| Author |
Message |
    
Bullseye
| | Posted on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 7:28 pm: | 
|
I have read many posts about this antenna. Just figured I'd add my experience to the mix. I have had a total of three of these,in fact the only antennas I've ever used were Macos,with superb results although a SE White Lightning is probably in my near future. The brodbandedness I don't know about but they have always gone where I wanted to go either up or down from "standard 40". As for tuning problems if you follow the directions exactly a Maco gives them they work extremely well. The instructions are well written and easy to understand and follow. Having put up three of these all have had acceptable SWR,below 1.9 easily,with NO tuning needed to use them. The one I have up currently is the same 1.4 on '1' and 1.8 on '40'. I am going to do a little adjusting on this one but it works fine the way it is in fact the guys I talk to regularly in Ohio,Michigan,Virginia,andthe New England states,barefoot by the way, cant tell the difference but the SWR's get a little high in wet weather. This brings me to my only complaint about these antennas and that is the open tuning ring. It allows a slight fluctuation in SWR when rain or other moisture is high but this being the only problem I can live with it. It is an entremely wind and lightning resistant and living in hurricane country I have tested both theories repeatedly with positive results. If tuning is needed on these antennas make sure when you put it together you used a 6" overlap for the three main sections of the antenna then adjusted to 240' exactly with the top 1/2 inch section. If you have done this then all you need to do is loosen the bottom hose clamp and move the shaft in 1/4 of an inch and check it to see you are going in the right direction. When you get close all you have to do is slide the clamp on the tuning ring about 1/32 of an inch until you hit what you want. The hardest part is putting the antenna up and down until you get it right and even that's not to hard. Don't know if this will help anyone but if you want a good strong weather resistant antenna this is the one. Just my 2 cents worth.. |
Bullseye
| | Posted on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 9:00 pm: |
|
SORRY I made a pencilgraphical error I meant 240" (inches) not 240' (feet) but the rest is all as I intended it! |
Kc0gxz
| | Posted on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 9:43 pm: |
|
Bullseye
Nice report. But I still like the idea of a 240 foot antenna.
The only problem I would see with it is changing the required flashing light bulb.
Nice job Bullseye.
Jeff, kc0gxz. |
Tech808
| | Posted on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 12:21 am: |
|
Bullseye,
Your comment's hit the nail square on the Head.
If you have an antenna that works well for you and does everything you expect it to and are happy with it, That is all that is important.
If some one is not happy with their antenna then get another one.
Some Antennas will work well for some and not for others. Different location's, height's, structure's, location, coax, radio's, frequencies you work, and power, as well as other factor's all make a difference.
Thumbs up on your opinion of the Maco V 5/8. 
Lon
Tech808 |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 2:20 am: |
|
I have the old avanti sigma 5/8 wave.. Pretty sweet antenna id say! In fact i found 2 today up on roofs at a 4-H fairgrounds in Ohio when i went to an antique tractor pull. I dought they use them anymore because they look to not have been used in years.. I dodnt bother to ask if they were used anymore though.. Oh well.. LOL |
Buck
| | Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 9:28 am: |
|
Wow Things must really be boring there in Ohio to go to a Two cylinder tractor pull.....Here in IA we load all those two bangers up and pile them in the sled and pull them down the track...Smokers rule
Buck |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 7:56 pm: |
|
LOL!!!!!!!!!!! |
tejanodrum
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 2:18 am: |
|
I live in NM and my Maco 5/8 has survived gusts of wind over 100 mph! and i can talk all over from lower 40 to upper 40 and the worst my swr gets is 1.8 to 1 at either extreme.Just for fun i hooked an antenna splitter and compared it to several other antennas, mobiles, 102 inch whips, coils, etc and it enabled me to hear stations that i could not even hear on my other antennas. I had conversations that i would have never had had i been in my mobile. |
Pig040
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 11:38 am: |
|
Tejanodrum,
Another New Mexican, I thought I was the lone ranger in the forum, what part of NM? I moved here from Ohio in Jan, and I learned about the winds down here fast, it blew over my push-up pole twice in the first month! Now my old pogo stick has a 30 degree bend, haha.
Pig |
Climber
| | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 3:59 pm: |
|
Same, same, big fan of maco 5/8th's.
Stable SWR 1.2 to 1.7, easy to tune.
Very light Antenna, semi-easy to put together for a half quart low, but white, gringo.
Thank Copper for a great price on this antenna and lots of other good things.
Climber |
Mr_Rf
| | Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 11:15 am: |
|
I read in one post above that the SWR on the MACO V 5/8 goes up in wet weather. Has anyone else had the same experience or was this an isolated experience?
Thanks |
Mr_Rf
| | Posted on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 1:40 pm: |
|
Is it true that SWR on a MACO V goes up during wet weather?
Would really like a confirmation of this...wouldn't be any fun being trapped in the house during rain, snow or ice and can't key up the radio! |
Pig040
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 9:57 am: |
|
I had a Maco V 5/8ths, and I noticed it went down during wet weather, I figured it was extra grounded then. Never had a problem with it going up at all. |
Mr_Rf
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 1:21 am: |
|
Thanks Richard,
I find it hard to believe that MACO would produce an antenna with that simple of a problem to cure.
I'm really considering buying a factory-made antenna this time. I usually make my own antennas but the cost of aluminum in the comsumer world is going out of site compared to store bought antennas. |
Pig040
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 10:40 am: |
|
I made my last ground plane using parts of an old colinear antenna. I like aluminum antennas as opposed to fiberglass. It works well for what it is. Got a great match on it, the only mistake I made was I thought the barn was 20ft high, and it is only 16 ft, so I am not quite high enough, I am at about 25 ft to the base of the antenna, and I should be at about 36 ft, I think. |
Rattlesnakejake
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 1:29 pm: |
|
i have a maco 5/8, and i love it. I cant talk to other states even with shoes on , though, and my swr is perfect barefoot. Help? |
Xlaxx
| | Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 8:55 pm: |
|
Hey Guys-
I just spoke with a representative from Maco because I needed to order some screws for my V 5/8 that I lost during a move.
I asked them about the elevation of SWR's during a rain storm or from ice build up. I have noticed this from time to time. They stated that this DOES happen. My SWR's weren't that substantual. I get about 1.2:1 to 1.4:1 across the 11m band. The gentleman I spoke to stated that you should never get the SWR's 1.0:1 (flat) because the Maco V5/8 was designed to work with the SWR's off just a tad. The man also stated to not get "so hung up about SWR's" too!
He also stated that the Maco works great at ideally 36ft+ feet.
Anyway, hope this helps! I love my Maco
XLAXX |
|
