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the caveman
03-21-2013, 08:28 PM
Would I be able to use 1 or 2 4ft fiberglass antennas as base antennas?

scooter71nc
03-22-2013, 01:53 AM
I would not suggest using a 4 foot mobile antenna on the base. I have seen a lot of people try to use mobile antennas for the base but the performance is just not there. I would suggest you to get a antron 99 or a imax 2000 if you want an all directional antenna. Now don't get me wrong you can make a bracket to hold the mobile antenna so you can hook coax cable to it as well as proper ground and it will work but it just will not perform well. Also if I was going to use a mobile antenna I would use a 102 steel whip. or a coil type such as monkey made or fatboy.

the caveman
03-22-2013, 05:44 AM
Alright thank ya sir. Do you have any decent low price antennas to recommend?

scooter71nc
03-22-2013, 11:02 AM
Ok well I would suggest a antron 99, and a Imax 2000 if you want a good all directional antenna that is not hard to tune and install. you can also check out a workman bandit 2 it is a cheap antenna. Humm oh ya if you would like a ground plane antenna check out a workman W58 that is a really good antenna basically it is a maco v58 clone. and it is less than $100 shipped and everything. they are also cheaper antennas out there that I didn't name but just remember you don't want the cheapest because they will be in the weather as well as wind. It also depends on the wattage yo are planning on running as well you need to look at that as well.

461NJ
03-22-2013, 02:59 PM
Check out the solarcon 99. Can be found as low as 50 bucks depending on where your looking. 18ft tall, easy to tune and a ground plane can be added to it. I believe handles 1k

Post Dispatched Via Rabbit Vibrator.

the caveman
03-22-2013, 07:26 PM
I'm liking that solar con. Defiantly things to look into when I've got the money.

scooter71nc
03-22-2013, 11:36 PM
Yep the solarcon 99 or the solarcon imax 2000 are both good antenna's. I have sold a bunch of both. I personally run a Imax2000 as one of my all directional antennas. the 99 is a 1/2 wave 18 feet tall and the will handle more than they are rated that is forsure. I have ran a pair of 3-500z's though one lol. As far as the imax 2000 goes it is a 5/8 wave 24 feet tall and rated a 5K. and it will handle it I have ran a 24 pill on one. but if you want a alum. antenna the workman W58 is a good antenna as well I also have one of them too. I have it hot feed so it will hold as much wattage as I can put into it and it is very easy to setup as well.

NY714
03-27-2013, 02:40 PM
Yep the solarcon 99 or the solarcon imax 2000 are both good antenna's. I have sold a bunch of both. I personally run a Imax2000 as one of my all directional antennas. the 99 is a 1/2 wave 18 feet tall and the will handle more than they are rated that is forsure. I have ran a pair of 3-500z's though one lol. As far as the imax 2000 goes it is a 5/8 wave 24 feet tall and rated a 5K. and it will handle it I have ran a 24 pill on one. but if you want a alum. antenna the workman W58 is a good antenna as well I also have one of them too. I have it hot feed so it will hold as much wattage as I can put into it and it is very easy to setup as well.

I use the Imax 2000 also but recommend the Maco V5000 aluminum antenna if have or want to upgrade on vertical, personally don't like the craftsmanship on Workman items, just my opinion.

scooter71nc
03-27-2013, 03:03 PM
Well I agree that most of the workman stuff is not good quality, but the workman W58 antenna is a good built antenna. It is made of the same quality as the Maco V58 and better. The Maco v58 has a small wire between the coax connector and the loop. the coax connector is bakelite. The maco v5000 is the same antenna as the v58 maco but it has a teflon coax connector and a larger wire to handle 5k. The workman W58 antenna has the teflon connector as well as the same size wire as the V5000 maco. The Workman is only $69.99 hummm not bad. Now I do have a workman W58 antenna, but I hot feed my antenna. I have also did alot of testing with it and I have ran a 3cx3000a7 threw it at 7200Kw RMS Bird. I would suggest this antenna for anyone it is a great antenna for the money

BOOTY MONSTER
03-28-2013, 12:57 PM
Would I be able to use 1 or 2 4ft fiberglass antennas as base antennas?

you certainly can ...... and they will perform pretty crappy . i cant recall any negative comments about the workman 58 by folks that have use it . they have more parts to assemble than 2000's and 99's , but if someone can read a tape measure and follow instructions that probably hundreds of thousands of others had no problem with it's worth the extra effort ...... IMO .


http://cbradiomagazine.com/Antenna%20Reviews/Maco%20V%205-8/Maco%20V%205-8%20Antenna%20Review.html

the caveman
03-29-2013, 10:19 PM
What about a firestik IBA-5?

NY714
03-29-2013, 10:35 PM
What about a firestik IBA-5?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJVqoz6bkMs

NY714
03-29-2013, 10:36 PM
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/IBA5-INFO.htm

NY714
03-29-2013, 10:39 PM
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2328

NY714
03-29-2013, 10:40 PM
http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/IBA5.htm

the caveman
03-30-2013, 05:24 PM
I'm really think in about the IBA-5 just as a starter antenna.

Moonchild 747
05-07-2013, 09:26 PM
I have a few homebrew antennas I've used, my favorite portable one was the 11m J-Pole made from 440 ohm ladder line and 14 gauge twisted wire and suspended by shot line up in a tall tree and ran to through my attic window, it rolls up and stows easily...It's basically a 1/2 wave vertical with a matching 1/4 wave section...Google 11m Jpole, there are many plans out there and very easy for a first time builder and it only cost me $10.00...It can even be placed in a tall piece of CPVC to make it a permanent waterproof base antenna, Velocity Factor of the CPVC will play a part in calculating the length of the radiating element...Also can be made from copper tubing and made more permanent too...but the cost starts climbing then...Now I just use a 1/2 wave dipole which is a little more permanent and horizontally polarized which is good for my DXing. Hate to buy things I can make myself...especially when they cost 6 time what I can make them for...Another easy one is a 11m MOXON wire antenna...Just Google 11m antenna designs and pick what works best for your situation...The funnest part of this hobby is making your own equipment when you can.

Silverado 996
05-13-2013, 07:43 AM
Would I be able to use 1 or 2 4ft fiberglass antennas as base antennas?http://www.cosjwt.com/index.php?a=20

Silverado 996
05-13-2013, 07:50 AM
http://www.cosjwt.com/index.php?a=20Sorry caveman, I posted this in the wrong area. "mobile" setups...

the caveman
05-23-2013, 11:06 PM
What's the best+cheapest+easiest to build base antenna out there?

Moonchild 747
05-25-2013, 05:43 AM
1/2 wave horizontal dipole...17ft of 14-12 gauge wire, something plastic to support the center connection, solder to 25 ft of RG-58 coax and some support lines (12 lb fishing line) and a few lead weights to throw up into some trees and you on the air...(Doesn't need a ground plane cause it's has it's own counter poise)...If you had to purchase everything ~$30 including coax...