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Message |
    
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 109
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 8:25 pm: | 
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Had a chance to get the Sirio Vector 4000 up a couple of days ago. This is an antenna few US residents are familiar with or will ever buy. But it had gotten some response lately so I though I would test it.
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This is a 7/8 wave J-pole design antenna, 31 feet long!
First off, the instruction sheet, is 1 page! With 4 diagrams showing stages of completion, virtually no step by step instructions! But not that hard to figure out. The antenna is very flimsy. Imagine holding a 31 foot whip antenna, and you have gotten the idea. The completed build quality is of POOR construction. The J-pole section (similar design to the old Avanti Sigma 4)is also built rather shabby. Also carrying a unbalanced 31 foot whip-like antenna around your yard isn't the most fun you could have. Never mind mounting it.
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Performance: Ok it gets better, this antenna performs fairly well, recieve is good, not noisy at all, and at certain times could hear skip stations better than the Hygain Penetrator. This was a small percentage of the time however. As far as transmitting gain, it performs like a 5/8 wave antenna. However still not as good as a Hygain Penetrator or an Imax2000. Although it has lower recieve noise than the Imax. I was alot happier about the antenna after I got it built and mounted.
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Bottom line is: This antenna can perform relatively well, it is BIG so it has a large capture area, and does have good ears....BUT it is clumsy, has a crappy mounting, and will bend easily. If it lasts a New England winter I would be surprised. My opinion is its not worth the trouble. But if you want something unusual that NO ONE else has,this could be for you.
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If you mounted it on top of a crank up tower and lowered it in high winds, you might be okay. It would probably out-hear any other vertical in that situation, and you may be able to hear distant DX sooner and better as well. MAYBE. |
26 OP 141 (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 6:27 am: |
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Hi Gonzo,
Just as I expected.It was the same for me. You should have saved your money and tried to find an orginal Avanti Sigma 4 or Tagra BT-104.As I said in previous threads these are slightly smaller 3/4 wave designs and have 3 legs on basket.Constrution on both is 70% than the Italian Vector 4000.
The Sigma 4 or BT104 will outgun your Golden Pentrator by 1 S point on RX and TX. Both Dave (Hypower) and I have been conducting tests on these 3/4 and 7/8 wave antennas over previous years with the same results as yourself. Its a shame all these Italians are not made like they perform.
Give me a call on 27.535 USB at 14.00H GMT> when the skip comes up from UK. I will be in RX all day.Im hearing east coast all day at the moment.
We can then "talk " more.
Whats your call sign?
73
Tim
26 OP 141 |
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 111
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 5:04 pm: |
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A friend wanted the Sirio, The Avanti Sigma 4 MAY do well, I have still not seen a design, that can out-gun a true 5/8 wave well built aluminum antenna, like the Hygain Penetrator. Believe me I have been trying, I have NO attachment to ANY manufacturer or antenna, I just want the best I can do.
If I find a Avanti Sigma 4, I will let you know.
I will be on Friday and try to shout you, although I have been very bust lately and haven't been up there. Thanks for your comments. |
Gonzo
Intermediate Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 112
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 5:10 pm: |
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The next couple of days, most of my time is tracking and logging Meteors. The Leonid Meteor shower is taking place the next few days, and I have one of the few automated radio meteor listening stations on the east coast. Meteors reflect radio signals as the ionize in the atmosphere. I report these results to the AMS & C.O.A.A. here and in the U.K.
But I will try to give you a shout, when conditions are right. Thanks Again. |
Englishalan
New member
Username: Englishalan
Post Number: 9
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 11:34 am: |
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Sirio Vector 4000 performance.
I have read your review with great interest, and surprise....
"As far as transmitting gain, it performs like a 5/8 wave antenna. However still not as good as a Hygain Penetrator or an Imax2000."
I find this very difficult to credit and it certainly does not represent my own impressions, the Vector 400 is the best omni I have ever used, the only other that comes close is the Sirio 827.
The Vector 4000 wipes the floor with the IMAX and A99.
As to standards of construction, once again I am surprised to say you found it poor, its at least as well made as the other antennas you mentioned.
Its a strange world when two people can have the opposite opinion of the same products, but I guess thats what makes life interesting.
By the way I used the Vector yesterday on 17m, with an ATU, and was working the East Coast of the states on 5&9 reports with 50 watts, a 2-3 s point improvement on my Carolina Windom, not bad for a cb antenna!!
Regards
Alan |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 886
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 1:42 am: |
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I had the Sigma clone up for about
3 years awhile back in time. Broke three
times in the wind and alumunum split in
half on the big hoop. So, had to save
what i could salvage and scrap the rest
of it. Performed good though. |
Niceface4_radio
New member
Username: Niceface4_radio
Post Number: 4
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 5:31 am: |
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26 OP 141 (Unregistered Guest) wrote:
"The Sigma 4 or BT104 will outgun your Golden Pentrator by 1 S point on RX and TX."
