Antennas



Below are photos of the various antennas that can be included in the sale of the house to a Ham radio operator along with radio equipment. Installing this equipment represents a substantial amount of work and expense and that is why it is being offered as a going concern.


Burleigh Engineering in Blenheim adapted Rob Smith's (ZL4AP) original design of the tower (left) and made the tower shown on the right. It is telescopic and tilt-over and is supported by a shaft and two bearings taken from a large portable saw bench for cutting logs. The antenna can be raised up to 16 metres. Enlarge
The foundation consists of a slab of concrete with a cage of reinforced iron and measures 2.4 x 2.4 x 0.6 metres and weights 8.3 tonne. This photo shows the concrete being poured using an overhead pumping system. Enlarge
This photo shows a crane about to lift the tower into position over the top of the two storey house. Enlarge
Two 'boat winches' are used to lift and tilt over the tower using stainless steel wire cable. Enlarge

When tilted over, the antenna is lowered into the vegetable garden area for servicing. Enlarge
A heavy duty aluminium alloy shaft carries the antennas and is supported by two large sealed thrust bearings. This prevents any vertical load on the Yaesu rotator. Enlarge
The tower at full height Enlarge
The HF antenna is the OBW10-5 Optibeam which covers 20,17,15,12. and 10 metre bands. Above this there is a 2 metre yagi and a 2 metre whip. The former is used to trip repeaters in the North Island, when access to an IRLP node is required. The latter is for collecting AIS data from marine shipping. Enlarge

This helix antenna is for downstream communication from amateur satellites. The gound plane was made from an old 30 mph road sign, and the coil is copper tubing from a refrigerator. Enlarge
A colleague, Peter Jaquiery, is helping to install the helix antenna on the G5500 rotator. The cross yagi is for upstream communication to satellites Enlarge
The satellite antennas after installation. Enlarge
There are several other antennas on the platform outside the radio shack. The small box keeps the balun and coax connectors dry which are attached to two inverted V dipoles for 40 and 80 metres. The 2 metre yagi is pointing at an IRLP repeater station on Mt Climie in the North Island. The discone antenna is for marine bands, and the UHF dish is used for collecting remote sensing data from the nearby marine environment. Enlarge