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Message |
    
Wheelco505
Junior Member
Username: Wheelco505
Post Number: 38
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 12:24 pm: | 
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does anybody!! i mean anybody!! know about,or have tried one,or know somebody who has one.who can tell any review on this antenna.the design looks good.the concepts that he explains,on how its different,can make you think"well maybe so"".the builder is a ham of 30 years.and a engineer.so you want to have some faith in what he says(hams don't lie right??)but the antenna looks"GOOD" 505 |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 613
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 8:40 pm: |
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I agree completely 505. I don't own the .64, but I have one of his .50_11M a no ground plane 1/2 wave radiator that is similar to the old Hygain Ringo. It makes a very good signal locally, but I have not had it up in a long time so I can be sure about how well it does with skip. As a matter of fact I was going to put up my Imax, but I believe I will put up the Wolf instead. I will let you know soon.
On thing about Eddie's antennas, if you can get him to make you one, is they are very well built and he slots all the tubing and finishes the cuts, he uses superior hardware, and he give you pretty good documentation. His stuff is very well designed and engineered and the kits are well worth the money. |
Wheelco505
Junior Member
Username: Wheelco505
Post Number: 39
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 12:24 pm: |
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marconi, you've sold me i wanted to see if someone could vouch for his workman ship.i'am intruged by the way the loading loops are set up.in a mobile antenna(base load)there is a loss before the signal get's to the top,and in a center loaded antenna there is less lost becase the signal take off is closer to the top.so could it be that the same thing be true with a base antenna?and is it so simple that great minds over looked this?? well stay tuned i plane to check this theory.if it fails,well at least i'll have a -.64 wave which is at the top of the ground plane chain.yeah i was looking at the 1/2 wave and the ringo look-a-like .very exciting site!! yeah do the test it would be interesting to see how it stands up too the i-max an A99.and last but not least,he makes right many 11 meter antennas ,most ham manufactors don't go that many steps for 11 meters."YES SIR, I'AM INPRESSED" 505 |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 616
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 4:18 pm: |
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Hold on 505, there is bug in the oinment here. I just put my .50_11M up and the match was terrible. I checked it out and found out that two screw holes in the aluminum base tube that holds the capacitor for the radiator are stripped out and I do not ever recall stripping anything out. One screw secures the antenna to the mast, and the other secures the bottom section of the tuning coil to the base and that one is very important. If this happened then the wind had to have had an effect on this stripping. I cannot tell you that I absoutely did not strip out maybe one hole without knowing it, but I would know if two were stripped on tightning.
What this did in this case was create a bad connection for the coil on the ground side and that is probably why I often got mixed results on tuning. The short would just come and go as the connection moved about. I just noticed that Wolf had simply tapped threads in the wall of the aluminum tubing that makes up the base, so there were not many threads in there to start with. That is not good design technique and I have told him so. I await his response, so I would hold off on the .50_11M. On the other hand I do not see any such weak spots on his .64 wave GP, so if you can get him to build you one of those then go for it.
I do not back off of anything I have ever said about his work or product, except in this case and also noting that the .50 is hard to tune, because it reacts well with the earth.
Marconi |
Wheelco505
Junior Member
Username: Wheelco505
Post Number: 40
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 12:58 pm: |
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hey thanks marconi!! let me know how that works out.if the .64 tubing is the same,we might have a problem.that antenna is too tall and heavy to be flapping around in high wind current.as you say,it will make the swr's go up and down as you talk.that's not good.metal antennas have a bad habit of swr rise when it rain.that could double if it won't tighting down properly.i wonder why he did't build it so it would slide into a sleve.let me know if you had to tap it out,and if the new tap will hold. 505 |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 619
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 6:14 pm: |
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505, I said that the .64 has NO! such defects as I noted for the .50_11M that I own. Go look at the base of the .50 and you will see the small screws in the base that secure everything in the base. The mast goes up inside the base and two small screws secure that. One screw in this are is stripped. The other screw that has stripped is the small screw that attaches the bottom of the coil to the base itself. That one is very critical and should be retro-fitted with a better securing mechanizm.
I thought you were only interested in the .50 because you did not want radials and you need a small foot print where you live. But, if I'm wrong about that then disregard me caution. I was absoutely not referring to the .64 Wolf Ground Plane. I see nothing wrong or weak about that one at all, just look at it in the pictures. Those are real pictures, not some artist renderings and the construction is very substantial.
