What cable for remote mouting FM radio antenna?

[gmh265]

Hello everybody, At our workshop we get real bad radio reception, I think this is probably due to the shop being a closed tin shed.. what would be the right cable to use mount the antenna outside the earthed metallic structure that we work in?

Thanks heaps

 

[boreholelogger]

Some cheap co-axial cable would be good enough.

 

[SomeYahoo]

Depending on where it is run, I might suggest using QS (quad-shield) co-ax cable. It helps to keep outside interference out and isn't that much more expensive than typical co-ax.

 

[felixc]

Since you have a metallic structure you will probably use a car-type antenna (unipole), using the shed as the ground plane. A car antenna will come with a piece of coax already going out from it. Given the 100MHz range of FM signals, you can use RG-59 cable to bring the signal to your radio.

What's the radio that you're using? A portable one with a whip antenna? Or a radio from an old car, connected to a power supply? Else?

 

[itsmoked]

felixc has a great idea there!

Get it as high as possible.

The center of the roof is generally best unless you are after a specific channel only.

 

[pennpoint]

itsmoked
Maybe it could double as a lighting rod too!

pennpoint

 

[VEBill]

Before you do anything, take a few minutes to clamber up onto the roof with the radio in hand to make sure that having the antenna in that position will work, and how critical it is as well.

PS: Don't fall down, etc.

 

[itsmoked]

lighting -> lightning

lightning?? What's that?

We have had 3 lightning storms, (perhaps 5 minutes long), here in 41 years!! Not the first thing that comes to mind for me. But that is actully something to consider!

 

[pennpoint]

Geez! I hate it when I do that: yes! LIGHTNING

Thanks itsmoked

pennpoint

 

[felixc]

Yeah, make sure that the tip of the antenna has a ball, and that there's something higher on the roof.

 

[boreholelogger]

What is the advantage of the ball on the tip of the antenna?

 

[itsmoked]

Theoretically speaking it reduces the field potential due to increased radius. This means charge in a lightning storm won't flow out of the sharp tip? Or maybe he doesn't want someone to poke out an eye!

 

[analogkid2digitalman]

And a Jack in the Box antenna ball will not suffice, it needs to be made of conductive material

Wheels within wheels / In a spiral array
A pattern so grand / And complex
Time after time / We lose sight of the way
Our causes can't see / Their effects.

 

[itsmoked]

It would too protect your eye!!!

Prolly look cool with St. Elmo's Fire spewing out of it too.