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Post by Night Ranger on Dec 6, 2012 11:02:05 GMT -5
Is there much difference between the discontinued Avanti Moonraker 4 and the similarly designed Maco Shooting Star? I imaging they perform about the same, but what about build quality?
Thanks,
Night Ranger
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**GRUMPY**
Administrator/The Boss 
Classic Radio Operator Olde Timer 8220 [/color][/center]
"The King of Ping"
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Post by **GRUMPY** on Dec 12, 2012 11:40:07 GMT -5
As for performance I don't think there is much difference between the two. The Moonraker 4 that I had was built well and I never had any problems at all with it! The Maco is built well, close to the Moonraker 4. My friend has a Shooting Star and likes it, and he is pretty picky!
Another one to consider is the Jo Gunn Cross, which I think is a better built antenna than the Maco. Forget about the gain claims, the Jo Gunn antennas are built well!
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Post by Night Ranger on Dec 12, 2012 13:00:14 GMT -5
As for performance I don't think there is much difference between the two. The Moonraker 4 that I had was built well and I never had any problems at all with it! The Maco is built well, close to the Moonraker 4. My friend has a Shooting Star and likes it, and he is pretty picky!
Another one to consider is the Jo Gunn Cross, which I think is a better built antenna than the Maco. Forget about the gain claims, the Jo Gunn antennas are built well! Where I grew up there were virtually no Jo Gunn beams around. The classic beams in use were the PDL-2, The Moonraker 4, and the Shooting Star 4. There were also a few V-Quads. I was thinking more in terms of the classic 1976 CB base with beams set-up. Based on what I have read so far, I think I'd choose the Shooting Star over the Moonraker. Some have claimed the Moonraker hubs tended to crack if you tightened them too much. Night Ranger |
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**GRUMPY**
Administrator/The Boss
Classic Radio Operator Olde Timer 8220 [/color][/center]
"The King of Ping"
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Post by **GRUMPY** on Dec 12, 2012 13:31:04 GMT -5
If you want to go classic, try and find a Finco Stinger (model 840) I think it was!
My friend bought one of these in the 70's while we were still in High School. It was built like a tank with a square boom.... awesome antenna!
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,247 
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Post by Sandbagger on Dec 12, 2012 14:17:36 GMT -5
As for performance I don't think there is much difference between the two. The Moonraker 4 that I had was built well and I never had any problems at all with it! The Maco is built well, close to the Moonraker 4. My friend has a Shooting Star and likes it, and he is pretty picky!
Another one to consider is the Jo Gunn Cross, which I think is a better built antenna than the Maco. Forget about the gain claims, the Jo Gunn antennas are built well! Where I grew up there were virtually no Jo Gunn beams around. The classic beams in use were the PDL-2, The Moonraker 4, and the Shooting Star 4. There were also a few V-Quads. I was thinking more in terms of the classic 1976 CB base with beams set-up. Based on what I have read so far, I think I'd choose the Shooting Star over the Moonraker. Some have claimed the Moonraker hubs tended to crack if you tightened them too much. Night Ranger That was the major construction difference between the 'Raker 4 and the Shooting Star. The 'Raker used aluminum hubs which, on one hand, kept the elements positioned correctly, but on the other hand were the weakest link on the whole antenna (The plastic hubs on the PDL-II were worse). The SS used a more typical u-bolt clamp to the mast method of securing the elements. But from a performance standpoint, there wasn't much difference. There is only so much you can do within a narrow range of physical dimensions. Back in the day in my area, the most common beam antennas were the 3 element (including Astro Beams), the PDL-II, the 'Raker 4, and the Super Scanner. One guy had a 'Raker 6 and another had a super Laser 500 (What a monster that was with a 40' boom). There were also a couple of Gizmotchy's around too, but they were not as popular. I never even heard of a Jo-Gunn until the 80's. |
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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 13, 2012 8:45:04 GMT -5
It's funny how different areas had such different beam antennas! Back in the day in this area the Gizmotchy was the most popular beam. The PDL 2, Moonraker 4, Super Scanner and Laser 500 were close. There were a few 3 Element and Astro Beams around, but not many!
