Base antenna

[stickerman720]

I live in the city. Have an Antron 99 with the ground radial kit installed. I’m 50ft from tip to ground I talk skip on ch35,24,28,11. I talked as far as Georgia. My question is. Would I get better receive if I took off the the 4 radial arms. I heard talk that the ground plane kit is used for in town use only. Which I don’t know what that means but. Would I benefit more with or without the ground radials. I want as much “ears” as possible lol thanx

Message from moderator MDY

moved here to start a new topic

[jessejamesdallas]

Better off leaving them on...Want better ears?

Get a better antenna!

IMax 2000 would be better...Hy-Gain Penetrator even better yet...Or get a beam and never look back...

[stickerman720]

I may just consider that thanx. I see it also offers a ground plane kit. Is it needed or can I get away with just the whip?

[MDYoungblood]

I have read a lot of opinions about the kits for the Imax 2000 or A99 so here is mine.

I think that if an antenna needed a ground plane it should come with one, not be sold as an afterthought aftermarket kit, I've said this many times on forum topics like this one. If you figure up the cost of the antenna and the kit, it adds up to about the same price as a real ground plane antenna. Now that I said this and you still are interested in one please buy it, I don't like my opinions to take the money away from our forum sponsor's pockets.

All of the fiberglass antennas dating back into the 60's have three things in common, easy install, fast install, and clean install. Fiberglass antennas work well for there design but they are inherently noisy, static builds up on the surface of fiberglass. If you are looking for an improvement over your existing antenna, go with an all metal (aluminum) type.

JJD suggested the Hy-Gain Penetrator SPT-500, that is a good choice, the Maco 5/8 (re-tagged as Workman 5/8 too) would be another. Search the web and you will find more of this type costing a lot more but with cost you get reliability and performance.

3's

Greg

[jon6667]

if it is not broke dont fix it. if the a99 is working for you. why change it.

[51]

all vertical antennas need a groundplane/earth counterpoise to work at their maximum efficiency and achieve a low angle of radiation. if the groundplane radials you have on your vertical are short in length, (less than 1/4 wavelength). leave them on or take them off, it doesn't matter because they are doing absolutely nothing. radials that are 1/4 wavelength long bent down at a 45 degree angle (to raise the feedpoint impedance closer to 50 ohms) wi;; maximize your vertical antennas performance.

[Lost Ram]

The Antron is an OK antenna for what it is. If its working for local talk and DX leave it. The Star Duster, M400 I think they call it now is also a great choice if on a budget. Its metal so its quiet and has a low angle of radiation as well so you will hear better locally too. I feel the ground plane kit works better for the fiberglass types I have had when mounted high, if mounted low I could not tell any difference. The other suggestions out there are rock solid, you just need to decide on what price range fits you. I feel the Star Duster M400 is the best bang for the buck if on a budget. The 5/8's type will have a bit more gain over the Antron and the Start Duster. Also take the gain ratings with a grain of salt, most are inflated, especially the Antron.

[stickerman720]

How about a sirio 2016

[stickerman720]

I’m not worried about the costs. I want the best I can get and the style that pleases me I like the sirio 2016 5/8 wave 3000 watt all metal antenna I like the looks of this one.

[51]

The Star Duster, M400 I think they call it now is also a great choice if on a budget. Its metal so its quiet and has a low angle of radiation as well so you will hear better locally too.
I feel the ground plane kit works better for the fiberglass types
The 5/8's type will have a bit more gain over the Antron and the Start Duster. Also take the gain ratings with a grain of salt, most are inflated, especially the Antron.

the material that an antenna is made out of has nothing to do with how much "noise" it picks up or "how quiet" it is.
a radial system will benefit any vertical antenna made out of any conductive material.
1/4 wavelength and 1/2 wavelength vertical antennas have no gain. a 5/8 wavelength vertical antenna 1/2 wavelength above a perfectly conductive ground will exibit approximately 3dbi of gain. thats about 0.95dbd gain, which in the real world is negligible.

[stickerman720]

So would I be happy with an imax2000. I want light weight, straight n tall. If I go with imax can I just run the whip n no ground radials?

