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2SF2696
| | Posted on Saturday, November 03, 2001 - 9:28 am: | 
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I was going through another CB shop when i saw this Fiberglass Antenna made by Solarcon Its called the TriLoad. It is similar to the SkipShooter, with a 2.5 inch tuning lead out the top, and clear plastic jacket.
The first thing I noticed was instead of a continuous, out a top coil load design, this one had 3 sets of coils. The ad on the box says it is capable of 11 and 10 meter com, so I put it through the test. When I attached it, and did my SWR, I found it to have a wider band with. Over 2.5 MHZ under 1.5.1 swr. That is pretty good for a FG antenna. The question is, does it talk.
First I ran a test from the CB shop. This thing does talk!!!! This antenna almost performed as good as my open coil antenna. One thing I did notice is the reduction in interference when transmitting.(The open coil is notorious for bleedover.) I also noticed that it had great reception. Another thing I noticed is the vertical signal pattern. Unlike other fiberglass antennas, this one will talk out of valley, or from between buildings.
Typical of short broad band FG antenna seem to be a coil with a resister. Not this antenna. This antenna will not be the end all of broadband FG antenna, it is the best performing one I have tested so far. If you can find one of these seemingly rare antenna, try it out. You wont be disappointed!! I even like this one better than the Wilson FGT Silverload
Phineas
2SF2696 |
Santa fan
| | Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 1:17 am: |
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Have you ever tryed the huslter high top antenna. I hear they are a good one also |
2SF2696
| | Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 8:24 pm: |
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Yeah, I was just looking at one of those today. Will have to pick one up and try it.
Phineas
2SF2696 |
Santa
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 8:03 am: |
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Also is the skipshooter the same as the triload?
And I see you like the wilson fgt 3'.How about the 5' skipshooter or wilson 5' top tuning antenna? Same or is one better for skip and local talk?? I've seen a place where I think you can get a triload . |
2SF2696
| | Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 1:21 pm: |
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>Also is the skipshooter the same as the triload?
Not quite, and the tuning pin at the top is longer. Skipshooter is a nice Antenna, just dont see them around. I hear they are going to stop making them pretty soon  Plus the skipshooter I had was not very broad band, although it worked very well. I had a 5 Footer years ago, and it rocked!!!!!
>And I see you like the wilson fgt 3'. How about >the 5' skipshooter or wilson 5' top tuning >antenna? Same or is one better for skip and >local talk?? I've seen a place where I think you >can get a triload .
The Wilson FGT 5' Rocks. I would use it, but it is just to long to put on the top of my van. The bandwidth difference between a 4' and a 5' makes almost no difference. (But there is a big difference between a 3' and a 4'). The issue I had with this antenna was how sensitive the tuning was. Other than that, I can tune it to a wide range of Freqs. You will also enjoy the how quiet and sensitive the receive has. I really dont think there is much of a difference between the Skipshooter or the Wilson except the output gain is more on the wilson.
As far as local or skip, Fiberglass antenna will always out talk and out receive a whip, except around hills and buildings. Whips have a more vertical pattern that will allow you to talk and hear around/over obstacles. The Solarcon Fiberglass whip has a 4" whip on the end that also acts as the tuning rod. I dont know if that is whats doing it, but the antenna does act more like a whip than the others. The thing that makes Fiberglass, toploads, or continous(Francis) type antennas work better on skip is the omnidirectional capability of the transmit and receive. Dont get the same performance out of a bottom load, or whip antenna. Wilson5000,K40,102") Doesnt matter as much where you put in on a vehicle either.
Large coils antennas are at totally different discussion!!!!
All in all, there are very small differences in Fiberglass antenna. You will proably be just as satisfied with one or the other over all. It is just a matter of testing, and preference. The Solarcon did not beat out the FGT by that much, and they both cost the same. I could just talk on more freqs with more power on the solarcon, and still have a good amount of gain on my transmit. The Wilson will still beat the Solarcon in overall transmit gain, but just doent have the same bandwidth, nor the vertical tx/rx pattern similar to a whip like the Solarcon has. That is what I think make the Solarcon Triload special over the others.
Phineas
2SF2696 |
Santa
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 8:04 am: |
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Thanks for the info. I have dual 5' firesticks on the semi I drive now. I can't change the coax company installed. But I would like to try the triload antenna if I can find two. Or if possible they said I could place one on the back bar behind cab. But also have fg air foil above cab.
Not sure if mr. coily would work well here?
Thanks again
Santa |
Santa
| | Posted on Friday, December 21, 2001 - 8:44 am: |
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2sf2696 Did you every get to test one of those Hustler HQ-27 center loaded antennas? I can't find any info. on them to compare to say a solcon triload?
Happy Holidays
73's Santa |
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