TVI and neighbors

[sideways]

Getting ready to get tall and need some advice. Both Q's are from the keep it out of the neighbors house.....

#1 Will a gpk help or hurt neighbors as far as TVI?

#2 Will a balun help keep it out of their stuff?

I'm either going with an A99 or Imax2000. Chimney mount hopefully because it is the farthest away from anyone on the side, the other location possibility is a mast about 10 ft from the side of their house attached to mine.

[linx]

Getting ready to get tall and need some advice. Both Q's are from the keep it out of the neighbors house.....

#1 Will a gpk help or hurt neighbors as far as TVI?

#2 Will a balun help keep it out of their stuff?

I'm either going with an A99 or Imax2000. Chimney mount hopefully because it is the farthest away from anyone on the side, the other location possibility is a mast about 10 ft from the side of their house attached to mine.

Hey there sideways,

Good deal on making the jump and buying a base antenna. You'll get addicted once you do it! Take my word for it. Both of those antennas are awsome. The Imax 2000 is a better performer, but the A99 is not bad. Chimney mounts work great as well. Question #1 - A GPK should radiate the signal outward and keep it off your neighbors house...I did say should by the way. Question #2 - I've never used a balun on a CB antenna. I'm not too sure on how you will incorporate it into the system. I would recommend getting a good low pass filter like Bencher YA-1. Do not buy a junk low pass filter like the Para Dynamics. If it doesn't coast a good $50 or more, avoid it. Also they make filters for your neighbors TV's and whatnot but they didn't work for me.

Golden rule is clean signal going into the antenna, then you get clean signal going out.

[gun runner]

I run a a99 and a 25 dollar tvi filter and still bleed on my neighbors tv but only when i turn my box up . I hear that imax doesnt bleed as bad

[TwentyTwo-Zero]

I had an A99 years ago and nothing I did prevented it from "bleeding" on my neighbor. It may have been that their equipment had little or no filtering, but they didn't want me to try and fix the problem so I don't know if that would have helped or not.

I have an Imax (36ft. up) and was bleeding on my own equipment until I installed the GPK. That solved the problem in my particular situation.

Are you referring to an "rf choke" and not a balun? If you experience common mode current (the signal traveling back down the outside (shield) of your coax) you can create an rf choke to help prevent it. Make about 6-8 1ft. loops in the coax at the base (feed point) of your antenna. Use plastic wire ties hold your loops together and to secure it to your mast. Leave a little slack in the coax leading up to the feed point of the antenna when you mount the rf choke to your mast so you don't put excessive strain (weight) on the antenna connector. You can use electrical tape also, but it doesn't hold up as well to the weather compaired to the plastic wire ties.

As linx mentioned, a good (quality) low pass filter will also help to clean up your signal...

[Night Crawler]

A balun will keep your coax from radiating. It wouldn't hurt to use one.
You can make your own out of coax.
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[linx]

A balun will keep your coax from radiating. It wouldn't hurt to use one.
You can make your own out of coax.
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Night Crawler, that's a good tip right there.

Lots of folks I know also coil up coax at the feed point of the antenna. Simular to that, but probably doesn't work as good.

[TwentyTwo-Zero]

Some (hams) say balun, some (cbers) say rf choke - same idea - same principal

[Night Crawler]

It works just as good but doesn't look a neat. I've wound chokes with
coax around ferrite rods out of old broadcast radios doesn't look very
pretty but does the job.

[DanzKat]

I used to run an A-99, now I run a Maco V-5/8. Nothing I ever could do would stop the A-99 from bleeding!!!! Except..........
Replacing it with the MACO!!!!!!!
I love the Maco and if your going to decide on the Imax, why not just get the Maco, it's around the same price!!!!
Aluminum beats Fiberglass!!!!!!
I don't bleed anything anymore!

[mudduckkiller]

i have a maco 5/8 and bleed like crazy

[231]

Yep...I too would suggest an RF choke balun. They do in fact help. A good quality low pass filter, coax, and grounding the heck out of everything will help as well. Typically no "one" thing will prevent RFI. It's more often than not a combination of things that'll do the best job. And if you are getting into your own stuff, chances are good you are hittin' the neighbors as well. So I'd highly recommend you keep the wattage and audio settings reasonably low and slowly ramp up some to find out the RFI threshold.

I happen to be a believer in the ground plane radials. I know on my A99 it did seem to help with performance some...especially when it was 90' to the base. As far as which to get, I'd probably vote for the Imax.

I think you'll have a ton of fun with which ever antenna you choose though, sideways.

[sideways]

Being "new" to the base thing was not sure if it was a balun or RF choke.Thanks for all the info guys,and what about a Hustler antenna,not sure of the model, price is $200. if that helps,since alum. was mentioned to not Bleed as much?

[231]

Being "new" to the base thing was not sure if it was a balun or RF choke.Thanks for all the info guys,and what about a Hustler antenna,not sure of the model, price is $200. if that helps,since alum. was mentioned to not Bleed as much?

I realize some say using an aluminum antenna vs. wire (or wire loaded) is true, but in all honestly I can't say there is any true evidence to support that theory. Take off angles, harmonics, etc. probably have more to do with it than anything. But we've had this debate many times. I'm not sure which Hustler you might be referring to sideways, but whatever antenna you decide on make sure you consider all that has been shared. My guess is you are still likely to see some TVI problems if you don't.

[Rico]

Screw the neighbors!!!!! :D Key that bad boy down and make 'em like it!!! LOL!

[sideways]

Thanks again for all the info guys. And Rico,thanks for the laugh I needed it today.

[bullet]

In the 90's I had a astroplane 40 feet up. I tried everything the local tech could think of. The best coax and rfi filter. I could get it out the phone with a choke, but the am and fm radios and I lived in town and Taco Bell was trying to track me down due me coming over their drive though. I was running a 148 with a lollipop mic sonor driver and a heathkit 200.