| Author |
Message |
    
Gage
Intermediate Member
Username: Gage
Post Number: 158
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 7:24 pm: | 
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HI all!
Well the Smoking GunnII came down a few weeks ago and was repalced by the Maco 103C.
Yes I was a big Jo-Gunn fan however I could not get the horizontal side to work right no matter what I did.
So I put up a the Maco 103C and have no problems.Its been up about two weeks.
Yes I know I will get input from the anteena guy but I knew this would happen.
Take care all!!Gage |
Chainsawiowa
Junior Member
Username: Chainsawiowa
Post Number: 20
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 8:10 pm: |
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Hey I had one also tried it for 1 month didnt have any problems putting it together very easy. I just didnt care for it. The boom length is not long so you wont get any rejection at all. I made contacts with it but the Maco is far superior to the Jo Gounn Smoking II any day. |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 582
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 8:25 am: |
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We had 2 guys around my area that tried
the Smoking Gunn II and both took them
back down and replaced them with something
else. I have another friend who has a JOGunn
5 element conventional. Personally, JoGunn
Fibs too much about gain and audio gain
stuff for me. And i don't care much for them
using a shorter boom on there antennas.
One less element and all of them spaced
correctly would do just as good as all
those elements they crammed on a shorter
boom. And the Price of those Antennas!
I will give them credit for strong construction
of there antennas, but, thats it...LOL
JIM/ PA/ CEF 375
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Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2678
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 12:43 pm: |
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You meen JOGUNN would LIE? what's next. But Jogunn is not alone just the best at it ..... Remember Yagi and Uda the 2 japanees who invented these antennas also had a good idea on how they worked and even with computers only minor improvments have been made.
YAGI'S basic rule .....
Gain is determined by boom length and proper number of elements.
They found basic gain was as follows.....
2 elms 3DBD gain
3 elms 6DBD gain
6 elms 9DBD gain
O and no audio gain ....... thats a JOGUNN thing. |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 587
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 4:41 pm: |
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Yeah, they all fib about gain ect. i'll
agree with that. LOL...
But, some are just better than others.LOL
By the way Bruce how much audio gain do
your antennas have??? just wondering...lol
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Gage
Intermediate Member
Username: Gage
Post Number: 159
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 9:14 pm: |
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BRUCE
You dont know how much that hurt me too admit to the Smoking GunnII was not the antenna I thought it was!!!
Take Care ALL!!Gage |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2685
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 9:33 pm: |
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gage
The rule of you cant get something for nothing applys to antennas too! |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2689
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 7:19 am: |
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Gage .....
Many years ago the HAMS were in the same boat. Antennas were increasing in gain as fast as the ADD companys could change the ADDS.
Cushcraft was one of the worst offenders the 11 elm cushcraft 2 meter beam is good for about 11DBD.
WELL HYGAIN clamed that their 8 elm had 13! SO cushcraft went to DBI and added 3 DB ground enhansment and now the 11 elm had 16 DB gain ..... not to be outdone HYGAIN added the ground enhansment and measured the gain in FROUNT TO BACK not foward so now it was 28 DB!
At that point QST, 73, CQ and HAM RADIO MAGs REFUSED to print gain figures for any antenna and only recenly have you seen the gain figures printed again and they are referanced to DBD or DBI.
A Small company that made " RUBBER DUCKYS " for 2 meters had some fun they ran a add .....186DB* gain on 146 mhz!!!!!!
* over a wet noodle down a 1000 foot well .....
It got the point across. |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 589
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 10:56 am: |
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I have a friend who has a JoGUNN 6 element
conventional and he also says about poor
rear rejection on that monster, compared
to the moonraker 6 and Maco Laser 400 he
once owned. The Quad (wire) reflector makes
a difference in rear rejection.
JoGUNN has pre-drilled element holes through
there booms, so, playing with element spacing
to achieve a tighter rear rejection would
not be a easy task. Drilling other holes would
weaken the boom.
JIM/ PA/ CEF 375 |
Chainsawiowa
Junior Member
Username: Chainsawiowa
Post Number: 22
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 4:49 pm: |
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I wanted to add to my previous comment, The Jo Gunn line is made of very strong rigid material, Long lasting parts with very good ideas as far as water proofing and very good directions with easy put together pieces. Well thought out packaging from the manufacturer to the buyer. Customer servece was outstanding and listened and was very positive with their replies. Its hard to get customer service like that anymore ! Anyway Im a firm beiever you need Boom Length to get response ! With that said I guess you can send my JoGunn 6 Star for the input thanks !! |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2693
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 6:36 pm: |
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Chainsawiowa .......
Ask customer service for the E and H planes and for the formular for audio gain .....
Then go ask cushcraft ......
Wana bet cushcraft publishes theirs......
http://www.cushcraft.com/amateur/details.asp?catid=11 |
Pig040
Advanced Member
Username: Pig040
Post Number: 792
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 11:15 am: |
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Bruce,
I dont care about the fancy numbers, I care that my JoGunn outperforms similar Maaco antennas that I have owned! I am surprised you guys dont like the smoking gunn, I have had several of the people in Cleve using them, and they sounded great, dont know how well they did on skip though.
