The Amateur Radio Portfolio

In 2004 Karen (K8KB) decided to take on the project of erecting a tower for radio use. With anticipation of the challenges such as tower choice, source, permitting and contracting; the project went surprisingly smooth and trouble free. The county required an engineer statement with regard to 145 mph wind resistance on the tower structure which we secured from a licenses engineering firm. The rest was labor and time to complete, all of which Karen did herself with the exception of a few items where I was needed to help lift items.

Feel free to look at some of the project photos below. On the tower you will notice a 20m horizontally phased yagi; this antenna was designed and constructed by Karen. It's dimensions are approximately 22' beam with 32' elements. Above that on the mast is a 2m yagi and at the very top a Diamond V2000A 6m/2m/70cm omni. The HF and 2m yagi's are rotationally managed by a Yaesu G800SA rotator. Times Microwave LMR400 coax cabling descends from the tower into a NEMA4 enclosure. Within the enclosure, each coax line is surge protected via a Cushcraft gas discharge lightning arrester and then another run of Times Microwave LMR400 coax is enclosed in 2" conduit under ground and into another NEMA4 enclosure at the shack where they are again surge protected via PolyPhaser DC blocking lightning arresters. The last leg of LMR400s bring the signals into the shack. Grounding is managed through a 30' radial pattern of ground rods at the tower and a ground array at the shack linked to the earth ground side of the incoming electric circuit. This ensures protection from voltage spikes as well as reduction in electrical noise throughout the system.

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