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Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 168
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 8:20 pm: | 
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Well so far I'm liking the S9 in the mobile but...the recieve is SO sensitive I now hear EVERYTHING including my own fuel pump...fixed that partially with a small ferrite clip at the fuel pump leads at the pump....now I only hear EVERYONE elses! As well as stop lights and ANY other electrical device around! Most of this was masked by my own pump noise as well as using the "LO" tone on my Grant to semi-squelch these hi freq noises my Wilson 2000 trucker is picking up (FWIW..grounded very well and low SWR up on the roof of my Grand Chero). The Magnum has no tone control....Most of these noises produce no noticeable S-units except for hi tension cable which wreak 4-5S unit havok as might be expected in close (30ft) proximity.
Anyone recommend a possibly quieter antenna of good quality? Hope to find something capable of at least 500w comfortably and don't care to lose db gain in a new antenna. What are ya'll using that works for you?
Recommendations? Thinking Wilson silver load (4ft?)or Astatic 3K. Been told to try the Wilson 5000 for more db AND an much improved RX/TX.
Thanks in advance~
Hank '905
CEF 559 |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1367
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 9:24 am: |
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noise GETS IN through coax as well as rf(interference)GETTING OUT through coax.
mag mount OR solid mount, i ALWAYS use THE BEST coax i can get, & make mods where needed.
the astatic 3k linear load was actually a real good antenna-i LOVED it...but for some strange reason, keep blowing 'em up! . it seemed to work as well rcv & xmit as my predator 10k. hands down BETTER then wilson 2k & 5k at keeping 'noise' at bay, as well as BETTER reception & transmit. (somewhere on copper forum i posted a test 1 day of SEVERAL antennas, the 10k & 3k were AWEFULLY close. but the 10k is on my truck NOW, has never missed a beat, & reflected power is 1%!!! which is HONEST swr of better then 1.1:1. can't beat that. & it's from 26.8 to 27.6mhz.
also have used 5' & 7' skipshooter antennas with satisfactory results. my main problem areas are rt 27 & 27a when at traffic lights or in towns with tons of flourescent lighting . not much to do about that-except get outta there fast!
also use magnum inline filter. haven't eliminated it all, & some spots are worse then others, but think coax helped most, & problem is greatly reduced over wilsons & crappy mag mounts with skinny coax. yes i use a mag mount...hope i can get out with it |
Mikefromms
Advanced Member
Username: Mikefromms
Post Number: 754
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 10:14 am: |
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Pat, when are you going to try a DX 95T with that Predatior antenna?
Oh, I didn't mean to make you sick at your stomach. LOL.....
mikefromms |
Heavyweight
Junior Member
Username: Heavyweight
Post Number: 32
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 4:34 pm: |
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Im sorry but you will not find an antenna that does not pick up all of the trash you complain about.That what happens when you have a radio and an antenna thats doing what its ment to do.As a trucker i have had the same problems myself and i have tried many things to stop this but nothing worked,it was always there. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1375
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 6:47 pm: |
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NEVER said WON'T, just said BETTER. also COAX makes a difference, crummy rg58 can have VERY LITTLE shield to it, lets as much junk in as it lets rf escape before reaching antenna. pay for GOOD quality rg8x at the very least & a difference can be noticed. went from 16+ feet rg58j(j for junk) on cheap rad shack mag mount, & 1 x 454 amp caused all kinds of grief. changed to 3 x mag mount with 12.5' of superb rg8x, bigger amp, 75% less rfi problems as well as decreased 'noise' getting in. final swap to 9013 coax & BIG amp causes no rfi to truck & only severe problems still exist-at the point where minor problems used to make radio rcv unreadable.
when pigs fly, mike? when hell freezes over? when they put magnum innards inside a galaxy case? you know what, though, on AM i'll BET that 95t would SCREAM on my predator! i just wouldn't be able to hear EVERYBODY trying to get back to me& tell me something's wrong, my radio doesn't sound as good as usual!
sorry, mike. i'm sure even 1 yugo was a good one |
Hotwire
Advanced Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 533
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 6:49 pm: |
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If you do some searches there are mods that can be done to further enhance your NB and ANL. Using a plastic coated antenna may help a bit but not much. I use the Silver Load and I will say it is a little less noisey than when I used a 102 SS whip. As Heavyweight stated, a radio such as your S-9 reciever is just so sensitive thers nothing really you can do. Also a coax upgrade may be what you need to do. |
Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 172
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 8:36 pm: |
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10-4 on ALL that shtuff..
I fer got to mention my coax...it's 4mo old RG-8X ...18ft and tested good but who knows.
Pat...2 things...I read that post of yers about the antenna tests..interesting. Still using a mag mount? Hmmmmm..thought ALL the heavyweights used hardmount? You TOTALLY blew a future question I've been pondering out of the water..always thought it was "Hardmount or NO mount". Remember being told that mag mount was temporary till you find yer sweet spot then drill the hole. I'll never think negative of Mag mount again!
Well I got no real recomendations for a new atenna SO I think I'll go into testing ($) mode and let ya'll know what I find. Astatic 3k blows Wilson 2k away huh? Hmmmm? Sounds like a try.
