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Maco Laser 400 vs Maco Laser 500

I'm sure he's discovered the manual... I think he's looking for reviews, first hand owner accounts and such.

I know of two old dudes that have the 500's. Both are still in the air, but with damage. Not sure, but I believe both guys are dead. I first noticed them back in the early 90's when I moved to the area (I've since moved from there around 8 years ago). I remember talking to them. One guy was on a high Ridge in Athens County. He ruled the area and ran a few watts. Seemed like he could work just about any station. The other guy lived a few air miles away, but in a small hick town surrounded by high hills. He did okay.

I know they both always had trouble with the lower elements breaking or coming loose. They were out of service frequently. I've never seen one up close to observe construction or quality. A big antenna like that takes determination to keep it up and operating. Much depends on your areas climate. I think the 400/500 series are shitty quality and expensive. I'd still go with a good quality big ass quad.
 
you won't go wrong with either antenna if you can afford all the nickle and dime stuff that comes along with the instalation. the 400 and 500 are amazing perfomers. as with the rotator make sure you don't go cheap and try to cut corners it will dampen the great experiance you'll have with either antenna always get a rotator that is one or two sizes larger then the antenna calls for the ratings from th manufactors are minimum. make sure your support will with stand any extreme weather you ay have in your area. another option you may want to look at if you start running into budget questions is Maco makes a 5 element dual polarity antenna the 5 element HV it's a straight 5 element yagi with out the quad reflector you won't see much if any diffrence between it and the 400 & 500
 
Just something to think about........once the newness wears off, you will get tired of spinning that big antenna just so you can use the vertical on local.....
 
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I like melting ear wax(beams).I also like a vertical. Yes on getting a rotor big enough for the job. Presently,I run a tv rotor for my stacked deep fringe VHF/uhf/fm log periodical antennas. I'm on my second rotor and it's gone plus get a strong enough wind it will turn the antenna. While I''m at it,anyone one got suggestions for a real rotor for when I design and build my CP antenna?
 
thank you for all the replies. Yes i am looking for real user reviews, Where I live all the local talking I do is behind me. So i can set the antenna in one spot and talk to the locals I want too.

when you say you would get a big quad... which antenna do you mean specifically? I have a buddy a few miles from me that has the maco shooting star ( new version of the moonraker 4 ) and he talks local with it quite well ( same location as me )

I run around 1200 rms output and looking to be able to talk skip with the best of them. Im leaning more towards the 400 because of the weight, its 40 pounds vs 70. and the extra gain Im not sure is worth the hassle
 
I talked with some guy that I talk to on the CB. He's got a 400 that he bought but hasn't put together yet. He said that on Maco's you would want to replace the two piece boom with a single extruded aluminum boom. Extra$$$ He'll have his on a hinged mast in order to lower it when storms come so it won't get damaged. Presently he runs a vertical above a set of flat side beams.
 
If you insist on having vertical as well as horizontal polarisation.
You will be best of with that big ass quad of m42 hihi.

The quad has less issues with the mast...providing better overall performance.
And that is something noticable.

And guys,
From my point of view, Its not that antennas havn't changed much the last decade.
They have... in antenna terms(especially beams).
Very large improvments have been made.

It is the expectation of the user which is overrated.
1dB difference on paper is large...1dB difference in real life is negliable.

Pehaps a bit similair to playing football.
You can have the "best" game in you back yard...but when your up in the superbowl..everything counts..

kind regards,

H
 
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When selecting a Yagi, especially one for 27MHz, you should look for something with a very wide and flat SWR curve. The 'V' shaped SWR curve we have become used to is important as this is not the only parameter to vary greatly over it's given range. Typically, Impedance, F/B and gain vary greatly over the quoted bandwidth range too which means accurate or not, the quoted performance figures are correct for just a very small portion of any given bandwidth.

Ask you manufacture to give you plots for top, bottom and middle of the band along with predicted (software) and actual impedance curves of the built antenna. If the actual plots are very close to the predicted model and the equipment it was measured on was a professional analyser, it is much more likely the manufacture is a serious builder with the correct equipment and facilities to build antennas that replicate model.

If you want to build an antenna for 27MHz with exceptional performance, let me know.

Justin G0KSC
Free Yagi Antenna Designs for Ham Radio
 
Innovantennas said:
When selecting a Yagi, especially one for 27MHz, you should look for something with a very wide and flat SWR curve. The 'V' shaped SWR curve we have become used to is important as this is not the only parameter to vary greatly over it's given range. Typically, Impedance, F/B and gain vary greatly over the quoted bandwidth range too which means accurate or not, the quoted performance figures are correct for just a very small portion of any given bandwidth.

Ask you manufacture to give you plots for top, bottom and middle of the band along with predicted (software) and actual impedance curves of the built antenna. If the actual plots are very close to the predicted model and the equipment it was measured on was a professional analyser, it is much more likely the manufacture is a serious builder with the correct equipment and facilities to build antennas that replicate model.

If you want to build an antenna for 27MHz with exceptional performance, let me know.

Justin G0KSC
Free Yagi Antenna Designs for Ham Radio
Click to expand...

What a coincidence. Just the other day I Googled the word "balun" and was looking for images of such applications. I found the site below. I thought it told a story that was not muddled with a lot of theory speak, science, and math formulas beyond some common sense understanding. The author also wrote his words well too, IMO.

I can't say I understood every thing written there, but I think he did a great job...for sure compared to the way some other things in this hobby tend to go.

I particularly enjoyed his little talk and demo about modeling in this article, and the images and the simple explanations he gave...to help us better consider what we were seeing with modeling and currents.

Well members, here we have a well spring of information and knowledge.

Welcome to the forum, G0KSC.

Creating a balun
 
I run the h/v 5 element and it works great. Going bigger gets you very little for the money spent. Make sure and spend extra for a strong mast. Peace!
 
Been there done that with a Laser 400. 45 lbs. and 40 feet long antenna over the house is enough to make most people a little nervous. Even though I had a top of the line rotor and control, the winds we get here in Oklahoma can sure make an antenna dance. I wouldn't suggest that anyone have only a set of beans up because it will get a little old having to rotate the antenna every time you want see if you can talk to someone at a distance. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't take a lot to wear out a rotor if it's not set up just right.

The Laser 400 sure could get the job done though.
 

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