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Message |
    
Xmeter
Junior Member
Username: Xmeter
Post Number: 19
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, February 10, 2014 - 8:11 am: | 
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I have been using my 5th. Imax antenna for the last couple of years and now that one has also recently snapped where the center section screws into the lower section. This is the third one that has failed in the same manner.
I must be in a pretty high wind area as I know of a lot of others that sure make it a lot longer than mine do.
I have been using these antennas ever since they first came out but I think it may be time for a change.
I guess one of the reasons I like the Imax so much is because it is so broad banded. I just wish it was more durable.
Anyway, I thinking about going with a Sirio Gain Master this time to see what happens. I would still put up another Imax just to compare.
Any other antennas that anybody can think of that are broad banded and durable? |
Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 302
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, February 10, 2014 - 11:52 am: |
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Since wind is an issue then get an I-10K antenna. If you want to be very broad banded, Get a MFJ tuner ( high quality About $300.00 or so ) . With a tuner like this you can get 0 swr on any frequency with in the limit's of the tuner. This will take the rf off the shield and concentrate it on the center wire of your coax. This will also help you get out better and help to some point to protect your radio. I still like my imax-2000 |
Xmeter
Junior Member
Username: Xmeter
Post Number: 21
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 11:19 am: |
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I have had an I-10K and still have a Mr. Coily Enforcer (Dan has the worst customer service that I have ever experienced) but they are too narrow banded.
I have antenna tuners and radios with tuners built in but am looking for something I can use for the radio at my desk (plug and play) without having to go downstairs to my radio room. |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2027
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 4:59 pm: |
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i seen 2 imax snap in or about same spot as yours.
so its not that your in a windy area. its theantenna thier very flimpsy.
if you want a antenna that cover 10 and 11 meters both the gain master is a fine choice. however
i cannot comment on durability never had 1.
for 11 meters plus a few more the sirio m-400
is a great choice
slso checkout zerofives colossal 5k
theres also a remake of the penatrator 500
and last old faithful maco v5000
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
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Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 738
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, February 13, 2014 - 4:11 pm: |
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I haven't heard about the breakage. I have looked at several fiberglass antennas and always wondered about it. Had a A-99 but no problems, I didn't have it up high or for long though. Glad you guys posted, also check with the manufacturer. Even if they won't replace it, perhaps they can check others before leaving the factory.
73 Pressman
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Sitm
Intermediate Member
Username: Sitm
Post Number: 496
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 14, 2014 - 5:20 pm: |
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I have the Imax 2000 antenna and have seen it in 50 mph sustained winds with 80 mph gust. This is a very tall antenna, not like a 2 meter half wave or a 440 half wave being much shorter. All antenna have a maximum wind load and have an expected life. For what is cost the Imax (in my opinion) is a extremely good value for what they cost. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 2420
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 14, 2014 - 9:40 pm: |
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Maybe try a smaller Antron 99?
It will transmit and receive a bit less than the 2000 though...
Road Warrior / CEF 375
Tyrone, PA (Jim)
Local ch. 27.505 Am or LSB
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Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 304
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, February 15, 2014 - 8:07 am: |
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The antron 99 has poor solder connection's. You could always wrap the IMAX 2000 with some fiber glass to give it more strength. I do not think it would affect the performance much if any but we could always ask one of the tech's about it. I know that the Maco v 5000 or the I-10k are narrow band but a tuner will help expand it. A lot of ham operator's have different antenna's to connect to for different band's. I know that is a lot of different coax to have and to use but, a mono band antenna for the frequency you want to use will out perform any broad band antenna. I am not an expert but, I hope this will help. |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 1744
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, February 15, 2014 - 12:04 pm: |
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My A-99 lasted 9 years before I sold it. The only thing I had to do was, give it a quick coat of epoxy around year 8 to reseal the fibreglass.
It survived 6 east Oregon winters at 3,500 feet ASL, and one winter in Western Oregon that brought down many tv antenna masts.
Tech237
N7AUS
God made me an athiest, who are you to question his wisdom?
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Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 743
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, February 15, 2014 - 4:51 pm: |
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Kinda figures though the fiberglass antennas would break. Had a Big Stick once that stood up there real proud at 50ft to the base (so I could get over some trees) calling some lightning one day saying, "Come get me!" It did! Blew that Stick apart into splinters and the coax looked like a flaming beaver chewed it for the first 20 ft .
73 Pressman
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Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 1747
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 16, 2014 - 11:36 am: |
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Press-man not much survives a lightning strike. years ago, my parents had a large TV antenna for Sydney channels and a smaller one below for local. They connected to a diplexor.
The large one got hit by lightning. Lost 2 elements, had a 1" hole in the boom, the diplexor box was now empty and it's lid was never found,and a foot of coax was missing the inner conductor.
Tech237
N7AUS
God made me an athiest, who are you to question his wisdom?
