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Chainsaw
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2002 - 4:16 am: | 
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anyone ever used a monkey made or an antenna made by storm electronics IM not talking about the cheapies from the truck stop just wondering does this type really receive better |
Westwind
| | Posted on Saturday, February 09, 2002 - 1:29 pm: |
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That's a good question.I run a monkey made mm-9 and I was wandering how you like your monkey made?
I know there a high priced antenna.I was gonna get a wilson 2000 to run on my mobile but when I went into my local CB shop I let the guy talk me into getting this antenna.He said it was the best one on the market rite now and I would'nt be disappointed with the performance.So I bought it and three days later I was out on I-40 and a driver with a 20 dollar truck stop job out recieved me,he was talking to a driver 6 miles behind us and I could'nt evan hear him.I thought maybe there was something wrong with my setup so I took it it to a differant CB shop and had them check my antenna system.They said everything was perfect with the setup.Of course I already knew that.Every thing I have in the setup is brand new and set to perfection the problem is,the antenna does'nt (In my experience)work as advertised.Went out yesterday and bought the wilson I went after in the first place and could'nt be happier.Now I can talk and hear around 10 miles on a clear day.Jusy my oppinion...... |
ben
| | Posted on Saturday, February 09, 2002 - 10:12 pm: |
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i run a monkey made antenna there a great antenna on recieve and output the STORM FLATINERS are a great antenna too. |
monster
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 26, 2002 - 12:47 pm: |
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I use an emperor 5010 runnin in2 a Monkeymade in my Freightliner Century Class. I get out pretty good. First if your mirror arms r painted, take it down 2 bare metal w/ sandpaper then mount the ant bracket. Second try using 18' Belden coax. DON'T coil it up, keep it as straight as possible. Last resort! hacksaw about 1/8" off the whip-part of the antenna. I have a 1.1:1 match in the regular 40, 1.5:1 in the upper and lower freqs.
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Mrhappy
| | Posted on Monday, April 01, 2002 - 5:01 pm: |
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I've heard a monkeymade is a megatron,made by the same guy,any truth to that? |
Mistah_B
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2002 - 9:11 am: |
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Mr. Happy:
The Monkeymades look similar to the megatrons etc. From what I know about them, they are made in Daytona Beach, FL. They're pretty much competitvely priced as far as "big-coil keydown antennas" go. The only problem I've had with my monkeymade is I lost the set screw that holds the whip in place. The manufacturer sent me extras free of charge, as per the lifetime guarentee. I've accidently dragged my antenna around on low tree branches, low bridges, banged overhanging street signs and the whip part never even bent! |
Dozer
| | Posted on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 2:39 am: |
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Chainsaw
Monkey Made antennas are not designed properly.The antenna is not even close to being a quarter wave antenna.The impedence is way off from 50 ohms.If you can, get ahold of a MFJ antenna tester and see for yourself.Monkey Made's are how ever built with great craftmenship.The guy who makes them is a welder not a antenna enginer.If you want something that looks simalar but is designed properly check out a 55 antenna or a Striker.Your going to find other well made stuff out there to with good impedence and proper wave length, so Iam not saying these are the only two.Just trying to help.Dozer |
Mrhappy
| | Posted on Monday, July 15, 2002 - 11:24 am: |
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Hey chris what mfj are you using,just curious. |
Capncrunch
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 1:03 pm: |
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just a note
my monkey made tested with an mfj showed an impedence of 52ohms |
93 in Texas
| | Posted on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 4:56 am: |
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I run a Storm Large Raindrop Antenna. It's the best i've ever used, as far as receive and output. But, you've definitely got to mount it with a spring, cause it will break at the very bottom screw-in assembly if it hits anything solid. Mine has been broken twice, re-welded an it's still doing a good job. Also,if you hit a lot of overhead objects, the two screws that hold the stinger in place will strip the threads outta the Antenna. Use larger screws,they'll hold. |
bullet/151 southern Indiana
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 2:41 am: |
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i run a twin twister dual coil job from storm and it hears and transmits better than anything ive ever run...period! its although is not as tuff as say a mr coily or monkey made but will talk as well or better than they will. |
Sixtiesmania
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 4:27 am: |
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I got a big coil type antenna from Pilot sevice station (the one rated at 7,500 watts!) and it kicks SEVERE butt!! I am an Aussie here in USA and I speak regularly to my mates in Australia with no problems at all. It looks like a tether ball setup on my vehicle BUT it works great! One thing though, get the coil above the metal of vehicle ie gutter mount it! as the SWR is effected badly if not up above vehicle. The SWR is pretty broadbanded, below 1.5 from 26.700 - 27.700, so not too bad at all! (not that I transmit on those frequecies, just monitor!)
