Hi folks,
I am looking for the best way to mount my 8 element 2M beam off of the side of my TV tower.  I currently have it on a wooden pole out to the side attached to the tower legs with U bolts but I worried all winter when it was windy that the wood would snap and the antenna would come crashing in one of the windows of the house.  Can you suggest some mounting options.  This antenna is not end mounted but mounts in the center.

Thanks,
Scott

Thanks very much.  I have (the former) for 30,20,10 as well as a dipole for 80 (which also works on 17) and I will be putting up one for 40 and 12.  I just wanted to know if there were issues combining those two specifically. 

Thanks again.  Your input on this site is always beneficial to me and I always learn something from it.

Cheers es 72,
Scott ve3vvf

I've searched the forums and I'm sure I remember seeing it at one time...what bands are not compatible on the same fan dipole?  I am pretty sure there was a band combination that does not work well.

Thanks,
Scott

Thanks for the great info and suggestions.  It is all greatly appreciated. - Scott ve3vvf

Do electrolytic capacitors dry out faster when the equipment they are in is sitting on the shelf or when they have power applied.

Thanks,
Scott ve3vvf

I've heard the Isotron antennas are good but haven't tried one.  A fellow ham has one.  I should give it a try.

Used the radio today at a park with a wonderpole wire dipole and made some contacts so the radio is in good shape.  Thanks for the input and suggestions everyone.

de Scott ve3vvf

I did find an issue with my radio.  I did one of the alignments as they suggested in the book (I don't have another rig to test with) with a buddy.  It turns out I was transmitting and receiving on different frequencies.  Not too far off but enough that he couldn't hear me.  It's all good now and hopefully by the end of the weekend my other antenna will be complete and i can retest.  

Thanks again for all the tips and info, guys.

Thanks but I'm on the second floor of a rule-laden condo that I am renting and my lease is up in November.  I do not plan on renewing it.  I need to find a better place...a small home or townhouse.  This is just me dodging one of life's curves. ;o)

Thanks for more info guys.  The only reason I got the hamstick was to see if it could be something to use from a rental condo balcony...and I wasn't having any luck.  I haven't lived in this place long (8 months) and I was trying to make the best of a bad situation.  I don't plan on living in this location long if I can't make contacts from here.

In the nicer weather my plan is to go out to a park with the 20' Wonderpole inverted V dipole.  The hamstick and mag mount combo pretty much has ended up being a big waste of money.  If I get a trailer hitch installed on my car I can try the hamstick on there with a proper counterpoise but CW mobile will be tough with a straight key on my knee.

Thanks again guys

A buddy of mine mentioned the same problem using a mag mount even at QRO but another buddy has an adapter from NMO to 3/8 and I could remove my 2m antenna from my car roof and screw on the stick (not moving of course).  

I'm building a dipole to put up a wonderpole fishing pole and if the weather cooperates I could check that out this weekend.

Scott, ve3vvf

Thanks for the reply.  It's a hamstick for 40.  The way I'm checking the tx and rx is by tx into a Spec An to see my tx freq and then using a sig gen on that freq into my antenna input to check my rx.  I can reduce the level to -90dbm and still hear it.  I am assuming that that would rule out the zero beat issue...or am I wrong?

Scott, ve3vvf

I recently built a Ten Tec 1340 and I believe it to be working properly.  3W out and I hear plenty of stations and I am transmitting on the same freq that I am receiving.  The only problem is that the only antenna I currently have to test it with is a Hamstick mag mount on the roof of my car.  I have been trying for days for a contact and am having no luck.  I am hearing plenty of stations but no contacts.  Am I being too impatient?  At my last qth I had a wire dipole up 30 feet and an HW-8 putting out less than a watt and had more luck than this.  Am I expecting too much from this antenna?

Thanks,
Scott ve3vvf

Wonderful.  Thatns for the info.

I am building the Ten-Tec 1340 kit and the VFO toroid is quite sensitive to movements and I want to make it permanent on the frequencies of my choice.  Is there a good way to keep the windings from moving?  Nail polish , glue gun?

Thanks for any suggestions
Scott