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Message |
    
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 68
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 9:18 am: | 
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I got a new Imax 2000 put up, no gpk. I had a A99 with gpk. I am using the Altelcon coax. I have a ground wire ran from a ground rod to the base of the antenna. My guy wires come off at the 11' down from the Imax base and are insulated at the end away from the tower. Radio is grounded. My contacts since installed have been 18 to 60 miles. Most noticeable is from 22 miles out. There was a nice improvement in receive and transmit. Seems to be about 1S unit at 22 miles and more the further out. At 18 miles no noticeable difference. I have a few scratching their heads trying to figure how my Cobra 148 is matching what they are doing with quit a bit more radio. However, if they went to the extra effort they would blow mine away, but right now that is not the case.  |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 16171
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 10:22 am: |
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Glad to hear it is working good for you. 
The IMAX 2000 is a Great Antenna. 
Lon~Tech808
CEF#0808/HAM#001/CVC#0002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Moderator136
Moderator
Username: Moderator136
Post Number: 1087
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 12:03 pm: |
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Hi there Danusee
Yes The IMAX 2000 is also full 5/8 wave Antenna.
I have the (GPK) and bent them at 30° made a big inprovement: The noise is reduced to allmost nothing and there for reception is increased. I also use the IMAX on 10 meter band and made serveral contacts with (SWR) around 1-6-1. Yes you can use any old radio with only 4 watts out and power it into a cheap antenna and get out, But you can take the same radio and power into a good antenna and (BINGO) Your going to be heard. Just make shure the (SWR) is down!
Its the Antenna that dose the job not the radio.
Note: Also coax plays a factor too - The less loss you have the better and short runs of coax helps also!
Danusee Glad you are injoying the IMAX and appreciate your review. Injoy it is a great antenna .
Thank you
Hal
Hal~Moderator136~KCØSVC
CEF#0136/CEF HAM#23 ~ CVC#0004
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2654
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2008 - 1:54 am: |
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It's nice when your antenna install goes well the first time. I think the best thing you could of done was using the Atelicon coax, good move! I have been using an Imax 2000 for 3 years now and the receive is really good. Recently hooked up my new S-9 and I am constantly hearing signals from farther and farther out all the time, 100 miles plus! NO JOKE! MY skip contacts are awesome too, usually making the contact 100% of the time!
I say for the price you cannot beat an Imax 2000 for performance and ease of installation!
Good to hear happy Imax owners.
Kenny
CEF491
Reading the mail around Indianapolis Indiana!
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Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 69
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2008 - 7:54 am: |
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I took some aluminum electric fence wire and cut to 5/8 wave length to use as a gpk (3 total). I used nylon rope at the end away from the antenna and followed my guy wire direction and attached were they are connected. I am up a full .5 S unit receive and transmit from 18 miles out. It seems like it freed the receive up slightly. Over the old A99 I am up at 22 miles 1 full S unit which was a nice improvement. |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 70
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2008 - 10:29 pm: |
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Kind of a weird thing. Since I got my new antenna I can talk 40 miles in all directions super easy. Before I went to the Imax contacts that far didn't put much on the S meter so I didn't make the effort but on few ocassions. Now it is no effort at all. In fact I am getting good reports of "sounds good" at that distance. Seems like the A99 starts petering down gradually at 20 miles but the Imax is just getting going at 35 miles. Must be the takeoff angle. The interesting thing is that I am doing it with a Cobra 148. |
Canal_digger
Junior Member
Username: Canal_digger
Post Number: 42
Registered: 1-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 12:57 pm: |
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Danusee, how high up to the tip of your Imax? If you used the same mount as the A-99, then just by switching antennas you've improved over the 1/2 wave by using the Imax (5/8...some say really a .64 wave) and you've gained 5 or 6 feet in antenna length, which sometimes can make the difference getting over structures, trees, etc. Either way, you can't argue that the Imax isn't a great 10/11 meter base antenna for your dollar. I think that height and those ground wires are keeping the noise down and allowing you some good takeoff angle. And, that radio (although lower power) DOES play like the big ones...just needs a base antenna setup like yours! |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 71
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 - 6:47 pm: |
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Canal, I did gain some height didn't think about that. FYI, The receive went down as I added radials. With just one it was almost .5 S unit gain. As I added the other two radials it went down to maybe a .2 S unit gain. Got me wishing that I had just one radial 23' and could turn it the direction I was talking. I don't want to buy a rotor. Guess I could use a slip knot on the nylon end and run around the house and tie it toward the direction I was talking. |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 72
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 23, 2008 - 8:26 pm: |
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Well that is what I did. I got one radial tied toward the direction of the person that I talk to which I have the most trouble hearing. The receive went up slightly. The Imax is doing great. This morning I was listening to a far off conversation. I got a break and the cb'er response was, after telling him my location, "I am not suppose to be hearing you". |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 73
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 - 8:11 pm: |
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I just finished a few minutes ago giving a radio check to a station a full 60 miles away. That is the direction I have my radial toward. What is really impressive is that I was on a Uniden Grant and the transmit power was exactly 4 watts. |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 74
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 08, 2008 - 2:07 pm: |
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Now that I have time to work on it, I tied the 3 5/8 wave radials made of aluminum electric fence wire back up. The most noticeable difference is how much quieter it is. It took out the noise that was coming in with a station putting a .5 S unit on me. This is how I am going to leave it. It doesn't look bad since it is 10' up over and follows the guy wires route. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 2211
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 1:23 pm: |
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Sounds like your having fun experimenting with radials and such. Glad to hear the Imax worked well for you!