Cheers
Andrew
739 |
rob5mike
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 - 8:38 pm: |
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A friend of mine has one of these coil type ant. I dont know who made it,but I took the measurements of it and built one out of copper (1/2 inch water pipe and #4 ground wire brazed with gas welder)and used a stainless stinger from an old radio shack antenna. I just mounted it adjusted the stinger.Now,I dont have any controlled testing or anything like that but,in the real world I'll tell you it out does the Wilson 2000 that it replaced.I can now hear things that I could'nt before and it is getting out better too! |
bruce
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 - 9:33 pm: |
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rob
1) How long is it ?
2) how many turns in the coil and how big in diameter?
See i dont DISBLEVE you but i have a basic rule and that is the longer a ant the better it works but so many have clamed that they have developed a super antenna with many DB of gain but when you ask for some controled measurment ( LIKE JOGUNN ) you get IT'S the best it has AUDIO gain it goes dc to daylight at a SWR of 1 to 1 ! Now the REAL world is if it is corectly tunned and counterpoised the longer the beter PERIOD. A 9 foot antenna or or the slightly shorted fiberglass ones give almost the same gain the shorted the more loss and the smaller the band width. If the wilson is 5 foot and your new antenna is say 8 foot you will see a improvement.
Lawson and many others much smarter than me have worked all this out.
Bruce |
Rob5mike
| | Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2002 - 11:22 am: |
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I understand the "don't disbelieve".The bottom piece of pipe is 8 1/2" and the coil cut to 66" and then I just use a 1 1/2" PVC pipe to wrap it and make the coil and then the top piece of pipe is 5" and then I just installed the stinger from an old Radio Shack antenna I had,the overall length is about the same as the wilson.I totally agree with the longer the antenna the better,I use a stainless whip on my pickup,but this I use on the Frieghtliner I drive at work.Like I said I don't have the gear to test them or any data to share and I don't make claims of more audio or anything like that but it does recieve alot better and it does get out better.The reason I know this is because I run I-77 thru Ohio alot and talk to some guys on base stations and I can hear and talk farther to them than I could with the Wilson.
I am not trying to start any fires or anything but I just thought I would jump in and let people know what I tried......and it only cost me $4.78 to try it.
Mike |
bruce
| | Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2002 - 1:40 pm: |
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Since PVC is very lossy at rf maby you got lucky with it and there is no such thing as audio gain on a antenna ....someone show me the formular for it please. When i worked in engineering the buzz bord was control and repeatably. if one could not produce nunbers that could be repeated the data was junk. What you built sounds very well thought out nice job and you saved a bunch of bucks. Just thoes points make it a worth wide project!
Bruce |
Rob5mike
| | Posted on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 9:30 am: |
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I only wrapped the #4 copper wire around the pvc to make the coil nice and round and then slid it off the pipe,its an easy way to make a coil.
Bruce I have had a CB of some kind in my vehicle for about 20 years, but a little over a year ago I stumbled onto a radio forum and started doing a lot of reading and learned about DXing and have been hooked since. What really caught my eye was all the info on antennas (I have read many of your posts)and from what I have read is that the signal only uses the surface of the antenna.This homebrew antenna has A much larger dia. shaft than the Wilson and the coil dia. is larger and longer and the stinger dia. is also bigger,wouldn't this make a differance?
Like I said I am not makeing any claims of a secret formula that makes more power or gives you more audio,But I knew that if I posted this I would get some help on understanding what is going on.
Buck,I am going to make another one as soon as I get a chance and when I do I'll try to make an exploded view of it so you can see each individual part and will send it to your e-mail you have listed in you profile.
