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Maco Comet Antenna

N8MJS

Member
May 19, 2018
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Is the Maco Comet a better option than the Maco M103HV for 11 meters?
I wanting to use the vertical side for in my state base to base or base to mobile contacts and the horizontal side for out of state and or DX or even someone in my state running horizontal a yagi as well.
The price point for the 2 is very close.
I notice the Comet has a better front to back ratio than the M103HV.
The gain is somewhat similar although I never believe any gain figure or multiplication factor from a 11 meter antenna manufacture.
I don't have room for a large boom yagi and prefer the smaller size of the 3 element.
I currently have a Cushcraft 10-3 yagi horizontally mounted near the bottom of my mast on my tower.
I wonder if I could keep that with a maco comet mounted at the top of my mast?
 

Is the Maco Comet a better option than the Maco M103HV for 11 meters?
I wanting to use the vertical side for in my state base to base or base to mobile contacts and the horizontal side for out of state and or DX or even someone in my state running horizontal a yagi as well.
The price point for the 2 is very close.
I notice the Comet has a better front to back ratio than the M103HV.
The gain is somewhat similar although I never believe any gain figure or multiplication factor from a 11 meter antenna manufacture.
I don't have room for a large boom yagi and prefer the smaller size of the 3 element.
I currently have a Cushcraft 10-3 yagi horizontally mounted near the bottom of my mast on my tower.
I wonder if I could keep that with a maco comet mounted at the top of my mast?

As long as the elements from the two antennas have a couple of feet of spacing you should be OK.I have four yagi antennas on my tower for different bands & I have no issues.Three are horizontal & one is vertical.

SIX-SHOOTER
 
I used to have a Sirio 3 element cb antenna horizontally polarized. I heard they do not work well at all when vertically polarized. I never tried mine.
It was a good working antenna for DX.
Since there is not a lot of skip conditions and it is very sporadic I feel having a vertical 3 element beam would also be very beneficial to talk farther distances to people within my state.
Right now I have an IMAX 2000. It is working fine but in state range is very limited. Probably keep the IMAX 2000 around for its amateur radio and its omni directional aspect.
 
Avoid all 3 element vertical yagi beams because their driven element sits right next to the supporting mast. It's just too close to provide good performance and have noted that the Y-quad and PDL-II both outperformed the Comet on the vertical side with only 2 elements. The biggest problem is trying to get the VSWR flat on a vertical 3 element beam with that mast in the way. The coax and loop around the rotor also changes the VSWR as it moves due to its close location to the element.

If you manage to get the match right, the performance is still compromised by the mast more than any other 11 meter beam. One of the problems is that in most cases the mast is only parallel with the lower set of elements and that causes an uneven reflection with upward beam tilt and a higher angle of radiation that is not on the horizon. Extending the mast beyond that point makes the coupling to the driven element stronger but it does correct the undesired beam tilt.

It's worth adding that there was one 3 element vertical beam that designed a way around this problem. It was called the Asrto Beam and used a flared out coaxial radiator as the lower portion of the driven element. This wrapped around the mast a provided a better pattern with less VSWR problems. With the mast inside the coaxial sleeve it virtually eliminated any interaction here.
 
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Avoid all 3 element vertical yagi beams because their driven element sits right next to the supporting mast. It's just too close to provide good performance and have noted that the Y-quad and PDL-II both outperformed the Comet on the vertical side with only 2 elements. The biggest problem is trying to get the VSWR flat on a vertical 3 element beam with that mast in the way. The coax and loop around the rotor also changes the VSWR as it moves due to its close location to the element.

If you manage to get the match right, the performance is still compromised by the mast more than any other 11 meter beam. One of the problems is that in most cases the mast is only parallel with the lower set of elements and that causes an uneven reflection with upward beam tilt and a higher angle of radiation that is not on the horizon. Extending the mast beyond that point makes the coupling to the driven element stronger but it does correct the undesired beam tilt.

It's worth adding that there was one 3 element vertical beam that designed a way around this problem. It was called the Asrto Beam and used a flared out coaxial radiator as the lower portion of the driven element. This wrapped around the mast a provided a better pattern with less VSWR problems. With the mast inside the coaxial sleeve it virtually eliminated any interaction here.
i used the bottom part of a realistic crossbow antenna for the mast for my beam,,, fiberglass and very strong,,, its been in the air almost 20 years and went thru hurricaine francis and irma,, which time i did have to take down and repair the beam but the mast stayed strong,,,,
 
Avoid all 3 element vertical yagi beams because their driven element sits right next to the supporting mast. It's just too close to provide good performance and have noted that the Y-quad and PDL-II both outperformed the Comet on the vertical side with only 2 elements. The biggest problem is trying to get the VSWR flat on a vertical 3 element beam with that mast in the way. The coax and loop around the rotor also changes the VSWR as it moves due to its close location to the element.

