Parts

 


The parts on this page were from an order from https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/ - a UK business that makes and sells antennaes, antannae components for DIYers and other radio related components and kit.

The found (apparently now retired) Richard Newstead (G3CWI) used to have a great You Tube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/g3cwi but sadly it appears he has made the videos private now :-(.

I bought these components with the intention of building a linked dipole using the calulator below - which I think might have been on SOTA beams own website a few years ago. I hope there has not been some kind of fall out within the company as my experiences were really positive and I really enjoyed Richard's videos.

https://portable-antennas.com/
https://portable-antennas.com/linkd.php



 SOTA Beams - order Jun 2021

1 × Co-axial cable - RG174A/U (with or without BNC plug fitted) 5m - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/co-axial-cable-rg174a-u/

1 × Co-axial cable - RG174A/U (with or without BNC plug fitted) 15m - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/co-axial-cable-rg174a-u/

1 × Antenna Storage Bag

1 × Antenna Wire - Lightweight - 100m - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/antenna-wire-lightweight-100m/

1 × DX-WIRE Ultralight UL - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/dx-wire-ultralight-ul-45-85-170-400m-lengths/

6 × Midi Winders - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/midi-winders/

1 × Stealth Antenna Cord - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/stealth-antenna-cord/

5 × Heat Shrink Sleeving, adhesive lined, 1:3 shrink ratio

3 × Balun Toroid - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/balun-toroid/

4 × BNC PL259 N-type Dust Cap (pack of 4)

5 × SO239-UHF and N-type socket Dust Cap

2 × Linked Dipole Insulators (pack of 8) - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/linked-dipole-insulators-pack-of-8/

2 × Crocodile Clips (16) COLOUR MAY VARY - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/crocodile-clips-16-red-or-black/

1 × Tactical Mini - Compact ultra-portable 6 m (19.6 ft) mast - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/stealth-antenna-cord/

2 × Tactical Mini Guying Pack - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/tactical-mini-guying-pack/

2 × Replacement centre kit for SB Band Hopper antennas - https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/replacement-centre-kit-for-sb-band-hopper-antennas/


Antenna Wire - Lightweight 100m


  • DEF 61-12 Pt 6
  • tinned annealed copper conductor,
  • 0.22mm² total conductor CSA (cross sectional area) - approx. 24 AWG
  • 7/0.2mm conductor stranding
  • Conductor diameter approx 0.55mm
  • Cable outer diameter 1.2mm
  • Voltage Rating: 1000V rms
  • PVC insulation
  • Insulation colours: yellow or green or brown
  • Current Rating: 2.0A at 25 °C
  • Resistance: 88 milliOhms/m
  • Velocity factor 0.97
  • Weighs approximately 3.3 grams per metre. 

Estimated:
Core  Diameter: 0.5mm
Insulation: 0.3mm
Correction Factor: 0.0.9762


DX-WIRE Ultralight UL - 45m


https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/dx-wire-ultralight-ul-45-85-170-400m-lengths/

I have the old type - 6 strands





Specification (new type)

  • Vectran core with 36 x 0.1mm tinned copper strands (cross section approx 0.3 mm2) braided around it,
  • Weather-proof black polyethylene (HDPE) insulation, 1.6 mm outer diameter
  • Weight: only 4 grams per metre
  • Breaking-load: 750 N (around 75 kg)


Specification (original type)


  • Vectran core wrapped with six 0.25 mm copper strands (cross section approx 0.3 mm2),
  • Weather-proof black polyethylene (PE) insulation, 1.6 mm outer diameter
  • Weight: only 4 grams per metre
  • Breaking-load: 620 N (60 kg or 130 lbs)
  • Velocity factor 0.97

Stealth Anteanna Cord

https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/stealth-antenna-cord/

Manufactured just for SOTAbeams, this nylon cord has been designed to have a low visual signature. The weave is a dark olive green. At 2.4mm (0.1 inches) it's thin enough to pass unnoticed but with a breaking strain of 45kg (100 lbs) it's strong enough for most antenna jobs. Hard wearing and lightweight it's just perfect for those occasions when you don't want your antenna to be detected.


Balun Toroid (FT114-43)

https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/balun-toroid/

  • 1:1 Baluns should be wound as shown in the diagram below.
  • Each pass through the hole in the toroid is a turn.
  • For 50MHz 3 + 2 turns of RG58 is recommended.
  • For HF 7 + 6 turns of RG174 is recommended.
  • Hold the ends in place with cable ties.

This diagram shows 4 + 3 turns, 4 on the left and 3 on the right.

The crossover through the centre is not counted in the left or right sets of turns. The crossover is symmetrical, so there is no particular reason to include it in one set rather than the other. But since the crossover does pass through the hole in the toroid, the total number of turns is technically 8 (4+3, and +1 for the crossover).

The exact number of turns is not critical, there just have to be enough to give sufficient common mode impedance at the lowest operating frequency.






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