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Post by bammbamm3271 on Sept 22, 2008 21:27:14 GMT -5
can anyone tell me which is the better of the two i am looking at the maco shooting star vs signals lightning 4+ on paper the lightning looks better but do they last as well as maco? any and all info is appreciated thanks.
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Post by lostram on Sept 23, 2008 11:45:26 GMT -5
The quad should do better seeing is uses a full wave length wire design. I have been doing a ton of research on beams so that I can construct one. I have made(for testing purposes) a dipole with a gamma and a single section of a quad with a balun. Reports from people I talk to said the quad section talked better but its also a little directional. I am leaning on building a quad instead of the dual yagi type beam. Both should work great though. The quad may be about 2DB better!
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Post by bammbamm3271 on Sept 23, 2008 19:19:40 GMT -5
thanks for the info i think i am going to try the signal lightning +4
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Post by zman on Sept 23, 2008 22:08:44 GMT -5
A Quad will outperform the Moonraker 4 and easily outperform the Jo Gunn. I built a homeade 4 element quad out of an old moonraker beam using dimensions given in some old 1970s S9 CB magazines. The beam works GREAT and the side and rear rejection is outstanding!!!
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Post by bammbamm3271 on Sept 24, 2008 15:22:05 GMT -5
i just got a qoute back from signal and they are hi dollar compared to the maco are they worth the extra 150 do they have enough to be worth it? all help is welcomed.
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Post by zman on Sept 24, 2008 16:35:50 GMT -5
Just curious, what is the going rate for the Lightning 4?
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Post by bammbamm3271 on Sept 24, 2008 17:03:45 GMT -5
they qoouted it for 464 and that without shipping
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Post by zman on Sept 24, 2008 20:15:13 GMT -5
Wow it went up! But that beam works great. It is a true quad (or so they say) and it will work better than most anything else out there being sold now. I know were there is a Lightning 4 quad up on a tower that i dont think is even being used anymore. The last time i saw it the wires had come off of some of the elements.
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Post by zman on Sept 24, 2008 20:16:50 GMT -5
Bamm bamm, IMHO id get the Lightning quad vs the maco anyday. It is more $$ but it will blow away the Maco!!!!
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Post by bammbamm3271 on Sept 25, 2008 16:07:06 GMT -5
they also give me the price to upgrade it to a 6+ if at some point i want to go bigger and it is like 200 more it will probably be after christmas b4 i get to do it
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Post by bammbamm3271 on Oct 1, 2008 8:00:08 GMT -5
if you can go by the paper signal is far better then most anything i have found if there is something better please let me know i know they are more costly then the others i have found but paper shiows them to be far superior i dont know i have never had a set of beams so any and all info is appreciated
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Post by Marc on Oct 1, 2008 11:23:53 GMT -5
BammBamm I have found that quads tend to do better on DX .
Ran a four element HY-Gain big gun 2 for about 5 years.
they do have more wind drag and in colder climents ice can build up on the wiers
Yagies like the MACO also will build up with ice but the elements are stronger. that is one concern I would look into when selecting a beam.
Marc
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Post by cornbrown on Nov 18, 2008 8:54:14 GMT -5
I use to run the Signal Engineering Lightning 4+ quad. It was awesome. I recently upgraded to the Lightning 6 using the upgrade kit
which is killer. I can out talk and out hear most of my locals that are using Yagi style beams.
The only draw back is This quad does not like alot of wind and ice.
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Post by dgtr43 on Nov 18, 2008 17:24:55 GMT -5
Can anyone tell me wants a good ground plane on the market today? I know the original Astroplane is not being made anymore (some copy cat being made in Itlay). What's good at a descent price? Aluminium antenna or fiber glass?
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Macabee
Big Bucket Mouth
The Hammer
Posts: 93
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Post by Macabee on Nov 20, 2008 10:31:55 GMT -5
Bammbamm
I have a Lighting 6. Have had it for over 10yrs and havent had any problems nor have I had to replace anything. As some post have stated this antenna is a quad full wave. True. The others if your lucky are 1/4 to 1/2 wave. Should tell you something. This is the best on the market today, in my opinion.
Macabee
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Post by dieseldog on Dec 1, 2008 0:45:42 GMT -5
Bammbamm; Did you get your 4+ yet? That particular antenna is my choice as well, so just wondering how it was to set-up, and operate.
The good thing for me is that they are located in Santa Clara, and I'm working in San Jose (a bordering city) so can go pick mine up after work and save the shipping which I guess is no big since I'll have to pay sales tax instead.
Take care, Michael.
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