Ground Plane antennas by far were the Big Stick, Star Duster, CLR2 and Super Penetrator. The Archer Ground Planes were around as well!
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,247
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Post by Sandbagger on Dec 13, 2012 11:24:25 GMT -5
It's funny how different areas had such different beam antennas! Back in the day in this area the Gizmotchy was the most popular beam. The PDL 2, Moonraker 4, Super Scanner and Laser 500 were close. There were a few 3 Element and Astro Beams around, but not many!
Ground Plane antennas by far were the Big Stick, Star Duster, CLR2 and Super Penetrator. The Archer Ground Planes were around as well! In my area, the ground plane antennas varied as the years went on by. In the early 70's, the most popular in my area were the CLR2 and it's Radio Shack twin brother. Then the Radio Shack 1/2 wave along with the Lafayette Range Boost II. The Antenna Specialists Super Magnum (1/2 wave with 4 droopy radials) was also a top choice. And not to forget the Super Starburst. It was short lived in production, but a lot of locals had them in the Norristown area. In the later 70's, the Starduster and some form of 5/8th wave antennas were top dogs. The Big Stick was rare. Most people felt that they had poor performance compared to an antenna with radials. Of course, we all know what happened in the 80's, and the rise of fiberglass "stick" antennas, with the corresponding fall of the big metal monsters...... |
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40sx
Mudduck
Posts: 39
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Post by 40sx on Dec 14, 2012 7:00:54 GMT -5
I've owned many different types of antennas in my early radio days which goes back to about 1964. My first omni was an Antenna Specialist Super Magnum that was feed by a USL Contact 23 base transceiver. After that it was a Star Duster and Big Sticks. My favorite single polarity beam antenna was a 22" Antenna Specialist five element beam, I had two of those in my time. I also had the Moonraker 4 until the wind chewed it up. I still have a used PDL2 and a Super scanner sitting in my garage. The only antenna I'm using now is an old army Big Stick which has seen better days.
I always liked the build of the Maco antennas but never owned one.
Dennis
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Post by cbrown on Dec 14, 2012 10:41:22 GMT -5
My first base antenna was a Lafayette Range Boost 1/2 wave antenna. It cost 19.95 at the local Lafayette Store, and was paired with my HE-15, my first base radio.
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Post by Badger on Dec 23, 2012 7:11:36 GMT -5
Back in the early 90's I had a Moonraker 4 with Aluminum hubs, I had to send them out for sandblasting but they worked well keeping the elements in line. I also had a A/E SuperScanner, which worked better with an Alliance rotor to work the Dead Spots. The Jo-Gunn SA-5 I had later worked well for DX.I later sold that off and built another. But the most fun was a single feed Maco 104c with a inverted L bracket between 2 rotors. 360 degree rotation with Horizontal and Vertical options.
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amastron
Big Bucket Mouth
Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive!
Posts: 86
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Post by amastron on Jan 25, 2013 3:34:30 GMT -5
If you want to go classic, try and find a Finco Stinger (model 840) I think it was!
My friend bought one of these in the 70's while we were still in High School. It was built like a tank with a square boom.... awesome antenna! I think I still have some parts of mine out under the work bench. The 4 element Stinger is the one I had around 1983. It was real easy to get it on air, not much to adjust as I remember. www.cbtricks.com/ant_manuals/finco/stinger_100/ad/index.htm |
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bluebird
Big Bucket Mouth
Posts: 94
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Post by bluebird on Jan 25, 2013 17:03:15 GMT -5
Is there much difference between the discontinued Avanti Moonraker 4 and the similarly designed Maco Shooting Star? I imaging they perform about the same, but what about build quality? Thanks, Night Ranger the shooting star is built stronger than the moonraker 4 i used one for years great antenna |
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