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New Starduster Antenna

I have been using an ANTRON 99 at 30' for over 20 years & I use it from 10-17 meters with pretty good success. I have worked all over the world with it & it was a gift so I can't complain. I'd buy one as a replacement if needed because it's been thru a lot of Florida thunderstorms, a hail storm, as well as many hurricanes & tropical storms with no issues so I'll keep it. It's not perfect but it does what I need from it.
 
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Currently, my main CB antenna is the iMax-2000. It's been up for 5 years and handles the storms with no issues. For the shop, I have the A-99 and it has been up for almost 10 years - no issues. The SWR is 1.2 or less on both antennas.

As stated in an earlier post, the tuning rings should be spot on from the factory. I do have the ground plane kits for both, but never installed them. From all that I have read, you really do not need them. But who knows, maybe one day I will, just to see what happens.

A couple days ago, I ordered the Sirio 2016. It was recommended by @sp5it and after some research, looks to be well built. When up and running, I will report back. This will be my first aluminum antenna since the 70's - 80's, when I had the Avanti AV-101 Astro-Plane. Really do like that style antenna. If Tagra would have returned my emails, I would have ordered one of those.
 
I have never run a sirio base station antenna though I've had great luck with the P5000 mobile antenna. Works well and fine build quality. I have run several A99s and Imax through the years with great success. I currently run a 20 yr old Imax at 40ft to feed. For what it is.. great.

Future plans are to put up another tower and eventually try out a Sirio Vector 4k. It will be 55 ft or so at the base...will report back next summer when tower is up and see how it performs and holds up physically..
 
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I made my own from a workman hub, and pieces from an old AS starduster I had laying around. The top anti static part I made on a lathe and used welding rod for the radials..
 
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Staybolt said:
Not whatever. The a 99 is a great antenna.
Click to expand...
So is barbwire I worked WAC and many DXCC's :)
Antron 99, Solarcon 2000 and similar are very problematic, poor performing antennas. I wrote and explained that many times here in the past.
But poor antenna is still better than no antenna. Enjoy your Antron.
Mike
 
Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in after reading this article. I've had my Sirio M400 StarDuster up about 3-4 years and decide to check the SWR in this blinding snow storm we are having tonight and found I'm having less than 1.1-1 across the whole CB band even in the storm. For being in this deep narrow valley I still make contacts with it with good reports, but unfortunately because of the storm there is no signals tonight. I had a Workman M 400 Starduster before the Sirio and that worked equally as well with a low SWR until water got inside and froze & split it because they didn't put a weep hole in it. I can't even remember how long the Workman was up but probably over 10 years and I fixed it and it is ready to go again if need be. Just my 3 cents ! LOL
 
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sp5it said:
So is barbwire I worked WAC and many DXCC's 

Antron 99, Solarcon 2000 and similar are very problematic, poor performing antennas. I wrote and explained that many times here in the past.

But poor antenna is still better than no antenna. Enjoy your Antron.

Mike

Nobody cares about your ham accomplishments. And my I max and a 99 work just fine. Stop being an ass to people on here.
Click to expand...
 
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sp5it said:
So is barbwire I worked WAC and many DXCC's :)
Antron 99, Solarcon 2000 and similar are very problematic, poor performing antennas. I wrote and explained that many times here in the past.
But poor antenna is still better than no antenna. Enjoy your Antron.
Mike
Click to expand...
I keep reading that but I just keep working the World Daily with mine so why would I complain? If it's not broke I'm not going to try & fix it. {:>)
 
SIX-SHOOTER said:
I keep reading that but I just keep working the World Daily with mine so why would I complain? If it's not broke I'm not going to try & fix it. {:>)
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Good. Since you have no other antenna to compare side by side you have no clue what you are missing.
Claiming, that antenna is working great, because you worked station A or B means only that propagation was good at the time, not the antenna itself.
I'm not going to force convince anyone. I don't care. Believe anything what is convenient for you.
Endfed it's an endfed with all it's flaws, no matter brand name it's sold.
Mike
 
sp5it said:
Good. Since you have no other antenna to compare side by side you have no clue what you are missing.
Claiming, that antenna is working great, because you worked station A or B means only that propagation was good at the time, not the antenna itself.
I'm not going to force convince anyone. I don't care. Believe anything what is convenient for you.
Endfed it's an endfed with all it's flaws, no matter brand name it's sold.
Mike
Click to expand...
I’m doing it on 10-17 meters and most other Vertical CB antennas will not do so.I have local friends who have tried their base CB antennas and they will not tune and when they do they don’t talk or hear worth a crap. We live just a couple of miles apart yet they can’t work many stations that I do and the antennas are pretty much at the same height and we are all running around 100 watts output.I can’t explain it and neither can they but maybe it’s our location because that can be very important? For a POS antenna I daily work the world and 17 meters appears to be the Best for DX.
 
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