Gloden Rod 50 (Sig. Engineering)

[skirtchaser]

Frequency Range

26.0-29.0 Mhz
(All US & UK CB ch. plus 10 m. Amateur)
Gain

3.5 dBi
VSWR

1.5:1 Max
Power Handling Capability

5 KW
The GoldenRod 50 is the ultimate mobile antenna designed to operate in rugged environments. Perfect for off road vehicles or for use in areas where mobile antenna can come in contact with objects such as trees or bushes. High Tech design patterned after Signal Engineering's broadband, high power military antennas. Features a specially designed top section, which extends signal range by directing it to the horizon, instead of wasting it at high angles, like conventional mobile antennas. One to two S-Unit increase in signal strength over base and top loaded antennas. Broadband match with SWR less than 1.5:1 across all US & UK channels and well into the 10 meter amatuer band with 5 KW power handling capability. Responds to horizontally polarized signals unlike any conventional vertical whip, thus extending the useful range of a mobile enormously!

The GoldenRod 50 features extremely rugged construction, utilizing aircraft grade alloy aluminum with gold-anodized finish for performance and durability.

Perhaps an alternative to the vennerated 102 on a spring for the 4WD crowd like myself ?
Any thoughts?

 

[Master Chief]

Man, do you have SuperBowl COMMERCIAL on the brain or what?! How much are they paying you for advertising?

 

[Marconi]

Hey MC, I think chaser was looking for a little more depth of thought in a discussion. Why make it personal?

 

[Master Chief]

Check the rest of the threads; he is on a Signal Engineering Sales Blitz. Regardless, my comments were more in jest than anything else. Chill! 8)

 

[W5LZ]

Probably not a bad antenna, but certainly not as 'good' as claimed. Lots of stuff there that is more of the fertilizer blend than fact.
- 'Doc

 

[skirtchaser]

Believe me gentleman, no one would pay me to tout anything when they could have the likes of profesionals such as yourselves. And besides, I'm just a stupid truck driver, hell, I cant figure out how to even bathe, let alone judge whether or not a radio or an antenna works. See in my world, we just use radios to get laid, buy drugs, or just harrass polite stationary operators holding court, or doing some critical com spec nav operations to the benefit of the country at large.
I just thought they were interesting ideas, at best, and at the least, they realy looked unique, and I thought we could have a little dialect on something besides whose "big coil" was going to rule the universe.
I'm sorry I appeared to be a schill for Sig. Eng. and now you all know that I'm just an ignorant "trucker" (how hard could it be, right?) So you all can go back to the "my coil's bigger than your coil" debate, and I'll just shut up. Sorry to have intruded.
PS; My CDX DX club cert is made of the same paper your's is, if you have one. Except Charger sent mine himself, twice.
Good evening time from the high desert, 73's, and I'm readin' the mail.

 

[Marconi]

Hey Chaser, don't worry about old MC. You confirmed it's like I said. Maybe he just didn't have much to add.

Personally I think that someone over at SE is very capable. Their matching idea is ingenius. Based on my personal experience and from the reports by others I trust, this beam works very well with few exceptions. It might even have marginal advantages over other similar beams used in CB.

It is true they don't make a very reliable kit, but with some thought, that can be overcome if installed in an area of the world that does not have very inclement weather. Otherwise I don't recommend it. I would also recommend you start with the the SE 4 if you are interested. Some experience with beam design and installation is also advisable with the best success of this one.

Even though I don't mess too much with mobiles any more, I have used the original mobile. It was well made and did a very effective job locally. I noted that it did remarkable well during high periods of DX and while making comparisons with others. It also loaded very well using and amp and was very stable on the highway.

