5 1/2' Francis issues?

[theshortcircuit]

For over ten years I've sworn by the 5.5' Francis coupled thru a good 18' coax in my work rig. But in the last 6 months I've experienced a new one of these having epoxy failure at the ferrule and it's replacment showing a poor swr in spite of replacing every other component in the line trying to find a solution.

Both of these were orange antenna and I guess I'm posting this wondering if others are also experiencing issues with new Francis antennas? Yea I know warranty would probably have covered at least one of the antenna, but by the time I paid shipping to return it to Francis.

 

[secret squirrel]

I am running a black Francis 5 1/2 footer with a ball mount and 6 inch spring on my Subaru. SWR is even on 1 and 40. It gets beaten by low tree limbs on a regular basis. There is a previous posting on the forum that Barjan was having some problems with the ferrules and that was why they stopped maling the 9 foot Amazer.

 

[Mr Clean]

I like the Fransis 5.5. Have heard the Skipshooter Antennas are very good also. They have a 5.5. Check them out!

 

[Chainsawgang]

I started putting gorilla glue around the ferrule on the new Francis antennas before I connect them . The gorrilla glue is messy be careful & be warned it expands as it sets up ! The quality is not what is was before BARJAN bought them . I don't know what is up with the SWR issues . Is this a new install or just a switch out ??

 

[Slowmover]

Bought a CB26 yesterday (new, old stock) as 5.5’ is a length in an antenna I didn’t own.

Gets me to 14’ in clearance on the Peterbilt (that length a worthy goal, IMO, as the trailer sits 13’5” in needed clearance).


1). Francis always had the reputation of not needing tuning for acceptable SWR. Anyone ever have to change one? (SWR good, here).

2). So, they break at the ferrule and Gorilla Glue staves that off?

3). How about custom-cut coax length? Leaving aside the merit arguments, anyone ever follow those recommendations and experience a difference?

4). What experience when compared to a top load (no other changes)?

I’ll be running over the weekend, but CB is quiet compared to weekdays when local guys are hard at work.

(Test is against the shorter 5’ Skipshooter also on board; it might get 2” above the trailer height versus the 7” the Francis has).

Antenna is mounted on starboard spot mirror on upper door/window frame.

5). General thoughts on “noise”?

.

 

[Slowmover]

Too noisy. Didn’t make it 30-miles the shorter Skipshooter was reinstalled.

Francis antennas haven’t lived to to good reviews in my use.

Maybe back pre-Barjan . . .

 

[Slowmover]

Sold!!

Found a hard-working ex-Marine trying to get a door-mounted Wilson 2000 working. Brought over SWR METER and the Francis. $10 later his problem solved.

Runs dedicated freight to dollar stores. Unloads. (Grinding work). Unassuming and great attitude. So he also drove off with my prepped KES-5 from the backup radio case.

Man has five children at home. Oldest is thirteen. Fifteen years The Corps and four years a driver. Was excited he’d gotten a near-new GALAXY 939 proudly installed in a new Cascadia. (This part really got to me and what he represents; that speaker grew legs and jumped out the rear window of the Pete).

You, too, would be happy to have him as relative or neighbor. (That job doesn’t pay what it should).

Recommended the tilt PRO COMM mount plus a 6’ or 7’ Skipshooter. Hope he follows up on that and better-routed quality coax.

That was near Aiken. He’s in heavy traffic daily. Not tooting his own horn, I’m just describing him for you. (I’d go nuts in that kind of DAILY traffic; this guys the genuine thing, “hard working truck driver”).

Mentioned the KL203. (That’d do it for the work he does; complete the radio rig).

I think I caught him on the right day.

Plenty of good radios and radio traffic where he runs. I’m gonna pack a spare SRA-198 I ever see him again. (Those speakers and mics I each bought in a lot of five). Talk to him about getting a base set up so the kids and he can try out RADIO!!

.

 

[secret squirrel]

I have always had a similar experience with Francis antennas. The TX and RX is good. The noise floor is higher, seems to just pick up more noise. It was not a big issue last application that I used one, just had to remember there was a trade off. The trade off was I wanted an antenna that would take a beating at the time. I tuned the antenna by cutting with hack saw at the tip, then glued the caps on with Gorilla Glue when finished tuning.

 

[Slowmover]

I have always had a similar experience with Francis antennas. The TX and RX is good. The noise floor is higher, seems to just pick up more noise. It was not a big issue last application that I used one, just had to remember there was a trade off. The trade off was I wanted an antenna that would take a beating at the time. I tuned the antenna by cutting with hack saw at the tip, then glued the caps on with Gorilla Glue when finished tuning.

Thx.