The only metal antenna I have ever had that had a problem with rain was Jay's I-10K and that is why I do not work it today. I might install it again soon and really tighten down everything real well and try it again. 833 suggested that I may have left something loose on that antenna is why I had rain noise. |
Dale
Intermediate Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 334
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 6:14 pm: |
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if your planning on spending that kinda money
on a stick antenna why not get one that has a better quailty like like the I-10k ive read the review and from what ive seen its built like a tank.as far as sway unless you get 100mph winds
i dont think youll see much bend |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1249
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 9:22 pm: |
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from what i undestand, the mr. coily is the most efficient of these "custom made" antennas.
didnt 833 have some not so great things to say about the trombone feed system?
matt |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 620
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 01, 2006 - 10:31 pm: |
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Dale the I-10K is not a stick type antenna. It is a full scale GP antenna with four 9' radials. It will cost you about $300 if you can even get one ordered and made. The .50_11m at Wolf is less than a $100 and it is like a Maco without the GP radials. You may have the same problem with Wolf as with Jay in the Mojave, if you can get him to make one.
Dale, I just mentioned this because I think 505 was looking for something that was less conspicuous than a big old ground plane antenna.
BTW 505, there is nothing wrong with the aluminum the Eddie puts in his Wolf antennas. They are not reinforced like Jay's antennas, but he uses top quality aluminum that is heavy walled, and close tolerances for the fit. You will not have any trouble with this one given some reasonable winds. The only problem I talked about here 505, is that two little screw holes wallowed out and lost the threads in the thick wall aluminum for the base. That can be fixed, but design idea here does need to be revisited for a better solution to securing the coil at this point only. The other end of the coil is attached with a smaller bolt, nut, lock washer, and star lock washer. It goes completely thru the radiator to secure and it does a find job. However you cannot use a bolt on the bottom of the coil at this point because it would go thru the capacitor inside the base of the antenna and you could not adjust reactance then.
I haven't had mine up in over three years. When I took it down, I left it in only two pieces. I told you the other day that I was going to reinstall it and give you some reports on its performance to mainly refresh my memory more than anything. But, when I got it up it would not match and I knew that there was mechanical problem somewhere and then I stopped and sent you a message, which I think you totally misunderstood. So, 505 does this straighten it all out now? |
Wheelco505
Junior Member
Username: Wheelco505
Post Number: 41
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 02, 2006 - 12:21 pm: |
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yes it sure does marconi!!i was getting nervious,ha!ha!no i have plenty of room.and a 40 ft.tower to put it on.i'am going to put as many 9 foot radials at the bottom of the tower as i can.four is good,but i'am going to do the complete clock circle.i know you know that trick!!better ground and lowers the angle of radiation.it should perform well 505 |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1255
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 02, 2006 - 3:21 pm: |
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You have some type of weird issues with
your I-10K there Marconi. Did you ever try putting coax seal around the connection?
Use Lacquer Thinner to get it off if needed.
Mine is open with nothing on it, but, i have
no issues that you speak about with yours. |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 621
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 02, 2006 - 10:23 pm: |
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You're right Jim and I hate that. Like I said, I am going to getr back up there and see soon. This time I will really crank down on that hardware and make sure everything is good and tight. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1258
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 8:34 pm: |
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Try putting it together using no Ox-guard
or similar product on the antenna. It's not
recommended to really crank down on those
types of hose clamps. Ruins them. Found out
the hard way...LOL... After re-reading the
directions, i tightened them with a screwdriver
and not a wrench. Pulled on them to make sure they were tight and would not pull out. |
Dale
Intermediate Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 336
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 11:57 am: |
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mr.coil might be the most effieficent but at
500.00 dollars i dont feel its the most practical for everyone.not saying its a bad
antenna just a few hundreds over priced for me |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 623
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 6:19 pm: |
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Hey Dale what is it about the Coily antenna that you think or know that makes it most efficient? |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1253
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 8:42 pm: |
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marc, the comment about efficiency was made by me, and the only thing i was basing it on was a comment by tech833 about the fact that he wasnt a huge fan of the trombone tuning system.
please correct me if i am misquoting you 833.
matt |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 624
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 10:33 pm: |
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Maybe so Matt, but Dale made a similar comment about Coily's new ground plane and I was just wondering what that factor was when he said efficiency. That covers a big area in antenna functions.
