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Drzuo
Member
Username: Drzuo
Post Number: 50
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 8:33 am: | 
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After talking to several friends and reading several posts here, I have decided to replace my Solarcon A99 with a Maco V58 sometime next month. The A99 was put up when I was remodeling this house when I first moved, in. It was cheap and easy to put up, and since I just moved here I wasn't even sure if there were any active groups on the radio. It has served its purpose but here are some of the flaws I have experienced at this location. Power line noise- It plagues my area, and Ive been over several other cb'ers houses who experience the same gritty electrical noise, I have heard the macos are slightly better at rejecting this. TVI, I really get minimum TVI, actually I bleed my daughters sub-woofer, and A tinge on the neighbors TV, they don't mind its so minimal. The antenna will be mounted approx 34 feet above ground, 1310 feet ASL. I currently talk with stations 60 miles north of me, 100+ miles east, 100+ miles south and 30 miles west of me.
Does anyone have any installation tips, recommendations, suggest or comments? Any insight would be welcome. |
Foxhunter
Intermediate Member
Username: Foxhunter
Post Number: 130
Registered: 4-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2008 - 4:40 pm: |
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Drzuo how are you? I tried e-mailing you a couple of weeks agp but the ARRL address came back invalid. I was trying to send you some information.
Similar somewhat to you, I have an I-max 2000 up and will be replacing it with a Maco V5/8. I'd guess you may have read some of the threads recently so I'd hope you may keep in mind some of what was discussed and advice given to me there.
For the small additional cost, if I were buying a new Maco I'd buy the Maco V5000 instead of the Maco V5/8. The 5KW gamma would give you more peace of mind that it'll handle power better. Maybe power isn't a concern for you though I don't know.
For someone contemplating choosing a new Maco "V" antenna: I'd really wonder if anyone would know EXACTLY what the differences are in design and construction between the two Maco "V" antennas?
Are they exactly the same in every way except for the SO-239 and connector wire? What makes the one gamma capable of 5-KW instead of 1.5-KW like the other? Has anyone seen the two of these antennas for a side-by-side comparison?
The antenna radiator is DC grounded so that should cut down on static build-up that the Antron's and I-max's are known for and hopefully give you a little clearer receive possibly? I am in New Jersey and power-lines are everywhere not to mention every other type of interference so I can understand.
I'd also wonder if the hardware that comes with the new Maco antenna's is now stainless-steel? If not I'd immediately replace it all. For me, although the antenna itself was in great shape, you should have seen the condition of the Maco's hardware after a number of years. It was extremely bad.
Keep in mind---that clamp that goes onto the hoop-ring was just as deteriorated as the other hardware was, and that the clamp is an important connection.
Like Tech833 was also saying, the use of Penetrox would be wise and I will be using it.
One thing I'm not going to be too crazy about is trying to tune the antenna. The actual sliding of antenna pieces itself is not difficult at all and checking SWR.
It's the fact that it is a fairly large antenna and the instructions say to do the tuning at 6-10FT off the ground then install the antenna in its final location.
From my somewhat limited experience: once the antenna is really fine-tuned perfectly at this temporary site, then mounted up high in it's actual resting place----I'd image then that the antenna will not be perfectly tuned and will need to be taken back down again for repeated adjustments and re-tuning.
Even tuning a "mobile whip" antenna sometimes takes many 1/4-inch cuttings before it is nicely tuned & matched. For some of us that don't have tilt-towers and the like it will be a very hard process to repeatedly put up and take down the antenna for the tuning process. The near-ground tuning at 6-10FT will be convenient, but the surroundings will change and I'd bet the antenna will react to the new surrounding environment and the tune be off. |
Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1079
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 - 7:40 am: |
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Tuning the maco v is not that difficult. If you got a wash post in your yard do like I did and clamp a piece of pipe on the side of the wash post with about 5 inches sticking above to mount the maco v. use a step ladder to loose the clamp and adjust in small incruments. You wont need to move the ladder out of the way if it is like my ladder and the top did not stick above the ground plane radials.
Be sure nothing is too close like trees or buildings. when you get it the best you can with by moving the main ajustment adjust the ring clamp slightly either way till you get the swr the same at each end of the band your tuning for.
Hope this helps.
AP |
Drzuo
Member
Username: Drzuo
Post Number: 51
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 - 8:30 am: |
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Cool thanks for the info. Try the same email address at yahoo.com instead of arrl. I was going to tripod mount it for tuning at 10 ft and tune it with my antenna analyzer.I have learned to always use penetrox. I was really torn between it and the interceptor 10k. But with kids needing new computers and home-comming around the corner, the maco fits in the budget better. Power handling shouldn't be an issue. I think its rated 1500 pep, I wont be anywhere near that. In fact I chose the antenna path versus a new box as it (according to what I'm reading)may give me a full s unit over the A99, Id have to spend $500+ for a new box and power supply to do that over what I run now. I can never find good pics of the antenna, I'd like to see the matching system and find out what parts i need to replace with stainless. |
Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1080
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 - 11:10 am: |
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just the nuts and bolts that come with the ant need to be replaced with ss. Take the list of hardware in your instruction manual with you to a hardware store and buy ss hardware on the list.
I will try to get a pic of mine posted here for you. I may need to send it to another member to post it for me as I am having trouble posting pics.
AP |
Drzuo
Member
Username: Drzuo
Post Number: 52
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 - 10:24 pm: |
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cool, thanks. I'm going to see if I can find the manual online so I'll have the stuff when the antenna arrives. |
Airplane1
Senior Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 1081
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 8:01 am: |
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go to maco`s web site, they have all the manuals listed and then you can print out the manual for your ant.
AP |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 4389
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2008 - 7:23 pm: |
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drzuo....i changed the SO239 on my v5/8 to a silver teflon connector, & added a bigger wire to the ring, while i only use 100-150 watts depending on the radio, i have put 2kw through it with no ill after-effects. i have a friend with an i10k....i see ABSOLUTELY no reason to spend 3 times the $$ for it, even in at my salt water location with winds that regularly gust into the 40's & sometimes reach the upper 60's along with the yearly blizzard or ice storm. plus, it is over 22 years old, been bent & rebent, and hasn't been above 22' to the feedpoint in years. my radios have no problem getting out on 10 & 11 meters & even 20 with a tuner. |
Drzuo
Member
Username: Drzuo
Post Number: 54
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - 4:15 am: |
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Thanks Pat. I'll order a teflon so-239 connector. I wouldn't have thought about that until I saw the stock one, and then had to wait. Thanks for the heads up. |
