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Message |
    
Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1229
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 5:18 pm: | 
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Anyone have one of these antennas? if so can you tell me how good , bad or any info that would help me in deciding on putting it up or getting rid of it. I got it from a silent key and it is only a few years old. very nice condition but pretty big. I would need to do a lot of work to get ready to install. That is why I am asking, I don`t want to spend the time and energy if it would not be worth doing.
I do mostly repeater work right now.
Thanks for any info given.
AP |
Starface
Senior Member
Username: Starface
Post Number: 2449
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 9:01 pm: |
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Put it up, you be glad and happy too.
George
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Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 5079
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 10:28 pm: |
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If your running SSB its a killer antenna ..
I have a 9 elm M2 and it is a lot smaller but makes all the diffrence on DX
On 6 since 66
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 4561
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 10:34 pm: |
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15' boom makes it about 1' shorter then a moonraker or other 4 element CB beam, but with the longest element being only 40", it won't REALLY be much more obtrusive then a LARGE tv antenna. 13.5 db over a dipole would make 50 watts on 2m sound closer to 800 or 1000!! weighing only 6 or 7 pounds, a tv rotator should turn it. mount it horizontally for 2m SSB, e skip season is here! |
Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1231
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 7:19 am: |
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So I could shoot skip with it. do alot of people do SSb on 2? I would scan the bands with my IC-7000 and my diamond X500a but never hear any SSB stations. But if dx works on 2 meters then that might be cool, probly talk to all of you some day or night. I hooked it up to the mast I used to have my maco 5/8 on when I first got started if you all remember back. I only have a short piece of coax to run from the 13B2 positioned vertical at 12ft down to ground level. I hooked my mfj to it and it is very good the whole 2M band with no adjustments what so ever.
Hooked my vx-170 up and set on 1/2 watt hit a repeater full quiet that I cant get into with the HT on 5 watts and a 5/8 wave telescoping ant.
that impressed me. I think I will do the horizontal mount like you guys say and try it.
I wish my IC-8000 had SSB, it does 75 watts, that would be cool.
How much would 75 watts be useing this antenna? like how do you figure out the power multiplied from the gain of antennas??
Thanks,
AP |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 4564
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 9:33 am: |
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every 3db of gain gives the effect of doubling power. so, 3x4=12, plus another 1 & 1/2 db(to make 13.5), so double 75 watts 4 times, 75x2=150. x2=300, x2=600, x2=1200, plus a little extra for that last 1.5 db, so 75 watts thru an antenna with 13.5 db gain will give you an erp (effective radiated power, or 'sounds like') 1200-1500 watts.
i would BET there is NO local SSB activity on 2m. the ONLY time you will hear SSB activity on 2m is when the skip on 6m is SHORT, or EXTREMELY active. and of course the 4 big vhf contests, june, july sept & january. doubtful any e skip on 2m in sept or jan, but sept could allow some LONG distance tropo type propagation, maybe up to maritime canada, southeast coast of US, or just STRONG signals within 200-300 miles. even 'line of sight' over a few hundred miles! bruce & georges proximity to water & their southern location gives them even better shots at propagation then us northerners. (the 2m may be a real big albatross to have in the air for just a few uses each year, but a 12-15' boom 6m yagi would probably see more use, albeit during the same time period, but with 10' longest element, it IS bigger yet then the 2m.) you could mount the 2m vertically for FM simplex which should get you the same distances, but less chance of e skip....though hitting a repeater 300, 400, 500 or more miles away on 2m will get people crazy trying to contact you!
i'd go horizontal, leave it up through ALL the contests if possible, you WILL have fun! people WILL be searching out YOUR big signal! |
Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1232
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 12:56 pm: |
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Thanks, you got me excited about getting it up and running. It would be cool for a change to be the operator every one wants and piling up to contact me.
I want a big signal for sure.
AP |
Moderator136
Moderator
Username: Moderator136
Post Number: 1523
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 30, 2009 - 12:27 pm: |
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Hi Roger Airplane1
Yes i have the Cushcraft 13b2 a 13 element beam , Yes it dose work. Made many contacts on (usb 2 meter) - 144.250 . I have a picture of me with the 13b2 in my hands before install. Let me look for it and post in members pictures area.
Read Pats post on it He has the info down to detail You will like it. Oh and yes vhf is going strong for a week now on 6 meter and 2 meter. Get it up in the air and do some qso's.
And no i havent made any contacts with any CEF members as of today on vhf? I will keep trying though.
Yes a simple tv rotor will work to turn it , But in high winds i suggest a rotor with brake.
Yes mount it horizontal and simple rg58 will work in short runs (Less than 50 feet) But to get less loss though coax would be lmr400.
VHF is a fun mode when conditions are open , And alot of hams devote most of there time on the vhf bands and collect grid numbers (Have your grid number because most will ask for it)
Have fun Roger
73
Hal~Moderator136~KCØSVC
CEF#0136/CEF HAM#23 ~ CVC#0004
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Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1236
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 30, 2009 - 7:08 pm: |
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My grid # is I believe FN10 does that sound right for my area here in PA?
I have it on my QRZ listing.Anyway, I am amazed at how it worked just mounted on my wash pole and using it vertical. I hooked my HT to it and running 500 MA talked to another operator on a HT about 12 miles away and he only had the rubber ducky on his and 1 watt.
I can only guess what it will do 40 ft in the air and horizontal hooked to the base radio pushing 50 watts SSB.
Thanks for the info,
AP |
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