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Favorite fiberglass antenna?
- Thread starter cbshack
- Start date
Im gotta toss the Sirio GainMaster into the hat. I don't own one, but the ones I hear sound great and people seem to love them. I know (from experience in two locations) the Sirio827 crushes the A99, and I know from someone who has both that the gainmaster smokes the 827.
On my second I-Max 2000 . 1st one, 15 years standing tall, battled with overgrown tree branches during Tropical Storm winds and lost.
The problem with fiberglass is UV deterioration over time. I apply the very best Carnauba paste wax 3-4 layers. Still will not stand up to slashing tree branches.
Now use modified GPK, modified from original 4x 6' fiberglass radials, which became quite chalky and sooty looking; failed to apply Carnauba. Never felt they added benefit to reception. Now sporting 4x 8.6' (very near 1/4λ) SS whip antenna radials. Yeah that's a lot of $ for the GPK. Had the SS whips standing in the corner useless. Has significantly improved my ears. I receive far greater DX from everywhere now, including the Left Coast, Hawaii and Australia skip.
The problem with fiberglass is UV deterioration over time. I apply the very best Carnauba paste wax 3-4 layers. Still will not stand up to slashing tree branches.
Now use modified GPK, modified from original 4x 6' fiberglass radials, which became quite chalky and sooty looking; failed to apply Carnauba. Never felt they added benefit to reception. Now sporting 4x 8.6' (very near 1/4λ) SS whip antenna radials. Yeah that's a lot of $ for the GPK. Had the SS whips standing in the corner useless. Has significantly improved my ears. I receive far greater DX from everywhere now, including the Left Coast, Hawaii and Australia skip.
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That's comparing Oranges and Lemons
. Another 5/8λ aficionado, you are.Were I looking for a replacement for my barebones I-Max 2000 monopole I'd choose a Sirio Gain Master, a 5/8λ dipole.
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What did I say that was so wrong? Roll back to the beginning of the conversation and ask yourself if 5/8λ antennas were excluded from the discussion, because it sure seems to me that it was the main topic. Name a fiberglass antenna that isn't 5/8 wave (excluding those shitty 4' linear-loaded truck stop gimmicks). The A99 was mentioned several times already and you didn't say shit, so when I use an aluminum GP antenna as a baseline to compare two fiberglass antennas (which was the topic of discussion), one monopole and the other a dipole, what's the issue there? I really didn't care what you were looking for as you were not the OP of this thread. I wasn't replying to you! And as for UV deterioration, who gives a shit. Many of the A99's still in operation are beyond slivered with deteriorated fiberglass and still work fine, even though they have seen several DECADES of UV without any fancy wax rub down.That's comparing Oranges and Lemons
Were I looking for a replacement for my barebones I-Max 2000 monopole I'd choose a Sirio Gain Master, a 5/8λ dipole.
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Advice taken, took two lorazepam and a metoprolol for breakfast. I'm in a better mood now. If Alabama wants a chill pill too, I'll mail him one
OP asked simply what fiberglass antenna. No caveats whatsoever.Advice taken, took two lorazepam and a metoprolol for breakfast. I'm in a better mood now. If Alabama wants a chill pill too, I'll mail him one
I'm simply astonished with your response. Suggesting you like 5/8λ is what, an insult? Or being in agreement with the notion of the Gain Master, a dipole, My bad! Which is also, to my knowledge, fiberglass as well.
The A99 is 1/2λ and the I-Max 2000 is 5/8λ; hence Lemon and Orange. My $0.02 worth.
No thanks, I'll stick with my own prescribed poison.
And as a final word to the OP, who may or may not be in the market for a fiberglass antenna, after 17+ years, the A99 is going to be significantly cheaper on the base price and cheaper than gawd awful shipping on the I-Max 2000; due to its length.
Further more, a quick look at Amazon tells me the Gain Master is center "feeded"...had to smile at that. Full price, delivered, is $100 less than the I-Max 2000.
Oh! And one more significant detail, as a dipole, the Gain Master is not a GP antenna. It is a complete antenna in itself. The A99 and Max 2000 are 1/2 assed antennas.
There is one detail of the Gain Master that keeps me from jumping for one. The center of its breadth of frequency coverage is 27.75mHz; and it is not tunable. That is according to my 2nd hand information.
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I used a comparison based on experience to merely suggest that the gainmaster, a fiberglass antenna, would probably be a good option. Fiberglass was the only prerequisite for the conversation. I didn't care what wavelength it was or if it had a ground plane. I didn't care if it was center fed, end fed, base loaded, etc. I didn't care if it was a half wave, a quarter wave, or a mile long, I was merely speaking about "fiberglass" antennas. It boggles my mind that you are having such an issue with what I posted. I think you read way too far into my reply and made some assumptions about my attitude that were not justified. What is so astonishing anyhow? Please quote me and explain where you took offense. And feel free to move this to a private message if you want, there is no need to screw up a thread over it.
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As far as I can tell, my only error was mistaking the question for a "what is better" one. I wasn't trying to knock anyone else's antenna in the dirt. Apologies if people took it that way.
The debate over the " best" antenna has gone on for years.
There are too many variables to simply say that "x" antenna is the best.
Soil conditions, height, terrain and more effect the answer.
Add propagation into the mix and it is even more difficult.
The best antenna is the one that works at your station with your variables.
You can look at the characteristics of each antenna design and choose those advantages that may work best for your station, but you really don't know untill it is up and on the air.
I have seen many times were a lowly quarter wave trumped the best built 5/8 ground plane antenna.
73
Jeff
There are too many variables to simply say that "x" antenna is the best.
Soil conditions, height, terrain and more effect the answer.
Add propagation into the mix and it is even more difficult.
The best antenna is the one that works at your station with your variables.
You can look at the characteristics of each antenna design and choose those advantages that may work best for your station, but you really don't know untill it is up and on the air.
I have seen many times were a lowly quarter wave trumped the best built 5/8 ground plane antenna.
73
Jeff
Pictures are worth 1,000 words. Very encouraging. Accordingly does not exceed 1.2:1 across 11M band; and, barely breaches 1.1:1 Thank you.
Relax 7861.
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Fiberglass schmiberglass. A tiny guage wire inside a tube. The fascination is puzzling to me. There are plenty of ways to build a stout, efficient antenna out there without electrocuting yourself or the buddy that's helping you put it up. The trick is to not drop it across the nearest powerlines. And it ain't Rocket Surgery.
A tiny wire can make a great antenna. The only downside is reduced bandwidth (which isn't an issue with a 500kHz wide band using 14ga wire). If bandwidth isn't a concern, why not go with an antenna that is 40% the weight of an aluminum antenna and doesn't suffer from electrical contact oxidation? Fiberglass keeps the ice off the radiating element too so SWR changes less in freezing rain. There are many reasons besides power line safety, cost for instance...
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