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Message |
    
Rich_1833
Junior Member
Username: Rich_1833
Post Number: 35
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 2:45 am: | 
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I know there is a lot of reading on this antenna VS that antenna. But I'm still not sure if there is one that take the bait per say. The 3 most common mobile antennas I read and hear about are the Astatic, Wilson 5000, and the Predator. If you were to run 4 watt dead key with 100% modulation on a mirror mount with good coax and a good ground. What would you buy? |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3667
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 9:17 am: |
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http://www.copperelectronics.com/cgi-bin/discus4/show.cgi?tpc=29&post=84592#POST84592
start there & follow the thread, rich. i did what you asked about years ago. since then, i've analyzer-adjusted the predator moving its resonant frequency a LONG WAYS closer to where it should have been in the 1st place. if i took it off the magnets & drilled a hole, i can only guess how much BETTER YET it could be. the astatic WAS a nice antenna, but i SMOKED 2 of them with far less then 3000 watts! while the wilson is a nice antenna for casual use, the predator outperforms it xmit & rcv hands down. for the record, while the mfj259 showed the predator's resonant freq to be way lower then expected, the 'glas skipshooter was DEAD ON. while i thought the skipshooter compared favorably to the predator, i am led to believe that is not neccessarily the case. predator is the one! |
Jameslarson
Intermediate Member
Username: Jameslarson
Post Number: 361
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 1:57 pm: |
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Pat, Let me see if I understand this correctly. You first installed your predator without using an analyzer for resonance. You simply adjusted the antenna to get the lowerst SWR correct? Then afterwards, you said you used an analyzer to get the antenna to resonant alot better at the correct frequency corect? But what I don't understand is that if you adjusted the antenna AFTER tuning it for low SWR"s, wouldn't you be now changing the SWR to get the antenna to be better resonant? In other words, you now have to adjust the antenna length to get it to be reonant as per the MFJ meter, but by changing the antenna length, your SWR should be changing too correct? Or is the adjustment of the whip so minute that the SWR change is nothing as compared to the advantage of having a better resonating antenna? Sorry if this sounded confusing. Thanks. |
Jameslarson
Intermediate Member
Username: Jameslarson
Post Number: 362
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 2:00 pm: |
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PS, to answer the original posters question, me, personally, I would go with the Predator compared to the other 2 antennas you mentioned. I used a 5000 wilson, it worked good, but I have noticed the Predator to be better. Thanks. |
Vanillagorilla
Senior Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 1005
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 8:42 am: |
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TX....I've done no testing per-se....BUT the P 10k outhears anything else I've ever had by a big margain.
That included: Wilson Silverload 3' and 5', Francis 98", Wilson 2000 trucker and other various magmount stainless whips.
No question for me...10k world.
Of course nearly anything will talk DX when the band is open at one time or another but my belief is that the 10k will have you "in there" longer and stronger.
Hank~CEF559/CEFHAM242
11mtr Northeast Net Control
Eastern Long Island NY
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Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 705
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 08, 2007 - 9:04 am: |
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Vanillagorilla, maybe you made these determinations over a period of time using several of the antennas noted, but if not can you give me an example of how you determined that the 10K outheard anyone of the others noted here? How did you conduct the test it it was a test? If you made notes or signal reports, could you also speak to that a bit as well? |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2224
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 12:45 pm: |
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Rich, Out of the 3 antennas you mention I too prefer the Predator 10K when it comes to running power. Been using 2 different model Predators for a little over a year now. Will never go back to what I used in the past, 5ft Francis and 6ft Wilson Silver load. From the signal reports I recieved from local and DX contacts I feel that my tx and rx performance increased a lot! I do not think that maybe I am imagining this. The only antenna I think that outperforms the Predator is the 102 inch SS whip with 6 inches of spring and ballmount added to it. In fact it is just my opinion that the Predator gives you pretty close to the performance of a 102 inch whip in a smaller package. Also it is one tough antenna, a big hunk of aluminum and steel!
