| Author |
Message |
    
mikefromms
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 11:24 am: | 
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If your antenna got blown down, struck by lightning, or just quit working, what would you go out and buy brand new knowing what you know now? (Oh, and I'm very happy with my Thunder 8).
mikefromms |
Bullseye
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 7:20 pm: |
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I really really like my Maco V5/8 BUUUUUT....if it went down again I believe I would look into one of Jays I-10K antennas if a beam were still not practical. I have heard they don't really do much better than the Maco but are built to last forever. |
Damyankee
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 7:30 pm: |
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Maybe it's my set-up, or my location...? I would have a hard time going to anything but the Imax2000 unless I was in the market for a beam. That antenna just works too good for me to use anything else. |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 12:59 am: |
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I know a guy that lives about 3 miles out of town were I live thats had like 3 different A99s and every one of them have been destroyed by either Ice, high winds, or lightning.. Last time i went by his house his 3rd A99 was destroyed!!!! Talk about bad luck!!! |
mikefromms
| | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 7:16 am: |
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An omen. |
Magnum410
| | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 11:47 am: |
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My next antenna will be the Signal Engineering Thunder 8xb on a 30-40ft tower. I like the Imax2000 and the Maco 103c but the thunder 8 seams to be the best of both worlds. |
mikefromms
| | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 6:50 pm: |
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That Thunder 8xb is really time consuming to get together but if you want to drop that kind of doe and get it right I think you will like the antenna a lot. Just take your time, get some help, and put it together exactly as they say and you will have one special antenna. You will not have the gain of a Maco 103c but you will have gain and you will have rejection. You will need to buy a good switch box (if you don't have one) and be sure it has a vert/hort. mode so you can use the groundplane along with the beam effects. They do not provide a switchbox that allows the use of the antenna as a groundplane. The little two position switchbox that comes with it seems to run the swr up and it does not allow you to use the antenna as a groundplane. This antenna is based on the idea of the superscanner but it is built entirely different. It will require two coaxes of the same length. The tower will be perfect for this antenna. I'm getting really good reports on mine.
mikefromms |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:02 pm: |
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I'd buy an I-10K and never worry about another antenna. Mount it, ground it and Rock-N-Roll.
If $ were a factor, an IMAX 2000. That covers Omnidirectional's only. Enough said.
Alsworld |
Magnum410
| | Posted on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 6:50 am: |
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Yeah The thunder 8 just seems like the way to go. I like the fact that theres no rotor. Mike how high do you have your thunder mounted? |
mikefromms
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 6:19 pm: |
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I have mine on a push up pole at 36 feet. Well, part of the antenna is under the top of the pole or runs down the pole; so, 30 feet at the bottom of the antenna. This thing looks pretty tough. If it fell I don't see much that could break.
mikefromms |
Ca346
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 8:08 pm: |
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I have a SE Lightning 4+. It's a 4 element Quad on an 18ft boom. While it only weighs 18#, it was a bear to put together... The biggest problem I had during construction was getting the screws tightened and into the holes that hold the fiberglass spreaders tight, which in turn hold and keep the wire (which is the actual antenna) tight...
BUT, once it was together, it was so light and easy to handle it went up fast. Plus, the receiver jumped to where I can pick out stations that I never could hear before on the vertical.
Time will tell whether it was a good investment or not. It's been up a couple years so far with no tweaking necessary.  |
Ca346
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 8:11 pm: |
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Forgot to mention that of course weather is a big factor. Here in California, I don't get much adverse wx... |
Tech808
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 10:07 pm: |
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Ca346,
This won't help you much , But if any one get's a set , I found it was much easier to pre drill the holes with a cordless drill in the Fiberglass Spreader's during assembly.
I had the 1st Sargant hold the boom and I slid the Spreader's out Drilled & Screwed
Saved a lot of time after I tried to get those little sucker's in without the pre-drilling holes.
Lon
Tech808 |
Ca346
| | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 12:13 am: |
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That's the second time Copper Forum has come through with an answer. If only, woulda, coulda, shoulda, I had looked at Copper 2 yrs. ago.
Tell you what tho Lon, when it comes time to tweak that antenna, I will drill those spreaders out when I take it down. |
mikefromms
| | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2003 - 8:26 pm: |
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I had to drill out the holes in my fiberglass parts so the screws would fit. I didn't won't anything half screwed in. The Signal Engineering stuff seems solid. My Thunder 8 is a performer. I can hear lots of stations others can't because I can cut out lots of noise.
mikefromms |
Bullet
| | Posted on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 4:15 pm: |
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id order some alum tubes 1 pc of 3" 6061 tubeing .250 wall from work and 2 pcs that will slide in it and make a bigger version of what i run now a blackhawk 6 element cubical quad. |
Mikefromms
Intermediate Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 155
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 10:55 am: |
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Magnum 410, did you get the Thunder 8? How is it working for you?
mikefromms |
Cuddlebear
Intermediate Member
Username: Cuddlebear
Post Number: 144
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 8:25 pm: |
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I have had my A99 for many years now. Never have had any problem with it whatsoever. Here in Idaho, we get 45-60mph winds all the time. I've seen that antenna bend over on the pole several times. Still up there. A few months ago though I did repaint the antenna due to fading. Sprayed it with cheap Baby-Blue. It's back up and running fine. However, my next antenna will be an Imax 2000 probably if this one ever takes a dump. Not because I don't like the A99. But because of the signal increase.
 |
Pig040
Intermediate Member
Username: Pig040
Post Number: 388
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 10:39 am: |
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If I were going to replace my homemade vertical, it would be with one from Jay in the Mohave, I I were going to replace my JoGunn, it would be with a bigger JoGunn, Great performance from the one I have now, but I would go with one with a longer center boom, Mine is only 12 ft, with longer boom, I could get more gain. |
Mikefromms
Advanced Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 543
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 1:12 pm: |
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If I wasn't just deadset on a beam it would be Imax 2000 all the way. I ditched the Thunder 8 after it failed to workout in the top of the pine and replaced it with an Imax 2000 with gdp/kit. I couldn't be happier. Moral of story: keep wire antenna away from tree limbs. The Imax really does perform so good I don't miss my thunder 8. Thunder 8 worked good on a pushup pole. Take a lesson.
mikefromms |
Goat373
New member
Username: Goat373
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 03, 2005 - 7:01 pm: |
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I just replaced my big stick with a 2000...talk about a differance...almost no line noise...loving it |
Road_warrior
Intermediate Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 442
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, April 03, 2005 - 9:11 pm: |
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Well Goat, i see you tried the Imax
experience...LOL...
JIM/ PA/ CEF 375 |
Hotwire
Intermediate Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 252
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 04, 2005 - 8:44 am: |
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I now own 3 Imax antennas. 1 for a backup and I'm going to try the daul experiment. 1 at opposite corners of the house. Now my next weekend off. Any opinions gentlemen? |
Road_warrior
Intermediate Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 444
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 04, 2005 - 12:28 pm: |
|
I think they need to be co-phased any
length more than 18 ft apart.
They will do well in 2 directions, but,
not so well in the other 2 directions.
Co-Phase 4 Imaxs together...LOL...
JIM/ PA/ CEF 375 |
