| Author |
Message |
    
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 28
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 10:50 am: | 
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I am about to get a new base antenna.I was wondering about the Top One and the Skylab.Does anyone have good experiences with these?The antenna will be around 50ft.tall.Also what is the best way to ground a base antenna? |
Mikefromms
Intermediate Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 464
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 3:50 pm: |
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Either one should work fine. I've owned them both. Personally, I am a fan of the Imax 2000. It is a really long antenna and captures more sigal.
mikefromms |
Road_warrior
Intermediate Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 302
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 4:58 pm: |
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50 ft tall./ Is that from ground to top
of antenna?/ Or from ground to bottom
of antenna?/ Do you talk mostly on 1-40
CB channels?/ Or do you need a wider band
coverage?/ Read Tech 833 article on How to
choose a groundplane Antenna, its in the
Subscriber Preview section, then click on
Articles & scroll until you find his post.
Theres also an Article on grounding written
by 307 in the same section. Scroll until
you find his post called Protect your equipment
from Lightning.... Hope this helps....
The 2 antennas you mentioned above are both
good antennas.
JIM/CENTRAL PA/CEF 375 |
Sodapop
Intermediate Member
Username: Sodapop
Post Number: 236
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 6:28 pm: |
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I own the SkyLab antenna, and it is by far the best antenna I have ever owned. SWR is low from 26-28Mhz. I have even talked to England twice on it. Did I mention I was a fan?! |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2243
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 7:02 pm: |
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skylab cut for 52 mhz is a great antenna |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 29
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 7:32 pm: |
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The bottom of the antenna will be around 50ft or lower.It will be used for 1-40. |
Road_warrior
Intermediate Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 303
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 8:28 pm: |
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404,
I never tried a Skylab, but, years ago i
ran a Astro Plane, which is similar to the
Top One Antenna./ I personally found that
the Maco V5/8 or Imax 2000 works great at
36ft or more above ground. ( to feedpoint).
There is a review of the Skylab Antenna
in the Subscriber Preview section, click
on product reviews & scroll until you
find the post.
JIM/CENTRAL PA/CEF 375
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Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2245
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 8:41 pm: |
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My Skylab on 6 FM worked VERY well as good as 1/2 wave ringo. |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 30
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 8:52 pm: |
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Thanks Road warrior,I think I'm gonna go with the Top One.I have heard the Skylab is difficult to put together and I have heard bad things on how the coax is connected to it. |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2246
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 11:15 pm: |
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404
NOT TRUE
I have had both antennas BOTH are easy to put together and use and BOTH will do you well.
O my skylab suvived 80 MPH winds but NOT a direct lighting hit ....... The TOP-ONE made it through 3 of 4 hurricanes .... here in seminole they clocked 100+ MPH winds ...... it bent. SO now im running a A-99 on 12,11, 10 meters and it works just fine! |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 31
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 7:02 pm: |
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Bruce,how high did you have each one?Which one would you get again if you had a choice? |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2251
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:54 pm: |
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All are and were at 20 foot and honestly they are ALL good. The astroplane and the skylab ( later cut for 6 FM ) were EXCELENT on CB but limited a bit bandwidth wise the A-99 seems a bit wider. My honest opinion is you cant loose on any of them not for under 50 bucks. |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 32
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 8:03 pm: |
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The way the Skylab attatches to a mast would it be possible to put it on a pushup pole?
Thanks for all the help Bruce. |
Marconi
Intermediate Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 388
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 9:45 pm: |
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404, says "The way the Skylab attatches to a mast would it be possible to put it on a pushup pole?"
I guess that would be possible, but even though the antenna is very light, getting the mast pole in the stand-off bracket and up into the hub and connecting the feed line is difficult even on the ground. You also have to be very careful not to bend or break anything.
Best to attach the antenna to an appropriate long mast about 10'. One that will fit nicely into the hub. After attaching the coax and being very careful with this assembly you can then fight this mast up into the hub and secure it there.
The coax will be running down thru this mast past where it eventually attaches to the pushup pole on down to the ground. I have found that 2 S-shaped fence brackets with one bolt thru it, works real well, about a foot apart, to hold two similar pipes together.
This can be difficult, but it can be done by one person if you plan it out well. It is not like popping the lid of a soda however.
You gota be very careful about power lines also and it is always best to have help even when installing an antenna that only weighs about 4 lbs. The mast adds a lot of weight and it all gets to be top heavy as you look up with it in you hands about 18' long above your head and trying to find a wrench.
BTW, these old things are said by some to protect the coax at the feed point as it is inside this long mast. Don't listen to that bad advise. They don't have a clue about installing this antenna.
Water gets into the hub and goes straight into the PL-259 fitting and then it gets into the feed line. Use a product called Cross Device Stuf. It won't hurt your coax and when this non-hardening putty is placed inside the PL-259 and then screwed onto the antenna it will shed the water very well at that point. |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 33
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 10:23 pm: |
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Thanks for all the info Marconi,I think I'm going to get the Top One.BTW I like your post in the product review section on the astroplane.
Very good. |
Marconi
Intermediate Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 390
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 12:24 am: |
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I don't think you will be dispointed at that height. Why not get two of them and put one low and one at 50' and using a good switch box, give us a good report of the differences.
Common belief would have us believe that the lower Top One would do best.
Just kidding of course, but that would be interesting to do.
What do you think? |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 34
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 5:44 pm: |
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That would be interesting.Why don't you send me the money and I'll buy one and do the test?LOL
I will put it at about 10ft.to the bottom and then raise it to about 50ft and see what happens. |
Marconi
Intermediate Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 392
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:37 pm: |
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It would be a lot better if we could had two Astro Planes installed together. One at 50' to tip and one at about 18' above the earth. Have them hooked to a good switch box so we could make rapid checks to really see the difference.
By the time you raise one up, the conditions might change and throw your comparisons off.
If you just have to have an all metal antenna then I think you will be happy with the Top One from Copper's. The Skylab is probably OK, but I hear bad stories about the material, so I have to believe there is something to that.
Check is in the mail.
Good luck, |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 35
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2005 - 3:00 pm: |
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Yeah,you're right about the 2 antenna's.I wasn't thinking about the changing conditions.I'll be looking for that check. |