Uasually the only people who doubt the Predator are the ones who have not tried one! Try one you will never go back!
Kenny
cef491(27.115lsb)
2sf491(27.555usb)
Indiana
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Flush
Junior Member
Username: Flush
Post Number: 45
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 12:47 am: |
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I have a 17" single on the way for my Titan P-up. Hope it works better than my W-5k. Just need to hook it up to my try mag or,...... proof the roof! Dont know if it's worth it to drill or just use the mag? In any case cant wait for the long brown box to show up. |
Dale
Advanced Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 891
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 5:13 pm: |
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i know this was already discussed but were did the asatic3k place?i know it didnt handle power
but thats fine cause 12-50 watts is most i ever
use in a mobile.was it better than a w-5k?
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3745
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 25, 2007 - 6:51 pm: |
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dale, i LIKED the astatic 3k linear load. i think it was right up there with my 7' skipshooter, pretty near the predator....maybe too close to call?
flush, go to members pics thread & check out my durango with triple mag & predator 10k. have talked AM & SSB to hawaii, australia & NZ with surprisingly low power...from a mobile. have the urge to drill a hole, but never have because of the consistant 'high S-unit signal reports' received from other CEF members, including S9+ reports from CEF808 & CEF491, 800-1000 miles, while running 2 watts carrier/15 watts swing on AM from the above-mentioned mobile setup into an S9 noise level. |
Dale
Advanced Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 896
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 25, 2007 - 8:42 pm: |
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yea i seen your pics of your mobile very nice.
yea mine would bo on a quad pad mag mount.
wheather it be a preadator or asatic.ive been
using wilsons-1k/5k since the early-mid 90s
now thinking about changing.ive tried alot
of other antennas over the years but always seem
to go back to the wilson.i devote most of my
time on antenna in the mobile cause i dont like
to run any extra heat just the radio byitself.
the MOST i put in a mobile is a 2970.thinking if
i do go with a 10k it would be either a single 22inch or double22inch kinda toss up.how long
is the asatic3k?you have 1 ya havent smoked.lol
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3749
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 26, 2007 - 9:02 am: |
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i still have 1 in the shack. it tuned at 63". i would THINK that the 3k SHOULD be a bit better then the wilson's because it is LONGER-less shortening by coil. therefore, the 7' skipshooter at 84" should be even better, and the predator at 86" or so just a hair better yet. and, finally a 1/4 wave steel whip. i THINK capture area, or the physical SIZE of the antenna MAY offer a performance increase greater then just length alone would normally dictate. the lack of stability WHILE MOVING affects the steel whip's performance. i used the 22" shaft double coil which shortens the predator a couple inches versus a single coil on the same shaft. i have a 17" shaft single coil & notice no difference in performance. |
Mikefromms
Advanced Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 992
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - 11:41 am: |
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That Wilson 1000 is one fine antenna and it will stay on your car. Works exceptionally well within it's power range. Who really needs over 1000 watts anyway? If you are new here and want to get heard, get one of those new Galaxy 98's (the upgrade of the 95T2) and hook it to a Wilson 1000 magnet mount mounted to the center of your car or truck's roof and you'll never look back. There's no mobile antenna "enough" better than the Wilson 1000 worth passing it over because the Wilson 1000 has the looks, performance, durability, and broadbandedness all in one antenna that "few"(if any)can brag. This information ought to cost you but I'm telling you freely.
If you really want to have some fun, get into ham radio and experience talking 200 plus miles on a regular basis on 1000's of frequencies with a 100 watts or less--legally. On many frequencies, hams can legally operate up to 1500 watts! And getting a license is now easier than ever. I like to build my own antennas for most ham operations.
Mikefromms |
Mikefromms
Advanced Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 993
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - 11:43 am: |
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In the case of the 4 watts and outside mirror mounted antenna, if you can get the thing to stand there, the Astatic 1K or 3K gets some high remarks from one of the most respected Techs on this site.
Mikefromms |