Rich |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2708
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 6:32 pm: |
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Ill beleve that when i see a controled range test. The BEST antennas ive ever used were the Hygains they were outstanding on 10 and 6 with clean patterns. well made mine lasted almost 20 years and my new one for 2 meters ( 15 elm ) will be going up this summer and its built just as well.
 |
Ajm1571
Junior Member
Username: Ajm1571
Post Number: 24
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 10:24 pm: |
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My brother in law is running a set of Smokin Gunn's and he only lives about 20 miles from me an i can here him but not like i could when he was runnin a ol maco 5/8! I am not impressed with any JO Gunn antenna as I have not heard any real good things about them. But I can not say much cause all I have is a ol antron 99...lol
Allen
CEF565 |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2720
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 7:45 am: |
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Allen
My problem is after 40+ years as a licensed HAM and 45 being on CB radio I just dont trust any place that can't back up what it sells with facts. JOGUNN says that the antennas have audio gain but there is no such thing .... it dosn't exsist.
Jogunn's posted gain is not possible even if tried in a lab could not be done much less in the real world .... and the end user is PAYING for gain ...... and led to beleve the audio gain thing too.
The facts are 2 things determin MAX gain The number of elements and the length of the boom
And thoes are well documented by NBS, ARRL, LARSON and YAGI/UDA.
A good link for measured gain is this ....
http://www.csvhfs.org/ant/CSANT04.HTML
Go look at what was measured in the real world! |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 600
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 10:26 am: |
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With the advancements of Antenna modeling,
they have found that boom length is
actually more important than the number
of elements: example: 5 elements on a
17 ft boom, you can put 4 elements on that
17ft boom spaced correctly and still achieve
close to the same performance.
JOGunns are just a simple Yagi Beam with
a dipole antenna driving it.
They follow the same rules as all beam
antennas. There's no magic!
JIM/ PA/ CEF 375
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Pig040
Advanced Member
Username: Pig040
Post Number: 793
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 9:36 am: |
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Well the way I look at it, is if the JoGunn performs the same as similar antennas, but is built so much stronger, I still would prefer the stronger antenna, given the fact, as you all say, it performs the same! I would love to try a Jay in the Mohave antenna, it on my wish list!
Rich |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 2734
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 11:38 am: |
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PIG ......
When they become honest i'll get off there case ...
BTY I love a DI-6 mosley 6 meter vertical but it cost about the same as jays antenna ...... Ill stick to my ringo. |
Purplehaze
Member
Username: Purplehaze
Post Number: 58
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 1:42 am: |
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for 11 meter it is just hard to beat stacked 5 maco's sorry.for rotor use and performance and gain ... and no frezzing little wires to mess with in a storm.. |
477
Intermediate Member
Username: 477
Post Number: 131
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2005 - 2:20 am: |
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I will be using my Smoking Gunn II to make contacts let me know how it preforms?
Thanks
CEF:227 Lewistown,Pennsylvania.
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Gage
Intermediate Member
Username: Gage
Post Number: 164
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2005 - 7:44 am: |
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477
Let me know how your horizontal works.I could not keep the radials by the mast tight enough I tried lots of things and just got sick of taking the antenna up and down.I hope you have very good luck with your antenna.
Take care Gage |
477
Intermediate Member
Username: 477
Post Number: 132
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2005 - 3:45 pm: |
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Gage I have no problem with mine you can try sanding
the end of the elements before you connect them to the boom.
I hope that will help it will also help with the swr.
I do know when Pig040 4-element Smoking JoGuNN sound great when come in my radio.
CEF:227 Pa. |
477
Intermediate Member
Username: 477
Post Number: 133
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2005 - 3:52 pm: |
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The rest of today I am going to be using Horizontal only.
CEF:227 Lewistown,Pennsylvania. |
Kb9umt_don_123
Member
Username: Kb9umt_don_123
Post Number: 60
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 10:22 am: |
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Sorry folks but I'm with Bruce (also a long time CBer/Ham 30+yrs...would love for others to see a side by side test also)....if you want to buy into JoGunn's hipe then go spend more $$$...but you will save money and be ahead of the game using Avanti/Wilson/Maco yagi/beams in my opinion. I have ran all types of these and JoGunn has a few good points but mainly hipe in my expierence. For those of you with JoGunn can't wait till you take those down in 4 to 6 years of service and find that the hardware will be rusty...welding joints the same...gain was also a hipe and the Moonraker/Macos were as good or better than the JoGunn for less money....doing the forumlas the shorter booms just don't increase gain on the JoGunns...want a big signal then get the longer boom antennas or stack them. Here is how I see the JoGunn and I ran a couple of them...the good and bad and ugly:
The bad:
Gain=Hipe
AudioGain=Joke
Hardware=Poor at best
Rejection=Not as good as Moonraker
Weight=HEAVY..almost too heavy
Price=OVERPRICED
the good
Square boom=not a bad idea
Larger diameter elements=stronger (but adds heavy load)
the ugly
Taking one down in a few years to find what you really paid for...or paid too much for.
My money would be spend on Avanti/Wilson/Maco products vs the false advertising of JoGunn...and this comes from someone that actually used all these types antennas.
de kb9umt Don 123
http://www.HamRadioHelp.com |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 893
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 6:52 pm: |
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If i ever use a beam again, will build my
own. We have built a couple for other guys
using a Maco Boom, Maco spacing, homemade heavy duty boom clamps, Jo Gunn sized thicker Aluminum elements and good hardware.
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Bburck
Junior Member
Username: Bburck
Post Number: 42
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 07, 2005 - 9:24 am: |
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I once built a 3 element horizontal beam using Fence top rail as the boom and some left over elements from my Lazer 400 i once had up ( i took it down, and made a M105 out of it) i used Maco's measurements from the web and the homemade 3 element worked very well.... |