CEF 375
Tyrone, Pa 16686 |
Canal_digger
Junior Member
Username: Canal_digger
Post Number: 43
Registered: 1-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 2:34 pm: |
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I have the Imax and everyone tells me the GPK does quite the background noise somewhat. Still thinking about adding, but since I landed an old Radio Shack .64 Wave, I may just put that one up instead. Really wanted to try the Mantova Turbo, but can't buy in US as of yet. |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 75
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 22, 2008 - 12:16 pm: |
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Let me tell you what worked, since I cut my radials down in length.
I made 3 radials 18' in length from aluminum electric fence wire. I connected them at the bottom of the Imax and came down at a steep angle. At the bottom end of the radials I connected nylon rope and ran them the rest of the way to my insulators. There was a immediate slight nice improvement in transmit and receive. There is almost no SWR. Gents, I hit the goody spot! This setup with the Altelcon coax, I have a very good working quiet fiberglass 5/8 vertical antenna. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 2216
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 22, 2008 - 6:30 pm: |
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Good deal Danusee! Did you get to talk any DX on that yet?
CEF 375
Tyrone, Pa 16686 |
Danusee
Member
Username: Danusee
Post Number: 76
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 24, 2008 - 9:16 pm: |
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R.W., I have been trying to see what I can do with 4 watts (locally). It has several people with a whole lot more radio trying to figure out how it gets out so well. Good antenna, very good coax, good radials, good grounding, radio dead on frequency, good mic and modulation. I have got it doing about all I can with the guidelines I set for myself. When I tell stations in towns 35 miles out what I am running there is a pause, then one cb'er usually says to his local buddy "did you hear that..... I wish that I could get out like that with a barefoot radio". S unit checks told the tale on who's station was most then efficient. That rather than adding more power to get results. A lot of work, experiments, web searches, and reading what others recommend, pays off. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 2222
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 27, 2008 - 8:33 pm: |
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That Imax 2000 will talk great Dx for you, when you get the chance to talk it. Sounds like you did everything right setting it all up. Have a good one!
CEF 375
Tyrone, Pa 16686 |
Canal_digger
Junior Member
Username: Canal_digger
Post Number: 44
Registered: 1-2008
| | Posted on Friday, November 28, 2008 - 9:17 am: |
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Danusee,
You proved that all you need is some persistence and drive and you can rig up some great results. All the components you mentioned (ant., coax, ground, freq, etc.) all make some difference and very few have ALL those things lined up in place like you. Great job and you will reap the benefits. |
Assaulter
Junior Member
Username: Assaulter
Post Number: 38
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, October 10, 2009 - 3:01 am: |
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Yep, Danusee.... spot on with the antenna and its efficiency being a good point. And radials are VERY important, not only do they lower rf noise, they also lower your angle of radiation. |
Woodstock
New member
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2009
| | Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 8:10 am: |
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I bought an Imax2000 about 2 years ago and I am very happy with it.I had an A99 and the 2000 blows it away.I get very good reports from all over the place when I am Dxing.Its only 28 feet at the base and if I can hear you,then you can definately hear me. |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 855
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 - 7:56 pm: |
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Sounds like the same old story. Buy a nice radio, buy a GREAT antenna. People still go out and buy an expensive radio, then want to buy a little 12" magnet mount antenna, then they wonder why they do not hear or cannot be heard.
That is when I ask them how big their big screen TV is? Then I ask them if they use and I quote, a 'Rabbit Ears" antenna on their big screen tv. They look at me like I am crazy, then hopefully the light goes on in their minds.
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