Nope, nuh uh, I totally disagree.
Had both, kept the Penetrator500.
At one point several years ago, I had a neighbor 6 blocks away who had one of the good old Larry's LW-150s. It weighed about 25lbs and used high quality collars with allen bolts which joined each section to the next. Very high quality thick wall aluminum construction, definitely the BEST BUILT vertical I've EVER seen.
He was running new 9913 coax, I was using 15yr. old basic RG-8 from the local truckstop, nothing fancy.
Our ground elevation was identical, his 4 section mast was on the top of his two story where my 5 section with Penetrator500 was only on a 12' flattop roof. He was using a 2 @ 2879 amp behind his TRC-457 and I had an SBE LCBS-8 with a CMI base amp, so basically the same power.
He and I had basically IDENTICAL ears and TX signals, over the flatlands of the valley, into the mountains 30-50 miles from here, locally and to mobiles, but at 70-100+ miles I owned him!
If I would've had the better coax (no doubt in iether of our minds) I would've come out on top with my Penetrator500 in every test, which makes sense when you look at the radiation angle of a 5/8 vs a .75 or 7/8.
He actually offered to trade it plus $40 for my Penetrator500.
...I still have the Penetrator500(wink wink, nudge nudge)
Now, all you have to do is FIND a Penetrator500...!!!
Good luck & 73,
Dx89 |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 890
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 5:24 pm: |
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I knew of only one person around here that
had a Penetrator 500, god rest his soul he
is deceased now.
But, that thing did perform well.
I had one years ago, but, didn't know how
to set it up correctly, so, i sold it.
Kicking myself now for sure. |
26_op_141
Member
Username: 26_op_141
Post Number: 53
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 6:26 am: |
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Nice face for radio,
I’m not sure how you conducted your tests but when I tested the original Avanti Sigma 4 against the Golden Pentrator I did it in free space in a field away from peoples homes and used the same freq, coax, radio, power and mast for each test. Taking one antenna down and putting the other one in its place. This was repeated several times to see that signals remained constant. The 6 RX stations giving my TX were reports were all at least 35 miles away in 4 different directions. I noted their TX also.No RX station knew which antenna was being used. They were referred to antenna 1 and 2. (Its surprising how many people are bias over different brands!)
I know it’s not the most scientific way of seeing what’s best. I don’t have any field equipment or meters to do this but at least its a good comparison.
There are so many variable factors that can change what you believe is to be the best. I think all you can do is try an antenna in your location and see what works best for 'you'.
PS. The original Avanti Sigma 4 is 3/4 wave where as the Sirio Vector 4000 is 7/8.Even the basket is different to that of the original. I’ve yet to compare the two antennas back to back.
73
Tim
26 OP 141
Oreint Pirate Radio Group
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Marconi
Intermediate Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 471
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 11:26 am: |
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Why don't you give us some results, being as you went to all that trouble? Some of us like such reports. |
Road_kill_radio
New member
Username: Road_kill_radio
Post Number: 7
Registered: 7-2011
| | Posted on Saturday, August 04, 2012 - 9:14 am: |
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Guess that new gainmaster beats all or at least keeps up with the vector and the penetrator500. Maybe i'll try a new vector and a new penetrator500 just to see if the new ones do any better. |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 1873
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 07, 2012 - 5:20 pm: |
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the gain master only slightly outdoes a p-500
and the vector 4000 may or maynot keep up with a
p-500 .but at 31 feet long id be afraid of putting that up. a good ice storm here in pa might snap it
so imho its either a gain master or p-500
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Philuk
Junior Member
Username: Philuk
Post Number: 36
Registered: 4-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, August 18, 2012 - 3:39 pm: |
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Hi Gonzo, here in the UK I had the commtel 444 which is also 31ft and the same design but built like a tank, infact I still use the bottom tube as a mounting pole for smaller antennas like the A99 (that shows how strong it was) the rest is now spare parts for another commtel 444 in Ireland. The antenna was so quiet when I first put it up in place of my A99 I thought it was broken, I turned the volume up to check the rig and swr then somebody gave a call, I got such a fright I dropped the microphone. It was a realy good antenna both rx and tx but the physical size was a problem with my neighbours so it had to go.
Sadly missed antenna.
73s
Phil
M6MRP Yaesu FT817nd, FT840 FT51R.
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Bootymonster
New member
Username: Bootymonster
Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 10:23 pm: |
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the vector is not a j-pole .
"This antenna is perhaps the least understood of all FM broadcast antennas. Some have suggested it's just a J-Pole and that the bottom section does not radiate. Some argue the cone is a non radiating transmission line to feed the top section. Others mistake it as a 3/4 wave ground plane that would allow the bottom 1/4 wave of the main vertical section to radiate in a deconstructive phase and create a peak gain about 45 degrees above the horizon. None of these theories correctly describe the manner in which this antenna functions. .......... "
i built my own from scratch because i wanted one that is strong physically and it's done well for me |
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