Mike |
bruce
| | Posted on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 1:22 pm: |
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Its called skin effect and yes the larger coil the better it will work but of all the antennas i used only 2 realy work well a 102 inch wip and a 97 inch fiberglass. Your antenna was well thought out you did your homework and i have no doubt it works well good job! O gosh audio gain i have worked in electronics full time starting after 4 years of electronics school in 1967 and never seen one formular for antenna generated audio gain PLEASE someone show me it! Nice job realy you save a few bucks and it works as you wanted. Now if you want to see my station a photo can be found at http://www.qrz.com/wa4gch |
Buck
| | Posted on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 5:45 pm: |
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that would be great mike....I am very interested in your project |
Buck
| | Posted on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 6:09 pm: |
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Here is a dumb question....Why is the ss whip 102" and the fiberglass only 96" |
bruce
| | Posted on Friday, December 20, 2002 - 6:34 pm: |
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Buck you never ask dumb questions .... because copper and stainless handle RF current at slightly diffrent speeds also if you taper say start at 1 inch and every 3 foot go smaller till you get to 1/2 inch it will change the needed lenght too ( SEE LAWSON'S HAM RADIO PAPERS LATE 1970's) and if you realy want to mess things up change materals every 3 foot! NOW you know why there are no old antenna engineers LOL. |
Buck
| | Posted on Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 4:16 pm: |
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Thanks Bruce....That makes alot of sense.... Even a dumb old farm boy can understand that!!! |
bruce
| | Posted on Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 6:32 pm: |
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Buck the ONLY dumb question is the one someone dosnt ask! |
CHEROKEE1011
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 6:56 pm: |
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hiya all
the opions on the monkey made ants. i agree with all of them. i've been mess'n around with them on just about every big truck out there. i've found out alot about how the perform on certian trucks. And that go's for just about any ant. Monkey Mades are very very ground hungery. If ur semi doesn't have a good metal structure near the ant. the signal has nothing to reflect off of or very little reflection. So keep that in mind when ur buying a new ant. The ant. will only work as good as the ground it is set on.
there are a few cures for that problem. Increasing the electrical ground for the ant. is one way to do it.(the ol'ground wire's off the bracket). as for the surface ground.. i'm still play'n with it some. but one little thing i did do.. those washers that come in the packageing of the wilson mag. mounts.... i put that on the ant. base of one of my friends volvo truck just to see if it did anything... a week later he came back and told me that his recieve did increase compared to what it was. but anyway there is a few ideas to the ground problem |
Buck
| | Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2003 - 12:22 pm: |
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You still around mike???? I was just wondering if you ever got that other antenna made?
Buck |
Rob5mike
| | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 9:58 am: |
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Sory Buck!I have been working 75hour weeks since the first of the year,I am going to put one together this weekend for a friend of mine and will get those pictures to you.
Once again,Sorry its taken so long.....Mike |
Buck
| | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 8:11 pm: |
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Not a problem Mike...We just got all of our crops in so my long days are over for a while...Maybe I will have time to build one of those antennas
Buck |
Rob5mike
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 11:20 am: |
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Buck. check your mail.I hope the pictures and explanation are ok
Mike |
Buck
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 5:36 pm: |
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I got the email but the pics didnt show up....When you get time please resend them.
Thanks
Buck |
Buck
| | Posted on Monday, November 03, 2003 - 2:24 pm: |
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Hey Mike...I somehow misplaced the email you sent me a while back about the coil antenna. I was wondering if you could send me another one with the parts you used for this antenna. I was wondering what kind of ends you used to thread it into a mount and also what kind of end for the stinger??
Thanks
Buck |
Rob5mike
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:57 am: |
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Hey Buck....Check your email. |
Gonzo
New member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 6
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 12:34 pm: |
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Listen to Bruce
The best mobile antenna is a 9 ft stainless steel whip (period) Its matched perfectly and is exactly a 1/4 wave.