[stickerman720]

I believe I am gonna go with the 5/8wave silver rod with 3small short ground radials

[stickerman720]

Think I’m goin with a sigma venom silver rod

[stickerman720]

Ok enough with me n my goin back n forth lol. I want light weight hi power handling low noise 5/8 antenna

[295 antenna]

I'm using a patriot 12" and i made four three foot radials out of number 12 wire and a hose clamp . It works fantastic and i have talked everywhere my friend that has a imax 200 has . alot cheaper set up also ...just saying

[Lost Ram]

The Star Duster, M400 I think they call it now is also a great choice if on a budget. Its metal so its quiet and has a low angle of radiation as well so you will hear better locally too.
I feel the ground plane kit works better for the fiberglass types
The 5/8's type will have a bit more gain over the Antron and the Start Duster. Also take the gain ratings with a grain of salt, most are inflated, especially the Antron.

the material that an antenna is made out of has nothing to do with how much "noise" it picks up or "how quiet" it is.
a radial system will benefit any vertical antenna made out of any conductive material.

I understand the theory, but, I always seem to have a bit more white noise (and its just a touch, hardly worth noticing unless there is a really weak station calling) with the fiberglass/PVC supported antennas I build. Perhaps I just had better building principles when I made the copper tube type.

[jessejamesdallas]

Think I’m goin with a sigma venom silver rod

no opinion on this antenna...never herd of it, never seen one.

as for the Sirio's...Biggest problem I have herd of with them, is they can't take high winds...Never had one of those either, but have read quite a few reviews where the Sirio base antenna's snapped in high winds...When It comes to base antenna's, I tend to stay away from any antenna that gets more than one bad review, if for no other reason, it's a pain having to bring one down from 50' in the air to make repairs on everytime a thunderstorm blows threw...

[MDYoungblood]

Think I’m goin with a sigma venom silver rod

no opinion on this antenna...never herd of it, never seen one.

as for the Sirio's...Biggest problem I have herd of with them, is they can't take high winds...Never had one of those either, but have read quite a few reviews where the Sirio base antenna's snapped in high winds...When It comes to base antenna's, I tend to stay away from any antenna that gets more than one bad review, if for no other reason, it's a pain having to bring one down from 50' in the air to make repairs on everytime a thunderstorm blows threw...

It is a copy of the HyGain SilverRod that was made back in the mid 70's to around 1980, the radials were more for balancing the SWR than to be a ground plane, it is being sold by a United Kingdom seller on that auction site. The Sirio antenna I agree JJD, did have a bad rep on bending but I think over the years they have corrected this with better stronger aluminum tubing (from the USA of course).

3's

Greg

[jessejamesdallas]

Think I’m goin with a sigma venom silver rod

no opinion on this antenna...never herd of it, never seen one.

as for the Sirio's...Biggest problem I have herd of with them, is they can't take high winds...Never had one of those either, but have read quite a few reviews where the Sirio base antenna's snapped in high winds...When It comes to base antenna's, I tend to stay away from any antenna that gets more than one bad review, if for no other reason, it's a pain having to bring one down from 50' in the air to make repairs on everytime a thunderstorm blows threw...

It is a copy of the HyGain SilverRod that was made back in the mid 70's to around 1980, the radials were more for balancing the SWR than to be a ground plane, it is being sold by a United Kingdom seller on that auction site. The Sirio antenna I agree JJD, did have a bad rep on bending but I think over the years they have corrected this with better stronger aluminum tubing (from the USA of course).

3's

Greg

Yeah, I looked up the Sigma and seen it was a UK dealer selling them, figure it was a knock-off of something else...One good thing with the Sirio's is the price range they run...I never herd anything bad about their mobile antenna's tho, mater-a-fact, from what I read they are probably some of the best base-loaded mobile antenna's around now...

[51]

forget all that sirio uk, italian made foreign stuff.if you want a groundplane vertical that throws down, just get the Maco V58 or the v5000, done!

[jessejamesdallas]

forget all that sirio uk, italian made foreign stuff.if you want a groundplane vertical that throws down, just get the Maco V58 or the v5000, done!

Have to agree totally, or go beam...

[stickerman720]

Yea thanx guys. That’s what I need. Diff opinions that all lead to the best. Thanx again. I think I know now

[jon6667]

i talk worldwide on a piece of wire

[Thunderbird641GA]

I've been using a Sigma Venom 5/8 wave silver rod (no ground plane kit) for about 2 months, and it has worked pretty well for me so far. It does seem rather flimsy, but it wasn't very expensive. I'm already looking to replace it with a Maco Alpha V and give the Sigma to my father-in-law.

[tgbrail]

I work all kinds of countries with a G5RV antenna with a bone stock courier gladiator pll40 . and astatic power mic .
There are alot of antenna plans on the net . 90 % of the partys i communicate with have flat side beams . pdl2, 3,4,5 or stacked arrays .
And if your into shortwave listening , G5RV's are perfect and cheap compared .....