[BVARC] HF Antenna Advice

Fri May 7 16:41:17 CDT 2021

Jeffrey

The Internet has multiple pages that warn that antennas can overload and pull down a brick chimney.  Other pages say small antennas are okay, but don’t mount anything big or needing a rotor. Then again, other pages are ‘anything goes’ on a chimney.

So there is no consistent advice. Sort of like do you need to run ground rods and wires all the way around your house.

David

David Mehl
Houston TX USA

From: Jeffrey Carson <jcarson222 at yahoo.com>
Sent: 7 May, 2021 3:16 PM
To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <bvarc at bvarc.org>
Cc: MIKE BRANNAN <mikebranna at aol.com>; Karl Bernard <karl.bernard at gmail.com>; David Mehl <dcmehl at live.com>
Subject: Re: [BVARC] HF Antenna Advice

What "warnings" did you read about using a chimney for a mount. Never actually heard of any myself. Is it about it not being sturdy or something else?

On Friday, May 7, 2021, 03:12:02 PM CDT, MIKE BRANNAN via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org<mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>> wrote:

Years ago I used steel strapping around my chimney to hold a heavy dipole with large traps. Worked fine. Even went though several high wind events.  One removed a large portion of the roof.
Sent from my iPhone

On May 7, 2021, at 1:14 PM, Karl Bernard via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org<mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>> wrote:

David,

I wouldn't think that a dipole of any kind would put too much of a strain on your chimney. Even with the balun, that one only weighs 1.2lb (per DX Engineering - https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/mfj-2010<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dxengineering.com%2Fparts%2Fmfj-2010&data=04%7C01%7C%7C75e1ae4030ed40ff131608d91194f336%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637560153693234193%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=%2FjCL7d2cg1mIvKxReyn5Yh%2FYgSRkatho9RPLrHV33uY%3D&reserved=0>).

Since whatever you use as a mount will weigh more than the antenna, just be sure to use a lightweight mount.

Disclaimer - this only my opinion. I've never mounted an antenna on a chimney before.

Thanks,

Karl
W5KMB

On Fri, May 7, 2021 at 12:43 PM David Mehl via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org<mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>> wrote:

BVARC Club

I am a new ham and a club member since I passed my Tech last August at the BVAC testing. I have also passed both my General and Extra exam about a month ago. I am working on setting up a HF radio for home. I have a ‘backordered’ IC-7300 which may show up one day. In the mean time, I am trying to plan for my HF antenna that will fit on my small lot.   I think I can run an 40-20-10-6 OCFD (*MFJ-2010) in a slope from a tree in my front yard, with the feed point hung off a mounted on chimney, and then on to a post above my fence in my backyard. I don’t have any trees in my backyard. Instead I have power lines across the back of the lot that I have to avoid.

I keep reading various comments and warnings about using a chimney for a mount. My chimney is in good repair, having been inspected and repaired during my home rebuilt after being flooded during Harvey.

Is the center of the OCFD a light enough load to consider using my chimney as a center mount? Is there a right way to do that? Or should I ‘bite the bullet’ and setup a pole beside the chimney?

Any other antenna advice for a novice?

Thanks

AI5DK

David

David Mehl / Houston Texas USA / dcmehl at live.com<mailto:dcmehl at live.com>

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