| Author |
Message |
    
Bob_p
Intermediate Member
Username: Bob_p
Post Number: 119
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 7:17 pm: | 
|
The I-Max 2000 is out of stock and I guess there are none to be had any time soon. So I was wondering if there is an antenna that will cover 26-29700 mhz out there without a tuner that will work as well as the I-Max? |
Twa77
Intermediate Member
Username: Twa77
Post Number: 119
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 8:47 pm: |
|
i doubt it the imax is a pretty amazing piece of equipment as far as being broadbanded.
tony |
Crackerjack
Intermediate Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 227
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 9:49 pm: |
|
I use a Starduster, it is fairly flat across 25-30 mhz -usable range covers 23-32mhz -without a tuner.
Coppers has them under the name "Skylab" -same antenna, different manufacturer. |
Cuddlebear
Intermediate Member
Username: Cuddlebear
Post Number: 214
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:00 am: |
|
I'm not exactly sure, But the A-99 is pretty good as far as the freqs it will cover. I get good performance out of it. |
Tech548
Moderator
Username: Tech548
Post Number: 210
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 1:06 am: |
|
Whoooooa Crackerjack. Wait a minute here.
If you own a Starduster that has a usable broadband range of 23-32mhz (9MHz), then you must have the only one in existance that will do that.
In my total 38 years of playing in radio, I have NEVER seen a CB antenna that had a usable transmitter range such as that. The only thing that can even come close to that usable sprectrum is the 24ft I-Max 2K and even that has only a bandwidth of 3Mhz at best using top nop-notch coax!!
I'm thinking you either have a SWR meter giving you incorrect readings or you have something freaky going on with your system from the coax on out to the antenna. Something just doesn't sound right here.
As far as I know, no antenna designer/builder/company has ever been able to get a CB antenna to band the width you are talking about. If and when they do, the now famous I-Max 2K will soon become history.
Go to the Subscriber (Preview) section of our Forum and click on "Product Reviews". Scroll down until you get to the SkyLab (new name for Starduster) and click on it. Somewhere in there you will see that the 1/4 wave SkyLab only holds an SWR of 2.0:1 inside of a 1.34 Mhz spectrum....not a 9Mhz spectrum.
And just so you know, I'm not trying to take anything away from your Duster because I'm aware of the fact that they were a VERY good 1/4 wave antenna in their day. Not to mention their popularity back then.
Jeff
Tech548 |
Crackerjack
Intermediate Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 229
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 1:18 am: |
|
"CBear":
The only problem, if you could call it that, I saw with the A-99 was that it had no ground plane. I get a better signal something like a Starduster.
What is your experience with it? |
Bob_p
Intermediate Member
Username: Bob_p
Post Number: 127
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 3:09 pm: |
|
I found an I-Max 200 out here on the west coast, and placed an order last night. But appreicate the help guys. I was told the U.S. military was buying them up for use over seas, and that it was going to be impossible to find one. But....
Anyway thanks again
Bob |
Tech548
Moderator
Username: Tech548
Post Number: 217
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:49 pm: |
|
The US Military wants I-Max 2Ks??
I wonder why they would be interested in a CB antenna that would never stand up to their ridgid Military Specs??
I know that there are some old military frequencies in the 25-26 MHz range that the I-Max 2K could easily handle but personally, I just can't picture our military using the I-Max 2K for them.
If anyone has some solid information on this subject, please share it with us. I'm very curious now.
Jeff
Tech548 |
Alsworld
Advanced Member
Username: Alsworld
Post Number: 857
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 12:59 am: |
|
Interesting indeed. I'm unsure of why as well?
Too flexible for ships, too tall for humvees, hmmmm? Base station antennas for what? MURS maybe?
I don't know, just as curious myself.
Not doubting you at all Bob P, just trying to put the pieces together. Military uses so much UHF/VHF these days, and of course HF also, but Jeff is right, the IMAX 2000 can't be military spec due to it's extreme flexibility. Although due to cost, many of the old MIL SPECs have gone away when "buy off the shelf" can fulfill the requirement, I am unsure where this antenna would fill in.
And yes, I have and operate an IMAX 2000 and love it to death. I am also US military so that means little here, as I am now intrigued! Sales pitch ya think? I would hope not. I am open to suggestions as well.
Alsworld |
Bob_p
Intermediate Member
Username: Bob_p
Post Number: 134
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 2:52 am: |
|
Jeff I really don't know it seems strange to me too but thats what the woman told me at another onternet radio shop. I probably shouldn't have posted anything about it. It's only hear say and from a stranger so... |
Mikefromms
Intermediate Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 232
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 11:09 am: |
|
Interesting post, Bob p. I hope you enjoy the Imax 2000. I hope Imax will keep on making them. I'd like to own one someday.
The Army used to use Shakespeare antenna products. Shakespeare recently stopped producing cb antennas, but they used to advertise their cb base station antennas as meeting military specs (I suppose for material strength).
BTW, the Top One Astroplane copy is broadbanded.
mikefromms |
Tech548
Moderator
Username: Tech548
Post Number: 222
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 6:55 pm: |
|
Mikefromms
Broadbanded how wide???
Jeff
Tech548 |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 812
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 6:54 pm: |
|
Crackerjack... What type of coax are you using and how long is it? What else is in line?
With a long enough run of RG-58/U, I can make about any antenna broadbanded.
By the way, the Top One will cover at least 2 MHz. with low SWR. It is very broadband, but not as wide as the Imax 2000.
|
Crackerjack
Intermediate Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 231
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 9:23 pm: |
|
Tech833:
Right now I am using RG-8mini, 36 feet and only the Amp and the meters between the radio and the base of the antenna.
The mast/antenna/radials are free of any obstrucyions or reflections.
I cover the entire 11meter band, includuing the pirate freques with no noticable change in SWR. I start to notice very little at about 28500khz. |
Tech548
Moderator
Username: Tech548
Post Number: 223
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 11:41 pm: |
|
Crackerjack
I'm not questioning you or your 1/4 wave Statduster/SkyLab. I'm questioning your SWR meter that is seeing this 9Mhz usable frequency (23-32mhz) spectrum from an antenna that only holds an SWR of 2.0:1 inside of a 1.34 Mhz spectrum.
How is it possible to have a flat, or near flat SWR across a 9 Meg frequency span?
Jeff
Tech548 |
Hollowpoint445
Intermediate Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 231
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 11:59 pm: |
|
I was playing around once and made a dipole with heavy duty foil. It was very broadbanded. I didn't have an antenna analyzer at the time to actually check it out, but I had the same VSWR across the CB spectrum, and I never saw that before. I'll have to make one again for fun and test it to see just how broadbanded it is.
I would imagine if you make a dipole with 1" copper pipe it would be very broadbanded. Wide diameter elements tend to make a broadbanded antenna. The wider the better. A nice wide strip of copper ribbon should make a very broadbanded antenna too.
Unfortunately, the wider the antenna is the higher the windload and less practical it is to use outdoors. My foil dipole was in my attic when I first moved into my apartment until I could get an antenna up on the roof. |
Crackerjack
Intermediate Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 236
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 2:35 pm: |
|
I made a dipole from copper pipe once, it was a great antenna and never needed a tuner. |