Pat..where are you buying TOP quality coax on the island? Or do you mail order?
Thanks to all who took the time~
BTW Pat..yer ears aren't THAT good! You didn't hear me shouting that "Charlie Echo 376" last night on .115 .....too busy with "butterbean" in another state huh?
Conditions faded for me earlier than you last night. You were still going when my sig meter sank like the Titanic!
Hank '905
CEF 559 |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1378
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 04, 2005 - 12:01 am: |
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i get coax from 2 places found in CQ or QST magazine. both 9913 & double shield rg8x. they have hand soldered & machine soldered silver/teflon amphenol pl259's(no compression types). maybe it's overkill, but then again. i keep a few of each type in various sizes laying around at all times for any testing or emergency purposes. if you're into soldering on your own ends, 213 from copper is good too.
i've used mag mounts with 3 x 8 pill amp setups with NO problems & setup dual antennas with quad-mag mounts with 6 x 16 pill amp & 3500+ watts PEP with NO SWR or ground problems. at this point i see NO reason to hard mount my predator 10k. 1% reflected power is pretty darn GOOD. i can remove antenna & mount in a matter of seconds when parking in less then desirable areas, on vacation, or just to 'feel better', & throw it all back on in another couple of seconds & my SWR's stay right where they are. & i seem to be able to 'get out' every once in awhile.
going with the astatic 3k is going to REQUIRE a 3 mag mount, or at least duct tape the front of a 5" mag to the roof, or at about 35mph you'll hear this frightening CRASH as the mount rolls over!!! it's even better when i hit branches too hard, the 10'5" RR trestle over here too fast, or run outside lanes on southern state parkway.CRASH. on LONG trips i STILL hit the front mag with some duct tape, & carry a roll with me just in case!
i still find it hard to believe you can HEAR me through ALL that noise. while i was talking to butterbean in georgia i was in BABYLON VILLAGE! that's nearly 50 miles! my 1st key i think i heard tennessee calling you, but he got squashed in the noise. wasn't over there last nite, but when cruising ocean parkway can talk to atlantic city, hear philly, delaware, have heard virginia beach at 5AM from jones beach, (no needle movement, not able to get back), & can speak to mobiles in great adventure parking lot. sunday net a couple weeks ago was parked on dock over by me, had no trouble with NJ til STARFACE started making all that noise in fla. |
Kj7gs
Junior Member
Username: Kj7gs
Post Number: 31
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 10:13 am: |
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Is your radio connected directly to the battery? |
Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 183
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 3:06 pm: |
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Sorry getting back to this thread so late!
Pat..ya killin me...gotta get a rollin over here. Perhaps the next time a little DX rolls on Sunday I'll take a few rods out to westhampton and try mobile DX / S-9 off the south shore.
As for hearing you...wish I could explain it..location location location?
You've only heard me on SSB I believe. Go figure.
Kj7gs...YES..should have mentioned the Radio is connected straight to the battery via 10gage and grounded directly to the floorboard with about 10" of same 10 gage wire.
Hank |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1400
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 5:48 pm: |
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no no no, that was AM i've heard you, hank. yesterday, too, AM 22 i believe, talking to fla. undergoing delicate operation-MY XL! couldn't key up, hadda concentrate, ya know.
last weekend we did qso on SSB, i was base. but a while back we briefly spoke til i lost you round the oakdale merge. you still said you heard me til bay shore... |
Therealporkchop
Intermediate Member
Username: Therealporkchop
Post Number: 384
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 6:22 pm: |
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Pat, that must be one more awesome antenna to flop over at 35mph. My Wilson 5000 mag mount doesn't flop over on my truck even at 85mph. And that's on the dump truck too bud! Way up there. However, I do have the tree limb problem. Thinking of switching over to the 3 or 4 mag setup. Plan on doing a coax switch then too.
I might check out that 10K antenna you're talking about. The Wilson, to me, is a great antenna, but I think there is more to be had. Due to ground problems, mirror mounts are out of the question. No matter how much ground wire I run and to what, I still get crappy SWR readings on the mirror mounts. SO mag mount will be the way to go, cause I just can't bring myself to cut a hole in the roof of my truck. |
Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 187
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 6:23 pm: |
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Sandbagger! ...caught me talking to the sandpile. Tryin to make me feel good?
How muck for the mobile?
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1406
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 05, 2005 - 8:50 pm: |
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pork, my swr's ARE LESS THEN 1.1:1, & LESS THEN 1.3:1 for NEARLY 800khz(80 channels!), 26.835-27.6 mhz. predator 10k on triple mag mount. photos are on members pics thread, but haven't posted last i looked.
it's actually VERY LIGHT WEIGHT. but, i use a 22" shaft, so the dual coils are up pretty high-LOTS of wind resistance for a small antenna. i'm reluctant to drill holes into a 6 year old vehicle, triple mag & a piece of duct tape & 1.1:1 swr's are a GOOD deal!
woulda keyed up, hank, but you were gettin' out... |
Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 195
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 7:06 pm: |
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I hear ya...BTW I meant to say "how MUCH" for your mobile. easy to take out of context given the subject matter.
Please pray for an opening before I take up golf.
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