If you manage to get the match right, the performance is still compromised by the mast more than any other 11 meter beam. One of the problems is that in most cases the mast is only parallel with the lower set of elements and that causes an uneven reflection with upward beam tilt and a higher angle of radiation that is not on the horizon. Extending the mast beyond that point makes the coupling to the driven element stronger but it does correct the undesired beam tilt.

It's worth adding that there was one 3 element vertical beam that designed a way around this problem. It was called the Asrto Beam and used a flared out coaxial radiator as the lower portion of the driven element. This wrapped around the mast a provided a better pattern with less VSWR problems. With the mast inside the coaxial sleeve it virtually eliminated any interaction here.

Maybe I just get the Y-quad.
Will a 4 element Maco on the vertical side still have problems the mast distortion?
 
Maybe I just get the Y-quad.
Will a 4 element Maco on the vertical side still have problems the mast distortion?
Forget the 4 element Maco.
Looking at Maco Y-quad.
How do Gizmotchy antennas fair?
I notice on the Gizmotchy, the vertical elements do not go straight through the boom like a traditional yagi.
Could that be away around the metallic mast pipe interference a 3 element yagi will have?
I really want something with vertical and horizontal elements.
 
I was looking at the Maco but now I am leaning towards the L2 quad.
http://www.lightningantennas.com
If you live in a area where there's lot's of wind...better keep looking! I had the L4 for a while (There's pictures of my antenna set-up on Lightnings site)

Problem with the Lightning Quads is the wire they use...It's a solid core wire, and where it's attached at the spreaders causes the wire to have a slight bend to it...well, after a while of flexing in the wind, the wire ends up breaking...Then you have to bring it down, and figure out the best way to re-attach the two ends...

Heck of a antenna tho...but they just don't like strong winds...Not real sure how well they handle ice build-up either...right after I put mine up the first time we got a freezing rain storm, and it handled that ok, but the ice was all gone in a day...If it had to be coated in ice for a longer period of time ,it might have been a different story.

Replaced my L4 with the MaCo Shooting Star, and have had no problems with it...

My L4 right after I put it up
zXweKpx.jpg


My MaCo Shooting Star
Vy7ak9R.jpg
 
I can't say enough good things about the Shooting Star antenna. Put one together 20 years ago according to the instructions. Figured it would take a while to set the VSWR on both sides once it was up. To my surprise it was spot on just using the factory measurements. It replaced a MoonRaker IV that gave me such problems setting the vertical VSWR, I gave it away to the next person who wanted to try and try.
 
If you live in a area where there's lot's of wind...better keep looking! I had the L4 for a while (There's pictures of my antenna set-up on Lightnings site)

Problem with the Lightning Quads is the wire they use...It's a solid core wire, and where it's attached at the spreaders causes the wire to have a slight bend to it...well, after a while of flexing in the wind, the wire ends up breaking...Then you have to bring it down, and figure out the best way to re-attach the two ends...

Heck of a antenna tho...but they just don't like strong winds...Not real sure how well they handle ice build-up either...right after I put mine up the first time we got a freezing rain storm, and it handled that ok, but the ice was all gone in a day...If it had to be coated in ice for a longer period of time ,it might have been a different story.

Replaced my L4 with the MaCo Shooting Star, and have had no problems with it...

My L4 right after I put it up
zXweKpx.jpg


My MaCo Shooting Star
Vy7ak9R.jpg
Is your mast metallic?
It looks like pvc from the pic of both antennas.
Shooting star looks vert nice.
 
Is your mast metallic?
It looks like pvc from the pic of both antennas.
Shooting star looks vert nice.
no it's aluminum...plus has a steal top-rail fence post inside it for added strength.

I also added a rubber-donut to the mast right before it go's into the top section of the tower to keep water out...Before I put that donut on water would get between the top of the tower and mast, then freeze in freezing weather and I couldn't turn the antenna till the temperature warmed-up and melted the water...haven't had that problem sense adding the rubber donut...all it is, is a roofing flange that go's around air vent pipes on the roof of your house...just took off the rubber boot and stuck it on the mast...also helps keep the grease I put in the top section from getting washed out.

021276046Vent-thumb-16x9.jpg
 
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I was looking at the Maco but now I am leaning towards the L2 quad.
http://www.lightningantennas.com

Did you buy the L2? I've been looking at it and the L4. I haven't noticed much info on the web. I was also looking at the ones made by Cubex, but after two emails and 3 voicemails, I've yet to hear back. I suppose they are still in business.

The L2 is half the weight of the Cubex 2 element.
 
Did you buy the L2? I've been looking at it and the L4. I haven't noticed much info on the web. I was also looking at the ones made by Cubex, but after two emails and 3 voicemails, I've yet to hear back. I suppose they are still in business.

The L2 is half the weight of the Cubex 2 element.
Have not made any decisions yet. I keep bouncing between the L4 and the Maco 5 element. The wire elements on the quads vs aluminum tubes on the Maco, I want to put it up and never take it down and I don't know how long wire elements will last with my weather. Leaning towards the Maco 5.
 
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