Greyline DX Flagpole How-to’s: Mounting, ground, boat, bulkhead, roof top, towers.
Greyline DX Vertical Antennas Tips and How-to’s: Mounting, ground, bulkhead, roof tops, tower.
Customer Review: "Highly Recommended all band radio antenna system for HOA and restricted Ham Radio QTH's."
Includes Summer 2019 update below.
Greetings Radio Ops and friends. We did it again. In the name of "science" and to keep our Radio-active spirit alive here's our continuing effort to bring you more transparent references for your entertainment and consideration. Recently we had a question we thought was worth sharing...
How does the 20' Flagpole Antenna, OCF Vertical-Dipole play at varying mounting heights and locations?
We receive questions such as "can I mount this on my roof?" or "can I mount this on my bulkhead?"
As a simple visual reference, the below performance plots should help serve your thinking by illustrating the various installation or mounting heights one might consider for the 20-foot OCF DX Flagpole mounted and compared to itself at:
1 ft. (ground level) - red
10 ft. (house eave height) - blue
25 ft. (house peak height) - green
50 ft. (tower top height) - orange
1 ft. (ground level) - red
10 ft. (house eave height) - blue
25 ft. (house peak height) - green
50 ft. (tower top height) - orange
Update Summer 2019: Boat Docks and Lake Cabins
Lake Docks:
Usually, wide open spaces in certain directions, if not all. A wonderful bonus for the vertical dipole owner.
Many customers are putting their verticals on boat docks at their lake homes across the country. Remember, radials are not needed with a vertical dipole (DX Flagpole Antenna & DXV) to work properly. Do you recall "grounding" your dipole in a tree? Nope.
That said if you would like to improve your take-off ground, as lakes are typically not salt-water, and likely these radials will be elevated on a dock, you could try 4-16 elevated radials, ~6 inches above the lake should do it. Please do not connect these electrically to the Antenna system, as this system floats. The radials will work passively.
Many customers are putting their verticals on boat docks at their lake homes across the country. Remember, radials are not needed with a vertical dipole (DX Flagpole Antenna & DXV) to work properly. Do you recall "grounding" your dipole in a tree? Nope.
That said if you would like to improve your take-off ground, as lakes are typically not salt-water, and likely these radials will be elevated on a dock, you could try 4-16 elevated radials, ~6 inches above the lake should do it. Please do not connect these electrically to the Antenna system, as this system floats. The radials will work passively.
Lakefront:
The lake houses have a tremendously wide open space to work with for signal take-off and this is always helpful in a major way.
Do you want to try radials, but not on a dock? Okay, consider elevating 4-16 radials a 3 to 6-inches above the ground. If you can not elevate the radials, consider 130 radials on the ground. You really do need 100+ to make a real difference. Or simply leave the radial topic aside as you do not need them with the OCF vertical dipole, aka DX Flagpole Antenna and DXV by Greyline Performance.
Ocean Front, Bulkheads and Salt Water Docks:
You are the luckiest of the bunch when it comes to vertical dipole antenna mounting locations. The only place that can beat you is on a sailboat with 360-degree wide-open spaces! Work with what we have, right?
You have the wide-open spaces, typically, and your ground screen as many call it is simply perfection. It is arguable but experience tells the true tale that often times in your position even the big Yagi-guys just inland from you won't hear what you are working at some point in time. It can be that good.
*reminds me of N2NL working KL2A/9K2 on 80M. NL was using a simple vertical on his dock and no one could touch his signal several hours each morning for about a week! I was using an 80M Yagi.
You have the wide-open spaces, typically, and your ground screen as many call it is simply perfection. It is arguable but experience tells the true tale that often times in your position even the big Yagi-guys just inland from you won't hear what you are working at some point in time. It can be that good.
*reminds me of N2NL working KL2A/9K2 on 80M. NL was using a simple vertical on his dock and no one could touch his signal several hours each morning for about a week! I was using an 80M Yagi.
Again, you do not need radials with the Greyline Performance DXV or DXF (DX Flagpole Antennas) on salt-water. I don't think 200-radials would show much increase at all. Anyone care to comment?
How will you mount your OCF DX Vertical-Dipole or DX Flagpole? Leave us a comment below.
73 Greyline Performance
RF Research Group
Home of the DX Flagpole
www.flagpoleantenna.com
www.flagpoleantenna.com
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I just got the email about the 47’ Flagpole wow ! dream come true, i want one, i cant wait to see the patterns for different heights for that antenna , wow ! i bet there will be +2 or +3 db gain or more when at 20 foot height on all bands. i think i may have to put guy wires on it at that height.
Hi Phil,
I’ll try to comment as well. On Ricky’s possible roof intallation at 20’ above ground, that would likely help him on the lower bands. Above about 10’ we see some degradation on the pattern for 28 Mhz or 10M. Not enough to worry about as the rest of the bands from 15M down to 160M will most likely see lower angles and a little further DX and NVIS (regional exposure) performance. I think that should make sense for most readers.
We talk a little more about this at this link, here: https://flagpole-antenna.reamaze.com/kb/installation/tips-for-tilt-mounts-ground-mount-etc-dot
Also, our Flagpole Federal Regulations and Wind Rating discussion starts, here:
https://flagpole-antenna.reamaze.com/kb/technical-data/q-what-is-the-wind-rating-of-the-flagpole-antenna
Real DX 160-6M with a single vertical antenna at your Home or HOA, XYL approved too… Smarter, Stronger and more Elegant antenna systems by Greyline Performance.
Ham Radio is fun again.
73 Greyline DX
Hi Ricky,
This is a good question. Take a look at these comparisons of the 20-28-43’ versions side by side, here: https://flagpole-antenna.reamaze.com/kb/performance/are-43-foot-verticals-with-radials-better
To answer your question, you can imagine the 24’ is somewhere between the 20’ and 28’ comparisons there. We do not have a chart comparing them as of this writing. Also of note, the extra 4’ does help with the tuner capabilities over the 20’er if your tuner choice has limited impedance range. That said, most folks are working the world 80-6M (and many even on 160M!) with the standard 20’ version. 24’ and 28’ guys are finding their tuners enjoy 160M a little more easily but the difference in performance is smaller steps than you might think. 20-28’ are all great choices for Real DX 160-6M, for most QTH’s.
Ham Radio is fun again!
73 Greyline DX
Hi Don,
You can see several videos from customers, here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb1GoMfmDYw9nuO7CfkZGPol-jxqMPXx6&disable_polymer=true
Also, see our FAQ section for many customers pictures and stories, here:
https://flagpole-antenna.reamaze.com/kb/customer-reviews
Ham Radio is fun again!
73 Greyline Performance
Home of the HOA + XYL approved, DX Flagpole Vertical Antenna
Ricky, excellent question!
I’ve a 30 foot tower and also wondering if the radiation pattern would be degragated or potentially offer an improvement towards propagation?
I’ve serious wind cndx’s here in Canal Fulton Ohio. At times gusting & or sustaining 57to 79Mph. Was planing to install my Telex- Hygain Explorer-14 with the 710 40 meter add on kit. Weight to wind ratio offer too much concern to become problematic to losing an expensive high directional yagi. Pleas Ricky comment w/ any feedbk looking to do the smarter install. Appreciate any advisement you may learn from your own questions regarding the 24’ vs. the 28’. … And Thank you for any possible response!
Sincerely & Most Respectfully,
Phil/ WV3K