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antenna
Sept 18, 2008 10:08:43 GMT -5
Post by doctor on Sept 18, 2008 10:08:43 GMT -5
Any suggestions on a antenna from you guys, my Maco got hit by IKE and bent it at 40 degree angle, so looking around for a suitable replacement, no fiberglass. Any suggestions DOCTOR/795
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Deleted
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antenna
Sept 18, 2008 10:49:24 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2008 10:49:24 GMT -5
Maco gets a favorite nod by many here, but I am not sure I like it. The Imax is actually a bigger antenna, close to .64 wave. The Maco is smaller, and not quite a 5/8 wave. But the real reasons I will recommend an Imax is because I have one, and it's been great. My friend has a Maco, and while is is a good talker, it is fragile. His center element fell into the middle of the antenna. one of the ground radials came off in the wind. It just seems weak. Just my opinion.
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antenna
Sept 18, 2008 11:54:56 GMT -5
Post by BionicChicken on Sept 18, 2008 11:54:56 GMT -5
Hmmm. I've had my Maco V5/8 up for a while without any problems at all. It made it through the hurricanes of the last few years being hit with 75mph+ winds. With the elements falling down into one another it sounds like the clamps were not tight. IMO fiberglass antennas are a waste of a good fishing pole but some people get good results out of them and they are good for limited space situations. If you could find an old original Astroplane or Starduster that was rebuildable you would have a good antenna. They will withstand the wind and elements pretty good. The new versions of them are nothing compared with the old ones.
BC
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Deleted
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antenna
Sept 18, 2008 12:17:39 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2008 12:17:39 GMT -5
I am not sure why fiberglass matter. Fiberglass doesn't conduct. The wire inside the fiberglass conducts. The Imax will blow away any Starduster or Astro Plane, as both were just 1/4 wave antennas. The Maco and the Imax are much closer in class, and are the better argument.
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antenna
Sept 18, 2008 12:45:33 GMT -5
Post by Tombstone (R.I.P.) on Sept 18, 2008 12:45:33 GMT -5
I would say that you're better off with the Maco. Perhaps you can contact the company and get replacement parts for the stuff that bent??
Tombstone
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antenna
Sept 18, 2008 17:07:04 GMT -5
Post by doctor on Sept 18, 2008 17:07:04 GMT -5
I appreciate the answers, yep, I will contact the company and see what there is for replacements Thanks guys
DOCTOR
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antenna
Sept 25, 2008 8:46:01 GMT -5
Post by zman on Sept 25, 2008 8:46:01 GMT -5
Here is a little hint; take every other section of the antenna and pop rivet it. That way you can still take it apart and have room to store it. I did this to a sigma 4 copy once after it kept falling apart.
73
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antenna
Sept 28, 2008 20:07:56 GMT -5
Post by dgtr43 on Sept 28, 2008 20:07:56 GMT -5
Do anyone know a company or someone that has an original Avanti Astroplane?
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antenna
Oct 1, 2008 14:37:00 GMT -5
Post by zman on Oct 1, 2008 14:37:00 GMT -5
I have one i just took down. Are you looking to buy one? If so stay away from Epay-big-bucks i have seen some sell on there for big $$$ lately!!!
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antenna
Oct 1, 2008 15:33:33 GMT -5
Post by spitfire441 on Oct 1, 2008 15:33:33 GMT -5
I have an Alpha 5/8 GP, Maco took over Alpha at some point.. They must have cheapend the materials. My Alpha is over 30 years old and still going strong surviving hurricains, ice storms and high winds. One bonus of aluminum over fiberglass, if the economy really tanks, you can get scrap value for it. Not so for fiberglass.
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antenna
Dec 2, 2008 21:28:09 GMT -5
Post by Sonwatcher on Dec 2, 2008 21:28:09 GMT -5
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Deleted
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antenna
Dec 2, 2008 22:25:57 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2008 22:25:57 GMT -5
I had purchased a Starduster in 1983 for $45 and stuck it in the attic (I had a large attic). I sold it in 2006 after my parents sold the house. I got $75 for it. I still had the instructions and the antenna was mint because it was in the attic and not in the weather elements.
It was a very good antenna, but I cannot justify the price. First, it's a 1/4 wave ground plane, and nothing more. in 1983, that was fine for local rag chew as there were CBs everywhere. But now, you need more distance because there are fewer and farther apart. Secondly, it wasn't very durable. It seems that the separators on the ground radials would break off. I have seen a ton of Stardusters in the day with the same problems. If I were to buy one today, I would modify those plastic pieces replace them with PVC or something stronger.