I think 833 said something about the trombone tunner making some RF below the antenna that was not desirable due to the horizontal feeder design in Jay's antenna when he tested it on the range. That would be the only real way to tell.
I don't really know about any of that type of difference, but I think other factors about Jay's antenna are very nice. Ease of tuning to say the least and strong as a bull by design.
I will have to put mine back up again and really take a close look at it to see if I can really see any differences and make some real notes.
Right now I have an AP up at about 30' and it is working out just fine compared to an Imax I have had up for the last month and testing an reporting on. Looks like the Imax will be a bit stonger in the signal reports as expected, but thus far I have no problems working the areas around here with either when the noise level allowed me to hear. I say this is due to the presence of a very large horizontal presence in the AP design. I have seen one respond directly to my very own horizontal yagi beam with suprisingly good results, so I can guess that some of its signal out is also attnetuated by this same factor. However, this problem with local work should prove beneficial during good skip conditions and I say that is why we hear such good reports about this one working good DX.
Right now I cannot put two big ground planes up at once. Maybe I will get my tower back up again soon. I took it down due to the hurricane season in this area of Texas this past year.
505, I can see plenty of ground rods at the base of the tower for safety purposes, but I just am not convinced that they will do a thing for the TO angle down there and the antenna up some feet higher. Every time I played with a raised ground planes on an antenna that did no have a GP, I noticed that if I did not get it very close to the feed point (within inches) they acted as though the elements were not even there. There was no current in the radials, and I'm talking about just inches of difference and not feet of difference. I would like to look over what you use as a reference to your ideas about those ground rods at the bottom of the tower, 505. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1260
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 10:38 am: |
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Actually all you need to do is run 36ft wire
off of just one of your already installed
lightning ground-rods, 8 different directions.
Bury no more than 1 inch under-ground.
I am not convinced yet that this idea has
any merit to it. But, i'll keep an open mind. |
Dale
Intermediate Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 339
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 2:43 pm: |
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marconi i was just referring 2 another post
scroll above myu previous post youll see it.
id actually like 2 see a review on the wolfpoint
looks easy 2 assembly.or was there a review
already done? |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1245
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 4:39 pm: |
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RW- Ground radials need to be 1/4 wave long or more, that is all. 9 feet will do almost exactly the same as 36 feet. However, I always suggest using the longest radials you can in your situation.
Burying 'not more than 1 inch under-ground' is another voodoo tale. Bury them as deep as you want up to about 18 inches or so. In fact, I have found that the closer you get to about 12 inches, the better. However, just laying them on the surface of the ground works almost the same, the purpose for burying them in the first place was to keep people from tripping over them or accidentally pulling them out.
I never said I didn't like the trombone tuning method, it works. However, it is not the best I have seen. In fact, the trombone tuning method works great on 5/8 over 5/8 wave colinear antennas. On a single 5/8 wave element, it tends to make a lot of current wallow around the base of the antenna. |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 1259
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 9:27 pm: |
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sorry paul; next time i'll look up the post and quote you directly instead of trying to paraphrase.
paul, have you ever done a review on the mr. coily .64 wave antenna?
sorry if i've asked you this before.
matt |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1248
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 10:26 am: |
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I have not reviewed any Mr. Coily antenna. I have had extensive email exchange with M.C. about it though. Copper also expressed some interest in the products, but nothing has happened. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 2526
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 10:52 am: |
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i am disappointed dan eliminated the original enforcer antenna & replaced it with a combination of the enforcer & excalibur. $250 required a big decision prior to replacing a functioning maco v5/8. at $450, the decision has been made for me-NAH. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1266
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 12:57 pm: |
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TECH 833, does placing ground wires like
dicussed above actually help anything??? |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1251
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 8:22 pm: |
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RW- Do you mean ground wires buried around the antenna base? Then, YES! The better your ground coupling, the lower your takeoff angle and the less power you waste warming up the soil. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1268
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 6:48 pm: |
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Ok, thanks Tech 833,
I really wasn't sure that radials buried
around antenna base would actually help much.
Thanks for your reply.
Does this apply to only Omni antennas?
How about a directional beam antenna? |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1260
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 - 10:24 pm: |
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Any antenna. |
