| Author |
Message |
    
Guardian
Junior Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 42
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 14, 2007 - 11:00 am: | 
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? what kind of wire can i use on the moonracker 4 the one i got did not come with any .Thanks |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3791
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 14, 2007 - 6:03 pm: |
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14 guage stranded bare copper |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 13895
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, June 14, 2007 - 8:03 pm: |
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Guardian,
For factory Moonraker replacement wire direct from Copper Electronics:
A/S Part # (518-1311-1)
CLICK HERE > A/S 518-1311-1 Copper Roll Wire
Hope this help's,
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Guardian
Junior Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 43
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 11:58 am: |
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why bare can it have the cover on it . |
Guardian
Junior Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 44
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 1:52 pm: |
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ok i am new to the beam antennas but do u need to have the wire on the back element on the moonracker 4 and if you do not use one what will happen. |
Marconi
Advanced Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 733
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 2:23 pm: |
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Hey Guardian, not much will happen except you wasting a lot of time and money. Just order the wire as 808 suggest or follow Pat's advice and be done with it.
You are not going to improve or fix the Moonraker by changing it now. It has worked well for many years just as the instructions describe and that includes a specific wire on the back element.
Cover on the wire will work too, but it may change the characteristics a bit and you will have to know what you are doing to fix that. With that said, it also depends on the added weight to some extent.
Good luck! |
Captian_radio
Intermediate Member
Username: Captian_radio
Post Number: 229
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 2:41 pm: |
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Wire with insulation will work but you have to make it shorter as the insulation adds a capacitive effect making the wire look longer electrically.Like Marconi said its a waste of money, bare works just fine.
CEF451/VE1CZ
Robert L. Spicer The days of radio are just beginning!
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Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 814
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 2:52 pm: |
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If the antenna is designed to bare wire use bare wire. Using covered wire will change the length of wire required to acheive resonance and the different length may not fit properly.
Simon
Tech237
KD7IEB
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3794
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 5:23 pm: |
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you CAN leave the wire off, BUT, you have to remove the fiberglas spreaders & replace them with the proper length aluminum. the 'raker & the maco's are not QUADS, but YAGI's with QUAD relectors. removing the wire would make it like the newer maco HV103 & HV104, which are still just dual polarity yagi's. the quad reflector SHOULD provide more gain & rejection then just a yagi reflector element. |
Captian_radio
Intermediate Member
Username: Captian_radio
Post Number: 230
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 7:15 pm: |
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Why not leave the reflector with the wire on it and change the driven element to a quad loop, then you will have what's called a quagi.It's a cross between a quad and a yagi.By having the driven element as a loop you will see more gain and it will be quieter because a closed loop or quad picks up much less man made noise, you should find that the directivity will improve also
CEF451/VE1CZ
Robert L. Spicer The days of radio are just beginning!
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Guardian
Junior Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 49
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - 3:08 pm: |
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can u order the piece for the gamma rod the antenna i got only had one so i can nly go vert or horz. also which is better do use vert or horz. |
Bigwheel
Junior Member
Username: Bigwheel
Post Number: 45
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - 7:44 pm: |
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i think they only sell the elements for the moonraker might just have to search online to find a gamma match or pieces for it as far as which is better vert.or horz. it just depends on which you talk more local or dx.vert. normally works better for local and horz. normally works better on dx. i too have a moonraker and the reflector wire broke on it.i'm going to be moving it so i'll replace it then. |
Guardian
Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 56
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 2:03 pm: |
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can i use solid copper wire or do i need to use the stranded wire .Guardian |
Hootyal
Intermediate Member
Username: Hootyal
Post Number: 205
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 6:26 pm: |
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The stranded wire offers more flexibility and is less likely to break/ last longer. |
Guardian
Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 69
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 12:29 am: |
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Can u use the moonracker 4 with ham radios or is it wise to get a diferent antenna to use . |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 14320
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 4:46 am: |
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Guardian,
Yes you can with a good antenna tuner you will be able to cover the 10/11/12 meter bands and more.
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Yankee
Senior Member
Username: Yankee
Post Number: 1473
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 8:02 am: |
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Guardian, are you sure it's a Moonraker 4? You mentioned it didn't have a wire on the rear elements, also you said it only had one gamma rod. The Moonraker 4 has four vertical and four horizontal elements.Plus two Gamma matching rods. Sounds simular to maybe a few other antennas, of like design.
Carl CEF-357
CVC-9 HAM-28
Flatlands of Oklahoma
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Guardian
Member
Username: Guardian
Post Number: 70
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 1:24 pm: |
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Yankee yes it is a moonracker 4 when i got it there was no wire with it and it cam with one good gamma rod and one broken one so i nee to see if i can find one from som where. Thanks everyone for all the help .Guardian |
