VE7ED.COM
Jeep HF antenna
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Edition
Tarheel M200 Antenna
Tarheel M200 Antenna
Kenwood TS-480HX
Why the Tarheel antenna....
I tried lots of the different HF mobile antennas - Hustler, other brands, whip and tuners etc...and when I saw the Tarheel antenna and had the chance to talk with Robert who designed it I figured
I would give it a try....
So I bought the antenna, tilt mount, capacitance hat from Robert at the Seaside Hamfest in 2008
I installed it at the campground in Canon beach and made my first contact with Kevin VE7OVY
on 40 meters from Seaside Oregon and was suitably impressed for a temporary install.
I like the design and flexability and mounting of this antenna and the all the available options along with the quaility of the quiet movement of Pitman motor etc.
Feb.2016, After having a QSO with Jery VA3JL in Ontario on 3.710 while mobile from Ladysmith BC to Sooke with just the 6ft whip I had I noticed that the VWSR was a bit higher than normal on the Kenwood and tested it later my RigExpert I found it was 1.5:1 not bad but not what it used to be
Since I had not done anything for years to the antenna and the VSWR had been better before I decided to give it a good service and cleaning.
After the clean and polishing of all the servicable parts I retested it and it is now back to normal.
I have only done this type of cleanup twice since 2008 and I live close to the Ocean.
It has been on the back of my Jeep for over 200,000 km
Here is some spec's on our testing.
I have been consistantly able to talk (while driving) with Jery VA3JL for the last month and we figured we should do some portable testing and eventially try Mobile to Mobile to see if we can do it over the 3200km. Stay tuned....
VE7ED Setup
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokke with a Tarheel M200A screwdriver antenna mounted of the trailer hith receiver and the radio was a Kenwood TS-480HX
Test location was Whiffen Spit parking lot in Sooke BC
Approx 1.25km from my house
The test was done after dark on 80 meters on 3.707
We tested using different length whips and the capacitance hat.
Test results:
First test was using just the capacitance hat no whip, signal received at VA3JL was S8
Second test was using the capacitance hat & 6ft whip, signal received at VA3JL was S9
Third test was using a 17ft whip, signal received at VA3JL was S9+2db
Forth test was using the capacitance hat & a 17ft whip, signal received at VA3JL was S9+10db
VA3JL Setup
Jery's location is in Chatsworth Ontario 145 km NW of Toronto, where he has his 80 meter
4 Square antenna 600ft from his house and it is feed with 7/8 heliax (approx 650 ft).
His radio was a Yaesu FT-1000D and he has a Alpha 77
Jery's comments even with his large antenna.
"Your are as loud or loader that some base station over there"
Jery VA3JL lives 3285 km from Sooke on Vancouver Island
Google Earth map
Google Earth Terrain between VE7ED & VA3JL
ANTENNA HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND TO THE TIP OF THE WHIP
ON 3.710
Tarheel M200
Just with the Capacitance Hat - 8 ft 7in.
Capacitance Hat plus 6 ft whip - 14 ft 2 1/2 in.
Capacitance Hat plus 17 ft whip - 24 ft 2 1/2 in.
The optional quick disconnect
Capacitance Hat, quick disconnect with the 17 ft antenna
THE CLEANING
Coil without the cover and slip ring
Slip ring and coil
VEHICLE POWER - BATTERY, CIRCUIT BREAKER & GROUNDING
Front battery with 100 amp circuit breaker with manual disconnect
#4 wire used for all connections and a second battery is a 75 ah AGM battery in the rear
All grounds are using #4 including the factory battery ground
#4 ground across all joints
VISUAL TUNING ADDITION
I added a stainless whip so I can see it on the grid line in the rear window.
this is only needed for 80 meters when the bottom of the cover is out of site.
Modified the bottom cover with a stainless bolt
ANTENNA CONTROL CONNECTION
Side bolt holding the antenna mount to the receiver tight and grounding it to the frame
(I also have a #4 across that connection)
The 4 pin connector is for the antenna conrol
I have also added a receiver to my utility trailer so I can still use the antenna
when towing the trailer. It still allows me to fold the antenna over and get into the rear hatch.
Tilt mount with release pin so I can open the rear hatch
Stainless release pin
Insulator for the main tube of the antenna