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antenna
Dec 2, 2008 22:36:15 GMT -5
Post by Sonwatcher on Dec 2, 2008 22:36:15 GMT -5
I don't know anything about them. I know some people liked them and they are old school and some people look for that so I just posted about it .
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**GRUMPY**
Administrator/The Boss
Classic Radio Operator Olde Timer 8220 [/color][/center]
"The King of Ping"
Posts: 4,342
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Post by **GRUMPY** on Dec 3, 2008 4:57:36 GMT -5
I had purchased a Starduster in 1983 for $45 and stuck it in the attic (I had a large attic). I sold it in 2006 after my parents sold the house. I got $75 for it. I still had the instructions and the antenna was mint because it was in the attic and not in the weather elements. It was a very good antenna, but I cannot justify the price. First, it's a 1/4 wave ground plane, and nothing more. in 1983, that was fine for local rag chew as there were CBs everywhere. But now, you need more distance because there are fewer and farther apart. Secondly, it wasn't very durable. It seems that the separators on the ground radials would break off. I have seen a ton of Stardusters in the day with the same problems. If I were to buy one today, I would modify those plastic pieces replace them with PVC or something stronger. I had one of these when I was in High School for a while, until one day we had a very bad storm and the winds were blowing so hard it knocked the antenna off the chimney and destroyed the chimney and the antenna. Of course Mom and Dad were not to happy with me at the time
I was at a good location and up pretty high compared to most in the city. It worked very well for me talking to locals and shooting skip. But I agree they were not made the best. But I have a local who lives not far from me that has two of them up and they have been up since the 70's and still look pretty good. The next time I get out I will take my camera and take a few pictures of them then post it here.
Now would I pay what it is going for on Ebay? Not in a million years
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2008 8:53:52 GMT -5
You know, I am just thinking about this, but you can probably build a Starduster from copper plumbing pipe for alot less. If the radials are 45 degrees, you can do it, and problably be a hell of alot stronger. The center element and the radials are all just about 9 feet.
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Post by ic751a on Mar 4, 2009 3:56:36 GMT -5
Well this strand is a little old, but I'd like to add a couple of comments. The Maco is built so light that my Penetrator radials weigh about the same as the entire antenna! That being said, and though I also have an IMAX 2000, I would recommend the Maco over the IMAX because the IMAX is noisy. I had it up for testing on a 4 section mast above the roof, the Penetrator was on a 2 section mast, 18' away (1/2 wave so they would be basically invisible to one another). The Penetrator & IMAX both had 100' of CableXperts 1318 coax. I received about the same S-units on several stations at 50-plus miles, but on the IMAX I had a hard time understanding them due to so high a static level, whereas on the Penetrator the static is bled directly to ground through the Beta match. Now, the TX of the Penetrator is a full S unit better than the Imax locally, and about 2-2.5 at ~80+ miles. When I tested the MacoV-5/8 on the Penetrator mast & coax (whilst I was cleaning & polishing the Penetrator) I saw one S-unit loss locally and about 2-2.5 at 80+ miles. So, why buy a NOISY antenna? On the other hand, since most have over $1000 into their station, why not really make it work and spend $375 on a delivered, 23' I-10K? (- If you can't find a used Penetrator or Sigma5/8, that is.) By the way, the Starduster performs better than a 1/4 wave because it's radials are down at about a 60* angle (150*) so it acts more like a center-fed 1/2wave dipole, ...until the main radiator bends and breaks off. 73
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antenna
Mar 6, 2009 15:02:09 GMT -5
Post by BladeRunner now OLD FLASH!!!!! on Mar 6, 2009 15:02:09 GMT -5
Maco has all their antenna measurements on the net. The location just changed so I'm not sure of the new site right now. If you want to make radials of copper, here is how you make a straight radial. You attach on end of the copper tubing to somethnig really strong and attached to the wall or floor really well. Attach the other end to something you can get leverage with on the other end. You pull the copper tight until you feel it stretch in length just a bit. Take it loose , cut it to length and you have a nice , straight , one piece radial. I was a industrial electrician for a couple years and that's how we made straight copper pipe. ( Don't ask me what copper pipe had to do with being an electrician was..LOL)
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