We carefully torqued the set screw bolts on the antenna’s base to the galvanized pipe. The antenna base slid easily over the pipe and fit perfectly. My son and I climbed up a couple rungs onto a 7’ ladder to safely lift the antenna over the galvanized pipe. LMR 600 DB may be a bit over-kill, but it sure works great and should last for many years. I use the control wire for a remote switch. I pulled one continuous length of 8 conductor control wire and one continuous length of LMR 600 DB Coax through each 10-foot length of conduit as I glued each section of PVC. I placed 1-1/2” Schedule 80 electric PVC conduit in the trench. I cut an approximate 200-foot long, 4” wide x 18” deep trench from the house to the antenna. The ground rods are located 4-feet from each other. The rods are spaced two feet from each side of the center of the pipe. During this stage, I pounded two 8-foot copper clad ground rods into the ground. The concrete cured for a few days prior to antenna installation. One could add a coupling and an additional foot or so length of pipe if the ends of the elevated radials are eye pokers due to uneven terrain. The pipe sticks out of ground approximately 6’-6” from grade. I centered the pipe into the hole and provided temporary lumber/stake supports to ensure the pipe maintained plumb during concrete pour and cure. I buried the base of the pipe below the gravel. This is also probably over-kill, but I didn’t want the pipe to twist loose inside the concrete. I screwed a tee onto the ground hole end of the pipe and screwed two 4” nipples into each end of the tee. The 10’ section of pipe is threaded on both ends. The outside diameter of the pipe is 1.9”. Home Depot sells a 10’ section of 1-1/2” diameter schedule 40 galvanized water pipe (Lowe’s didn’t stock the 10’ length of galvanized pipe). After the hole was complete and the Sonotube installed, I poured about 6” of ¾” shot gravel into the base of the hole to provide adequate rain drainage for the antenna’s pipe support.

Lowe’s provides a 12” diameter cardboard Sonotube that works very well. Following the layout of the antenna and radial field, I used a post hole digger to punch a 12” diameter hole to a depth of 4 feet. I’ve experienced little if any interaction with the metal building. The antenna is located approximately 200 feet from the back of the house and approximately 75 feet from a 30’ x 50’ metal shop. Plus, I also have a separate random wire antenna that utilizes the same radial field). (Note that ground wire radials are not necessary, but I have the room. I surveyed a clear area behind my home that is relatively flat with no trees within the proposed 86’ diameter radial field. This process was followed to assemble the driven element and all six elevated radials. I also applied a thin coat of Permatex Aluminum Anti-Seize Lubricant to the SS worm gear clamps that secure each tube section. I applied a thin coat of Harger (HAAJC8) antioxidant joint compound at all overlapping tube joints. This process probably took me less than an hour to carefully assemble. The assembley of the antenna was very easy as each section is “sharpie marked” by the manufacturer to identify the correct location of tube over-lap. I purchased a Zero-Five 43’ 10-80-meter Elevated Radial Antenna last November (2017).

Zero five antennas installation