2 Meters - Blog Posts

Once I got the radial elements reattached I weaved some electrical tape around them and the main element for added stability before wrapping the main element with some coax-seal. I remounted the antenna back onto the mast and called for a radio check. Not getting a reply, I keyed up a couple of repeaters, so at least I know I'm putting out a signal.

I crimped thr coupler over the main element and the contact of the SO-239 connector before using some heat shrink for a bit of added structural support. I'm not like all the other high class and fanciful hams, so I used my daughter's hair dryer on high heat to shrink the heat shrink. It worked like a charm!

The main element on my 1/4 wave, vertical antenna broke off, regardless of how secure I had made it with electrical tape and coax-seal, the solder just wasn't wanting to hold.

My homebrew 1/4 wave vertical antenna was damaged and I've had a hard time resoldering the main element back on, sooooo I'm thinking of a J-pole made from copper piping. In the planning stage just now but hopefully within a week I'll start assembly.

Images taken from Pinterest