We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: Discone antenna mounting  (Read 2389 times)

Matt285

  • Guest
Discone antenna mounting
« on: February 09, 2020, 1618 UTC »
So as you know most Discone's have the coax point in the center where the mast goes. I need to figure out how I will get the coax in/out of the mast. I guess my question would be, can I use a small length of PVC or does it need to grounded to the mast or grounded in general. Also the connection is different from a standard SO239. It looks like a PL259 would screw in, but when I screwed in a PL259 the center conductor had a loose feel to me. Looks like a type 'N' style. I'm use to using the latter.

Offline Brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 521
  • Ireland
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2020, 2011 UTC »
Does it not mount to the side of the mast with 2 u brackets?
You can't screw a PL259 into an N type socket.

Matt285

  • Guest
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2020, 2013 UTC »
Thanks for the reply. I suppose it could be mounted either way come to think of it. Maybe I will thicken up the tip of the center conductor with a bit of solder for a tighter fit.

Offline NJQA

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 322
  • Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2020, 0941 UTC »
You can't screw a PL259 into an N type socket.

You can force a PL259 into a female N connector...and you will permanently destroy the female N connector when you do.  The center conductor pin will be deformed or broken in such a way that you can’t repair it.  Check your antenna for damage.

Something is wrong when you start talking about having to “thicken up the center conductor with solder”.  It sounds to me like the antenna is damaged.
 
« Last Edit: February 10, 2020, 0945 UTC by NJQA »

Offline redhat

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1585
  • USA
  • Music is my drug.
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2020, 1233 UTC »


+-RH
Somewhere under the stars...
Airspy HF+, MLA-30/Mini-whip/Chi-Town Loop
Please send QSL's and reception reports to xfmshortwave [at] proton [d0t] me

Matt285

  • Guest
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2020, 1345 UTC »
I'm not familiar with attaching photos in this set up. I see the option for adding an image or hyperlink, but I'm use to copy and pasting. It looks like a an SO239, but the center portion does not have the standard white insulating material. It's just insulated by open air space. I will work on attaching a photo.

Matt285

  • Guest
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2020, 1718 UTC »
The mounting hardware is all taken care of. I said 'N' connector by mistake. It looks like the center female conductor just needs a slight squeeze with a pair of needle nose pliers. The PL259 will fit fine as far as I can tell.

Offline NJQA

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 322
  • Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2020, 1904 UTC »
It looks like a an SO239, but the center portion does not have the standard white insulating material. It's just insulated by open air space.

While an N connector will not have the insulating material around the center conductor, most SO239 connectors do...but there is a variant SO-239 that has minimal material, just enough to keep the center conductor socket centered.  Most of the dielectric material between the inner and outer conductor is air.

As near as I can tell, this is done to try to make the impedance of the UHF connector closer to 50 ohms.  UHF connectors are known to be non-constant impedance connectors (unlike BNC or Type N connectors).  The ratio of outer conductor and inner conductor diameters changes across the length of the connector, meaning the characteristic impedance of the connector changes.  This is not a big deal on HF, but becomes more of a concern at VHF and above.

I have never seen these connectors for sale anywhere, but have seen them on SWR/power meters, and on VHF and above radios/antennas.

It sounds like your antenna has this variant of a SO239.  This would make sense to use with a discone.

Redhat is right - this thread would be a lot shorter  if we had included pictures.


« Last Edit: February 10, 2020, 1907 UTC by NJQA »

Matt285

  • Guest
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2020, 1941 UTC »
Yes. I'll have to figure out how to post photos. It helps a lot in these situations. Yes, i believe it is a variant of of an SO239 as you described.

Offline Josh

  • DXing Phenomena
  • *******
  • Posts: 4322
    • View Profile
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2020, 2031 UTC »
Or one could look at the manual.



    Wideband reception covering 25-1300 MHz
    Transmit bands 26-27-46-49-72-144-220-440-900-1290 MHz
    Rust free stainless steel structure
    Max power 300 Watts CB / 200 Watts VHF-UHF
    SWR <1. 5: 1
    1 3/8" maximum mast diameter
    UHF female (SO-239) connector
    6 lower radials 32 3/4", 2 lower radials 48"-52" adjustable
    8 upper radials 11 1/4"
    Top whip length 55"
https://www.amazon.com/Tram-1411-Discone-Scanner-Antenna/dp/B00QVNI1V0
« Last Edit: February 10, 2020, 2033 UTC by Josh »
We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.

Offline ChrisSmolinski

  • Administrator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 31106
  • Westminster, MD USA
    • View Profile
    • Black Cat Systems
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2020, 2112 UTC »
Or one could look at the manual.

Crazy talk!  :P
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Matt285

  • Guest
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2020, 2255 UTC »
The manual consist of a double sided piece of paper and does not acknowledge the connector type in any specific way. I'm good to go now. Assembly is pretty straight forward.

Matt285

  • Guest
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2020, 2259 UTC »
Yes. It is an SO239 connector, but not the sort of the typical HF variety. Josh, check your inbox. I have a quick question.

Offline nickcarr3151

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 75
  • Bellevue, WA
  • The only easy day was yesterday...
    • View Profile
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2020, 0054 UTC »
Yes they're using a poor-man's SO239 connector that fits the PL-259 connector.  The mount is designed to fit your mast -- use simple emt conduit from Lowe or HD -- and thread the coax thru it and screw down connector.  Then you slide the conduit into the base mount and tighten.
Perseus SDR + Wellbrook ALA100LN (60m loop), Wellbrook 1530S+
ICOM 7000 + Zero-Five 10/40 GP Vertical
Xiegu G90
Motorola XPR/XTS Portables, Uniden scanners, Whistler Scanners
Airspy Mini SDR + DSDPlus + Diamond D3000N Discone

Offline Pigmeat

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 6684
    • View Profile
Re: Discone antenna mounting
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2020, 0231 UTC »
Or one could look at the manual.

Crazy talk!  :P

Did you know my late FIL, Chris? He managed to leave this life with all of his original parts and he didn't need a stinkin' owners manual. He had dyslexia, it's not like he could read it anyway.