| Author |
Message |
    
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 114
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 9:32 am: | 
|
1. woefully inadequate manual.....check
2. crappy chinese hardware & screws......check
3. some plastic antenna parts fastened w/electrical tape....check
5. poorly designed Gamma match....check
6. flimsy overall design...check
7. TVI Interference....check
8. light weight......check
9. GOOD Performance.......check
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A good antenna design, made cheaply. Same antenna type as a PDL2 quad, inferior materials used in construction.
PERFORMANCE: Works pretty good, same as a PDL2 quad, however the Gamma match is made terribly and your SWR tuning will take LOTS of your time. If you buy this antenna be ready for a long day of tweaking.
I am personally going to replace the Gamma match supplied with my own. Hopefully the antenna will stay up long enough this winter to so a more extensive test on it.
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In defense of this and other Quad designs: Most antennas you would tune for lowest SWR and be done. The lowest SWR readings on a Quad do not necessarily give you the most forward gain or the best F/B ratio. You can tune a Quad (with a field strenght meter) for most gain and F/B ratio instead if you wish, and just live with slightly higher SWR readings.
However THIS antenna uses a wire Gamma match system, that makes tuning correctly more difficult to achieve.
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I have the antenna up and its works just fine.
However I cannot whole hardedly recommend this antenna, unless you live in a desert with no winds. |
Mikefromms
Intermediate Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 291
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - 1:19 pm: |
|
Don't stick it in the top of a pine tree...
mikefromms |
Crafter
Senior Member
Username: Crafter
Post Number: 1041
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 24, 2004 - 1:15 am: |
|
Gonzo could you use a original pdl gamma? |
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 115
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, November 28, 2004 - 4:41 pm: |
|
Ok, was away for the holiday. Just had a huge Northeaster' type of storm here with high winds and heavy rain. Superhawk is still in one piece. Also got to tune it a little more, and play with the plastic insulators which are held onto the boom by hose clamps. After MUCH tuning and careful gamma match placement, I am a little happier now.
Again this is a good antenna design, just made cheaply, you may have to do some work on the antenna and replace some cheap parts yourself, to be happy. You WILL have to spend considerable amount of time adjusting the antenna to suit your location. Ferret beads (and alot of tuning) on the coax directly after the gamma match killed the TVI problem I was having.
SWR will stay below 1.5 to 1 on about 40 channels, then it will rise sharply.
Performs well, could have been made alot better. |
Co_786
Junior Member
Username: Co_786
Post Number: 12
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, November 28, 2004 - 6:26 pm: |
|
Gonzo how's f/b,f/s?....Can you tell us what
element spacing you ended up with.
co_786 |
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 116
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 29, 2004 - 6:28 pm: |
|
Co 786..... I spaced the elements as far apart as possible on the 5ft boom. The reflector was bowed slightly backwards and the element wire I attached to the backside of the fiberglass speaders. I have found generally, but not always:
The wider the spacing the more forward gain you get. However since the reflector is a little farther away from the driven element this way, so you sacrifice some F/B ratio.
Gain: about 9.2dbi 7.2 dbd
F/B appears somewhere around 20db
F/S appears to be better around 30db |
