GAP Titan DX antenna

[K4EEZ]

Hello,
me and my YL went to the Orlando ham fest in 07 and I some how ended up with the
GAP Titan DX antenna.

I have yet to install it at our house in Clearwater Florida, We are on a 1/4 acer lot single fam. home and wish to install the antenna some time by this year. I also have a comment GP9 V/uhf and a small 70cm-1.2ghz log beam installed
on my 40Ft push up pole at my back yard, i also have a tri-waire install at a lower level and it has a 5 ft stand off from the push up pole, it is cut for 10,
20 and 40m (thease are my bands i like to work) i have never gotten on 75/80 and i only have foot power 100 watts.

the two radios i have for use is the older Icom 751 that i rebuilt, and a 706 Mk 2-G along with the LDG Auto tuner (Z100)

Setup locations:
I also am surounded by trees and smaller bushey trees, if i can i would like to install the TDX antenna on a 10 or 12Ft pole to clear the lower trees that are
along the back of my fence in the back yard.
ok
considering all the above info, I have a few questions before installing the TDX
antenna:

How high should i install the antenna above the ground?

How near can i be to the trees?

Dose being near the trees afect any of the bands as far as Rx and SWR?

2nd location considdered:

i have a garage to the left of my house the Apex of the garage roof is much higher than my roof line of the house, but it will be nearer to the nabers tall tree
(pine tree)@ 50 Ft hight

How long coax should one use, is the a min or max?

what differents is there in angle of the coax in refence to the TDX antenna and
how dose/will it affect different bands and SWR? and will this become a prob.

has anyone tested the TDX antenna swr when its raining?

what is the best way to weather proof all connections and terminals and
againsted UV and out door exposure?

again thease are all questions i have as a Pre-Install to the TDX antenna.

thank you in advance for any comments and your inputs.
7 3

[K3WRV]

Well, I don't have a TDX, but I've got something a bit similar so will try to help where I can:

On HF, proximity to the trees shouldn't make a lot of difference. There may be very slight changes in SWR when they leaf out, but not enough to make much noticeable difference.

Coax length: Min is long enough to reach from the Ant to your shack. with a bit of spare to play with. Anything shorter than that obviously won't work well! Anything much longer and your line losses will go up (esp important on 10 meters). (Note: If the directions specify otherwise, follow the directions&#33

Weather proofing- I wrap the connections and coax connectors with electrical tape. There's also some stuff called "coax seal" that others swear by. You can use RTV or similar silicone sealant, but not the stuff that smells like vineagar (supposedly, it ets the copper, but I have used it in a pinch without total disaster).

With my vertical, I don't notice any change while it's raining, but performance goes up bit time AFTER it rains (probably due to better ground connectivity).

You might see some interaction with the other ants, or you might not.

[W5HTW]

The trees won't make any noticeable difference unless they are wet and are actually touching the antenna or within a few inches of it.

Mounting the antenna on a 10-12 foot pole is perfectly acceptable, except you do have to reach the counterpoise to adjust the 40 meter tuning.

Mounting it on top of a garage is not a problem (with the note about the counterpoise above) and being near a tree won't be of concern.

Using RG8 family of coax runs of 100 feet or more are not worthy of consideration at HF, except possibly on ten meters and won't make much difference there.

Be sure to guy the antenna. I used 3/16 nylon cord to guy mine, the cord attached with a stainless steel screw type hose clamp up two thirds of the way. Three guy cords. They do not interfere with the antenna's operation.

The antenna is pretty much sealed, so moisture proofing it is not necessary. Where you connect the coax though, you will use a barrel (double female) connector and you do want to make that water resistant.

Follow the instructions precisely when you start to install it.

In high wind areas it is nice to be able to rather quickly lower the antenna and correct the tuning stubs, as they can get blown 'off course." Here, with regular 50 plus mph winds, I have had to adjust mine every month or so, put them back in position where they are supposed to be. Wind does far more damage to this antenna than anything else, by loosening screws, moving the stubs, causing metal fatigue.

I have since taken my down and sold it, but i had it up for ten years with only the regular maintenance required by the high winds.

Ed

[K7KBN]

Be sure you run the infamous "yellow coax" out through that little hole at the bottom just as the instructions tell you.

Be ABSOLUTELY sure.

[K4EEZ]

hi guys
thank you all for your comments
one last question i forgot to add to the post
I have seen other posts about this antenna TDX, on eham.com, and some hams make a 1 foot loop of coax and at about 7-10 turns, would i be right in guessing this is some sort of RF choke, to stop rf coming back to the shack/radio and off the outer shield?

if i have totally missed this one, please correct me

tnx again
7 3
De K4eeZ

[K8JD]

First, you don't need the coax loop balun at the base. You are feeding an unbalanced antenna with an unbalanced line.
Second, turn on your spell-checker, please>

[KC9GUZ]

The Gap Titan DX is a pretty decent DX antenna as well as a stateside antenna. However, they tell you it doesnt need tuned, but I found out at my particular location I had to tune it on 20, 17, 15, and 40 meters. I never use it on 75/80 meters, but from my obersvations it is worthless. I have mine up 10' off the ground mainly so i can mow under it and so my dog will not get tangled up!

[K4EEZ]

Ha, yes dogs, I have two of them a German Shep (12 y/o) and a boxer ridge back pup (11 months old) and she is into everything from her head to her tail lol...

and yes like to mow the yard with out ripping up the coax, I am starting the lean towards the garage location, the peak is already 12Ft off the ground and all the coax will be out of the way of anyone by 10Ft.

Today I added a 7 Ft ground rod (steel rod) that I hammered into the ground by our studio side door, and also added some ¾ Emt and strapped it to the outer wall to a J-box (4x4) and that is where all my feed lines enter the shack room via the 4 by 4 box.

Tnx for all the advice, I might start on Monday to install the TDX antenna.


7 3
De K4eeZ

[W7KKK]

Also note that this antenna will work as well on a short 2' stub in the ground.
I had one and talked to the manufacturer about it and they admitted there is no need to elevate it.
I put mine into a piece of PVC just the diameter of the mount pole in a piece on concrete about 24" in diameter and 24" deep. It worked just fine.
Do guy this antenna just above the "Gap", it's keeps things from flexing and coming lose. I used small diameter back UV protected rope and it survived several wind storms here of 50-60 MPH without a hitch.
Of note~ not the greatest but an OK antenna. Tends to be a little noisier than a dipole.
I got rid of mine, I like a dipole better but then I have the room in my new location.

[KC9GUZ]

Ill keep the Gap until i can afford to get the Mosley 5 band beam I want. I found a 4 element that covers 10,12,15,17, and 30 but i need to save my $$$ before I get one so its the Gap for now..
I had my 'Gap on a 5' piece of pipe and elevated it with no ill effects. Its a good antenna and works well for what it is. Yes yes indeed DO GUY it! Dont skimp here!! We had 75+ MPH winds here a few weeks ago during some severe thunderstorms that sent my wife fleeing to the basement with our dog (we have a cockapoo) and she said it bent my Gap Titan at a 45 degree angle, and im very certain if it wasn't guyed it would have been destroyed.