The longer the mobile antenna (up to 9ft) the better. The only reason shorter antenna's have coils to electrically make the correct 50 ohm imp. It doesn't matter whether you have flat coils, round coils, small coils or big coils, the signal coming to and from the antenna, only sees the total physical size. IE: A 5 ft antenna with HUGE impressive looking coils, will NOT outperform a 9ft whip. Doesn't matter whether or not the manufacturer "claims" 1/2 wave performance. Get the biggest antenna you can fit on the center of your car, without having height problems.
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Think of it this way, if you had 1000 watts of power... would you rather have that power radiate through a 9 ft antenna, or a 36" antenna with a zillion coils?? which do you think would be more effective??
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If you were a faint signal trying to be heard, do you think you could "see" a 9ft metal antenna, or would it be easier for you to find a 4ft antenna?? |
Gumball
New member
Username: Gumball
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 2:21 pm: |
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From my experience, I must agree with Cherokee1011. I had a MM on my Volvo, and had a lot of trouble with RF, even after I had grounded everything.
Replaced the MM with a Mr.Coily and found it to be much better - for MY application. I have heard very good things about the Predator 10K, and will get one eventually.....
One more thing about the MM, it tends to fill with water...... |
Jessejames_854
New member
Username: Jessejames_854
Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 12:01 am: |
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Monkey Mades, I belive ARE made by Monkeys! They weigh a ton, fill with water, and are over all bulky...
If your thinking of "Up-Gradeing" your antenna set-up, the only way to go is "Predator 10K".
This is probley the most user freindly open coil type antenna on the market today. easy to set, light weight, and will out-talk any antenna out there.
All the hype about 102" whips, are somewhat "out-dated". Those claims about 102" whips being the perfect antennas, were made before the open coil type antennas came onto the market.
Fact is, just like everything else in life, somethings improve over the years. And the open coil type antennas, like the MM, 55's, Mr.Coily, and the Predator 10K, are all results of these improvements. All these antennas preform about the same. But where the 10K beats everyone else, is not only in its craftmanship, but its wieght. It's very light, and well built. |
Wolverine
Intermediate Member
Username: Wolverine
Post Number: 244
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2004 - 4:52 am: |
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I agree. But it's very aggravating to have to take the 10k off as well as the 3-pad magmount every single day. I did that for 1 month straight (I live in a neighborhood that requires the removal every night, as well as my amp and radio. I went back to using my wilson 5000. I do miss the ears of my 10k, which pulls in more stations that my wilson 5000 can. If anyone has any information whether a 6 or 7" single 3/4 thread magnet exists out there, that will keep a 10k from blowing off the roof a speed, please share that knowledge with me.
Wolverine. |
Gumball
New member
Username: Gumball
Post Number: 7
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2004 - 5:31 pm: |
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Wolverine:
If you can't find a mount like that, why don't you make one?
There are several places that stock a selection of large magnets, hardware stores carry steel strap.....
Just a thought..... |
404
Junior Member
Username: 404
Post Number: 16
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2004 - 10:19 pm: |
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I love my 10K.It is a very high quality antenna.
On my mobile setup it has out performed my whip and other antenna's as well.
10K world!! |
Sparkomatic
Intermediate Member
Username: Sparkomatic
Post Number: 335
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 8:56 am: |
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Wolverine.....You have to remove your antenna every night as per the homeowner's association rules? That is way over the top as far as Homeowner's associations go. |
Patzerozero
Intermediate Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 278
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 5:38 pm: |
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i don't think he was referring to a homeowners assn... |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 1881
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 7:11 pm: |
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WRONG !
"All the hype about 102" whips, are somewhat "out-dated"
FACT no antenna loaded to 1/4 wave beats a 1/4 wave ANYTIME you put a coil in line you get a LOSS. Now that loss could with a well designed coil become small but there will always be a loss. |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 7:54 pm: |
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To add to Bruce's comments - even if there is very little loss from the coil, there is still not as much gain as a 1/4 wave antenna. What makes a 9' whip so good is the physical length of the radiator. Any shorter than 1/4 wave and the gain drops even if the coil losses are very low. You can make a very low loss coil that is only 1' tall, but it's gain will be miniscule when compared to a 9' whip. |
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 139
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 10:04 pm: |
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I agree with Bruce & Racer X |