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2030
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, February 16, 2014 - 5:26 pm: |
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my only complaint was the imax2k. the a99
was fine. far as performance the a99 held its
own against the taller flimpsy imax. and if
ya dont think so just raise the a99 up 6 feet more
higher than the imax was mounted .this will
make the tip height the same and performance
will be similar. although i believe a maco 5/8
or sirio is way to go
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
Xmeter
Junior Member
Username: Xmeter
Post Number: 23
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, February 15, 2014 - 9:00 am: |
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Thanks for the ideas,
I broke down and ordered a couple of replacement center sections for the Imax, and also ordered a Gain Master. |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2034
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, February 17, 2014 - 8:15 pm: |
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i think the gain master is better built imho.
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 305
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 10:03 am: |
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If you track your noise to the power grid and if you are a license ham operator you can report this to the FCC. Now remember if the problem is not on your end then the FCC will make the power company fix the problem. IT COULD BE A TRANSFORMER, A BAD CONNECTION, OR EVEN A BAD GROUND. Also remember they will check your radio set up before they do anything with the power company and the noise they may produce. Just be sure the noise problem is not on your end. The FCC is fair in helping. |
Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 306
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 10:09 am: |
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I had intended the last post on noise to be in another section on noise but I made a mistake. On the subject of antenna's please read the review's made by Tech 833 and other's on how each antenna perform's against the other antenna's. Remember your location will make the difference on how well your antenna will perform. That is why some would say the a-99 is the best or better or the imax 2000 or the maco and so on. That is advice Tech 833 had give before on antenna question's |
Roadrunner257
New member
Username: Roadrunner257
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2014
| | Posted on Monday, March 03, 2014 - 9:35 pm: |
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Hey guys I have been running a vertical 5 element mack beam for 5 years and really love the gain, but not the best for shooting skip, I have been thinking about putting up a 3 element horizontal for shooting skip. Would i be disappointed with a 3 element mack layer horizontal? |
Starface
Senior Member
Username: Starface
Post Number: 3294
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2014 - 4:46 am: |
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horizontal is the way to go for Skip use Vertical for your local work but I would use the 5 element for horizontal and 3 element for local.
George
KI4NBE
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Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 1762
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2014 - 11:39 am: |
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Starface, not necessarily true.
80 countries, 49 states (darned Idaho) all running 10w or less (usually 5w) into a VERTICAL A-99 mouunted only 4ft above ground.
Tech237
N7AUS
God made me an athiest, who are you to question his wisdom?
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Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2289
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2014 - 5:37 pm: |
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For skywave (what you guys call "skip") communications, polarization means very little. It's all about the takeoff angle. Doesn't matter if it's vertical or horizontal.
The way you change the takeoff angle is HAAT, or "Height Above Average Terrain". The higher the HAAT, the lower the takeoff angle.
Want better skywave performance? Simple! Raise the antenna's HAAT. ANY HF antenna works this way.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
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Starface
Senior Member
Username: Starface
Post Number: 3296
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 08, 2014 - 11:50 pm: |
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yes it's all about the take off I do agree.
George
KI4NBE
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Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 1764
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 09, 2014 - 12:58 pm: |
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Tech833 - whereas I agree with you, it has always made me wonder why theA-99 worked so well for skywave communications at such a low height?? Probably just a fluke
Tech237
N7AUS
God made me an athiest, who are you to question his wisdom?
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Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2290
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - 2:43 am: |
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A higher takeoff angle works well for E-layer propagation. That's the "skip" that is short-hop and happens in the spring and fall.
That same antenna that works well for E-layer prop won't work very well for F-layer prop. An antenna that works well for F-layer prop will also work well for E-layer prop.
If you had a yagi mounted at the same height as your A-99 was, you would have noticed a difference favoring the yagi. Now, if you had an A-99 at 40 feet HAAT and a yagi at 10 feet HAAT, the higher A-99 would handily outperform the lower yagi. Gain has nothing to do with it.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
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Kwd870
New member
Username: Kwd870
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2014
| | Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 7:40 pm: |
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Up here in the Pacific Northwest, we use multiple layers of heat shrink tubing over the joints. Some do the entire antenna with it. |
Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 319
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2014 - 4:51 pm: |
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870, Where or who sell's heat shrink that size. Does the heat shrink take away any noise like electrical noise any? How much does it cost? |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2057
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - 5:57 pm: |
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its still nothing more than a lenth of wire
covered with fiberglass. no matter what ya do to it
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 321
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - 9:12 am: |
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HELLO DALE, You are right. It is just a piece of house wire with a coil. However, They do break from what I have read. Mine have not as of yet and it has been up for a few year's now. I had painted mine with lead free paint and clear coat to help the antenna to last longer. But, you can use a piece of house wire for a dipole without insulation and have some noise but leave the insulation on and it will stop some of that noise. So, that is why I had ask 870 if the heat shrink had help in any way on noise and where we can buy this heat shrink. 870 was speaking of a way to make the antenna stronger as to take the wind better and help it not to break as easy. How about it TECH 833 could the heat shrink help stop noise on the I MAX 2000??? |
Kwd870
New member
Username: Kwd870
Post Number: 2
Registered: 3-2014
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - 9:34 pm: |
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Electrical supply, some hardware stores or online. It`s not cheap, usually 10 to 15 dollars for a 4 foot piece. No, it does nothing as far as noise reduction.
