Copper Talk » Ask The Tech » Antennas » Small beam for little air space??? « Previous Next »

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Bassbug
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 7:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I want input. I’m just like my computer I want more input I have very big trees on my lot. I was able to go up to 70 feet with tower. I now have an Imax-2000 GP on it. The tip of the antenna is at 104 feet. I’m sorry that is just
Not enough. I have limited air space. What is the best small Beam made? I would love to go with an eight element beam but that is not possible unless I pull out my 20 inch change saw. I already have enough fire wood to last me for five years.
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Bruce
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 7:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

BEST SMALL BEAM ASTROBEAM AND A VERY GOOD ANTENNA IS A SUPER SCANNER problem finding them if you want something that is off the shelf a PDL2 or simular 2 or 3 elm quad should be a great antenna.
FACT the gain of almost all 2,3 and 4 elm antennas is going to be VERY close. IMHO forget jogunn.
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Mr_Rf
Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 12:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I vote "PDL II" for a small footprint beam.

However, the Moonraker IV or equivalent would be my choice (if I had the space and money) for most practical when comparing size, gain, back and side rejection.
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Bullet
Posted on Thursday, October 16, 2003 - 2:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

a small 2 element quad.

like a pdl2
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Pig040
Posted on Thursday, October 16, 2003 - 11:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

DON'T forget JoGunn, I have a 4 element JoGunn (12 foot beam) works great! Has a lot better rejection that my PDLII had. They also make a small beam that a friend of mine had "Smokin Gunn", and it worked so well I bought a JoGunn. They are very well-made antenna, ok, so the numbers they advertise are bull, they work! I had a 3 element Maaco, that came apart in 40 mph winds, the JoGunn has had 70 mph winds so far, and is still intact.
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Ca346
Posted on Thursday, October 16, 2003 - 3:59 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I vote for a Quad also. There are several to choose from. I have a Ligtning 4+, and from my receive reports, it appears equal to the MACO 4 element. But because the elements on my Quad are wire, not tube, the whole thing including the 18ft beam weighs in at 18#. Very small wind factor. And the spec's said it could be mounted on a TV type rotor.
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Bruce
Posted on Friday, October 17, 2003 - 8:02 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Pig the ONLY good thing is jogunn is well made past that they have no redeaming value. As for 4 elm on a 12 foot boom wow that close spaced ( .11 wave ) i would like to see the pattern on THAT. Jogunn has never made a beam for any thing other than 11 meters its easy to see why they would be eaten alive by the big boys. Hygain made a beam for each of these bands 10, 6 and 2 meters that was clean sturdy and lasted for decades and cost 1/2 what jogunn charges. I had stacked 2, 4 elm beams on 6 and on 2 meters stacked 8 elm at one time 4 15 elm hygains on 2 meters stacked ( then went to the 4, 17 elm klm's ) Hygain, cushcraft and mosley print patterns and show referances for their clams of gain bandwith ect. I still want to see real field data and that forumla for audio gain which Jogunn knows does not exsist.

When they come clean and print the truth i'll shut up.
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Pig040
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2003 - 11:33 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bruce,
JoGunn does offer a 10 meter cut on their beams. Prior to having the JoGunn, I had an M103, which performed poorly (yes it was properly installed, and the swr was good), and it fell apart, the whole thing twisted like a pretzel in 40mph winds, I also had a pdl II which I liked, but it had insufficient rejection. You have to go by your own experiences, and the JoGunn has outperformed the other beams I have owned, and I am impressed with the durability of the antenna up to this point. They are priced high, I believe, I happened to find mine used, and paid about half price. The spring winds here (NM) hit 70mph on a regular basis, and durability of the antenna is the supreme factor. No matter how well the antenna works, if it is on the ground, it wont do any good!!
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Bruce
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2003 - 1:28 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Pig its the same antenna ....cut. OK on USED 1/2 price.... yes they are well made but so are others most of which dont cater to the cb user.

Now higain ... i ran them on 6 meters and 2 meters for 30 years ... and cushcraft both make a good product FAR CHEAPER ..... mosley is a bit high but my DI-6 vertical went 30+ years untill the hardwhere rusted off. Im looking at a hygain 5 elm 10 meter beam in their catalog gain 10.8 DBI on a 24 foot boom and remember gain is a function of num of elems and boom lenght a 24 foot boom should have 3 DB more gain than a 12 foot one ....10.8 dbi (8.5 dbd ) that sounds about right. I just ordered a hustler 40-10 vertical im tired of fooling with dypoles that " CLAME " to work 40-10 but don't..... Hustler has made this antenna for 40 years with few changes. you assemble it and enjoy the only reason i didnt go this route before is LIGHTING....... but copper carries polyphasers now......i need 3 one for the new vertical one for my 11db gain vertical one for the 6 meter fm vertical and ill send the dipole to my brother ...i just gave him a dx-70 to get him back on HF ...... he got 2 in school and no money arn't kids great .....Yep no problem with the wife she just said buy the darn things the wife dosn't want our new alumin room to get hit.....and lighting in TAMPA is unreal... see i do run this place.

http://www.new-tronics.com/main/html/base_hf_4_band.html
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Ca346
Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2003 - 8:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bruce:

Who writes the checks? Myself, .... I never write checks.... (use a debit card)

bobman3
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Pig040
Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 10:00 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bruce,
I did look at some of the HyGains, but since I got the JoGunna at half price, and had always wanted to try one I got that. I dont regret it other, than since space is not an issue I might have tried a larger beam. But here, in the spring we have from 40-70 mph winds every day, and I never saw so much thunder and lightning with no rain. I did see a few other antenna posts where people were questioning hy-gains quality.
I use the old, got rid of that, this is just the replacement for it, no cash, did a trade, ok, honey!! (I think she sees right through it)
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Bruce
Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 12:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

he he he but dear .......

I used hygain untill the mid 90's they were bought out by MFJ ........ the ones i had lasted decades it would be sad if MFJ has cheepen them up
cushcraft was junk back in the 60;s but has made great strides in QC and hardwhere i have several of their antennas very good for the price you cant beat a ringo ranger for murs you get a chance send me the link to the hygain distractors

wa4gch@yahoo.com
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Bruce
Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 8:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey Pig check this out intresting site on beams

http://www.ve3gk.com/stacked.htm

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Pig040
Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 10:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bruce,
Thanks for the jousting, and thanks for the site, very infomative, bookmarked it to read fully later.

Pig

PS Bassbug-can you say JO GUNN!

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