 

[bob85]

inclement yup thats yorkshire, imax eating weather

marconi my good fellow do you have any info on how the original 45 large caphat version is constructed,
i would like to try making one to satisfy my own curiosity,
they look very stable at speed ( rigid ),
i am sure freecell had something to say about the goldenrod-45 a while back but i cannot find it,

another thing i want to try is an open wire version of jack's triquad for static use,
i read the francis patent on his website and got to thinking what other antennas could be tested using dissimilar diameter conductors, a cubical quad or delta perhaps??

we dont have francis amazers here and shipping if i could get somebody to ship me an original would be expensive,
maybe the triquad would be suitable for a single antenna keydown against my locals :twisted:,

 

[mopar2ya]

bob85,

I have some detailed photos of the Goldenrod 45 if you are interested. It might help you in your quest to build one. PM me an email, and I will send em.

I will tell you this. It isn't nearly as sturdy as it looks in the pictures. It is a very fragile antenna. The mast is no more sturdy than an aluminum arrow shaft, and the top is very easily distorted if hit with anything. You definitely wouldn't want to hit a tree with this thing. It would be junk. But, it did seem to work well, and was quite broad banded.

 

[Marconi]

Bob, I will check with my brother, who has one of these mobile antennas. I will try to get the measurements.

Mopar is correct, you would not want to run this if it will be subjected to trees, brush, etc., on the road. I also found the bandwidth to be suitable for 11 meters, but I would not say it is very broad banded. We did not see much affect from adjustments to the loops as suggested. It may well work 10 meters, but I doubt you could also cover 11 and 12 at the same time with a good SWR. I think the combination of coil and overall length, top and bottom, is really only suitable for 11 meters. There is just not much adjustment possible here.

I did not like the look of this antenna installed on a mobile. At one time we discussed adding several GP elements and installing it as a base antenna, but just never got around to it.

For me, the simple idea of this design was to improve and effectively raise the current distribution on the radiator above that of a typical 1/4 wave radiator and to improve the horizontal signal response with the two flat loops at the top.

 

[bob85]

marconi i got the pics from mopar with measurements,
you can see in the pics that it is not anywhere close to been a sturdy antenna,
if the design works well i dont see why it could not be made with meatier components,
the design is something to experiment with for stationary dx from the car

thanks guys.

 

[Master Chief]

For me, the simple idea of this design was to improve and effectively raise the current distribution on the radiator above that of a typical 1/4 wave radiator and to improve the horizontal signal response with the two flat loops at the top.

The top loops do nothing for the "horizontal signal response", whatever that means. They do nothing but load the top of the antenna.

 

[Marconi]

Well MC the statement is just my opinion. I did start the statement with "For Me."

If you don't understand the meaning of the statement then how can you also be so positive that the point is not possible?

Since I can't technically prove anything here, maybe one would just have to make their own best judgment. Since the flat part of the antenna is in the horizontal field doesn't it make some sense that it may respond best to horizontal RF or to vertical RF?

On the other hand if you can prove this idea impossible, then maybe I might agree. What principal do you use to disprove the idea?

 

[Master Chief]

What principal do you use to disprove the idea?

Common sense. The horizontal cross section of the load is no where near a reasonable resonant length, or multiple of, at 27MHz.

 

[W5LZ]

Marconi,
About the 'horizontal part', no, it doesn't really do anything other than make the antenna, at that point, a larger 'diameter'. That larger 'apparent' diameter means that there is more area exposed to the 'other half' of the antenna so that there is greater reactance between the two. A capacitive hat, in effect. It really wouldn't make any practical difference what shape that triangular looking thingy was, triangular, round, square, or several 'prongs' sprouting in all directions, the affect would be the same. There's no significant radiation in the horizontal plane.
Had that demonstrated to me once upon a time. Very large 'corona' ball (as in something like 4 feet diameter) on top of a stubby sort of mast, and a very short 'stinger' on top. Worked just fine even though the total length of the antenna was way short of being a typical resonant length. Making the lower mast slightly longer and doing away with the 'stinger' also made for less 'end effect', no corona discharge when running a ridiculous amount of power (there was with the stinger). Why don't you see many of them? Cuz you wouldn't believe the mechanical problems - lol. 3/8" EHS wire for guy wires would definitely have helped!
- 'Doc