

For how long dit you have the Raddy Wx Station before it broke?

[@hamradiotube]

couple few years???

[@chrispy6313]

I run a GP-3 at my qth, works great! I also have the GP-1 I use for portable ops on a 12ft painters pole in a roof tripod. Good antennas. I like the one piece solid design, no leaks. Good video, thanks. K3EJP

[@09keller]

Great video Mike! What model Raddy is this one? K5TGS

[@hamradiotube]

This one kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3m8f4Jma9qSl5I

[@Mandarin110631]

is the weather station wireless?

[@hamradiotube]

Yes

[@ripnlips-trouts]

Mike, your a Texan now. It's called an antenna ranch.

[@hamradiotube]

Noted!

[@BryanDaniel42]

NICE!

[@TheBrokeHam]

The real question is can you pick up APRS on it 🤣

[@hamradiotube]

I put a notch filter for 144.39MHz inline to eliminate that sort of QRM 🤣

[@nivid01]

That antenna mast is way too wobbly and too much weight on it. It will last 3 seconds in a storm!

[@hamradiotube]

To any of the people who might read this stupid comment, just know this person is completely wrong and has no idea what he is talking about. These very masts have been supporting antennas for me for about 7 years now. They have seen MANY storms in both Michigan and Texas, have survived the freezing cold, snow, ice, massive winds, and the brutal Texas heat and sun, including a hurricane earlier this year. Never, not once, has it ever fallen down or failed me in any way, shape, or form. I have never guyed them either. To the person who wrote this, learn what you are talking about before making stupid comments.

[@dougdunlap5889]

KY

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

I sooooo wanted to say something pithy....but I refrained.

[@Davidjb37721]

Ke4hpq David thanks for your time