Mike
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Stone66
New member
Username: Stone66
Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2014
| | Posted on Saturday, July 12, 2014 - 9:24 pm: |
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Hey guys, I haven't done CB in 30 years but I recently bid on a 1980 Panasonic base station while on Ambien and won it I guess... Anyway, I figured what the hell, and ordered me a Maco v58... I live in Albuquerque and the elevation is about 5120. I can get the antenna about 50 ft off the ground and it would tickle me to death to be able to talk to say, California or Arizona. Any pointers would be much appreciated. |
Revpo
Advanced Member
Username: Revpo
Post Number: 699
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2014 - 11:35 am: |
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Run good coax and tune the antenna using a swr meter if you can, not the one on the radio.
When done come up on chnl 36 CEF channel.
I had a MACO for years until the winds went to 80 mph in a few storms, it bent in the middle, and my friend had one it did the same.
CEF 795
73
REVPO/DOCTOR/CEF 795
Wavin a hand from the cornfields of INDIANA
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Possum_lodge
Member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 50
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2014 - 1:17 pm: |
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XMeter sez = I have been using my 5th. Imax antenna for the last couple of years and now that one has also recently snapped where the center section screws into the lower section. This is the third one that has failed in the same manner.
I must be in a pretty high wind area as I know of a lot of others that sure make it a lot longer than mine do.
I have been using these antennas ever since they first came out but I think it may be time for a change.
I guess one of the reasons I like the Imax so much is because it is so broad banded. I just wish it was more durable.
Anyway, I thinking about going with a Sirio Gain Master this time to see what happens. I would still put up another Imax just to compare.
Any other antennas that anybody can think of that are broad banded and durable?
Answer -
The bigger the antenna and the higher the winds, the more likelihood of it breaking.
I have seen and I do own one that was repaired with some Fiberglass Resin or Epoxy.
Once they are fixed, they don't tend to break in the same place again.
If the threads breaks, my guess is to disassemble it, machine a bolt to fit in it's place, silver solder it to the wire inside and reassemble. |
Possum_lodge
Member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 51
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2014 - 1:32 pm: |
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When I worked for Siemens, we used a heat shrink tube that went over a very large gauge wire - about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. I did not work there long enough to get an extra one to take home with me.
They dolled it out like bullets in boot camp - they were some type of silicone impregnated boot that cost like $150 for a piece 12 inches long. You could shrink it to about 1/2 of an inch if you were careful and kept the heat on it long enough.
Once in place, the only way to get it off was to use a cut off wheel.
Stone66 -
It has been my experience that comparing ground wave to skywave that during the day, my signals with my Solorcon A99 traveled about 35 miles - line of sight and the E Hops were more like 500 / 1000 / 1500 / 3000 miles...
The only difference between CB and Amateur Radio is that there is not a lot of people on 10 meters during the weekday and that allowed me to work skip with very little power if I wanted to.
25 watts SSB was enough to talk to a mobile in Gibraltar Spain.
CB radio you have everyone and their brother - all over the world yelling, screaming, and acting the fool, all at the same time.
Most people tends to only talk to the loudest signal. Unless you have a Sked - ( Schedule ) set up with another person, no one is going to talk to a weak signal station.
AM - you would be better off buying a old Viking Valiant - about 375 WATTS AM power, those 6146 tubes really does the trick.
In Pennsylvania, it is easier for me to talk to someone in Indiana or Illinois or Nebraska or Florida or Georgia or Mississippi then it is to talk to someone in New York or West Virginia or Ohio. That is just the nature of the beast.
When 10 / 11 meters is open, it does not take a lot of power to talk a long distance, but to talk shorter distances you need to have at least 25 watts of transmit power...
Your needs would be better served using a Long John Beam or a PDL or a MoonRaker IV then a simple vertical antenna.
My advice would be to use 120 ground radials, cut 9' long and use some type of sprinkler system beneath the tower to keep the soil moist. |
Stone66
New member
Username: Stone66
Post Number: 2
Registered: 7-2014
| | Posted on Monday, July 14, 2014 - 12:00 am: |
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Thanks guys. Who knows, I may get out ok with this setup. I'll post pics when I get it done and REVPO= I have about 200 feet of Federal RG-8/U to play with... |
Charliebrown
Intermediate Member
Username: Charliebrown
Post Number: 347
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 14, 2014 - 12:40 am: |
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I have two I max 2000 Antenna's that I have had for some time now. I guess I have been lucky that mine have not broken yet. One of them I have painted and it would seem that it is holding up better so far. |
