**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 Jan 14, 2013 17:03:37 GMT -5
Do any of you guys remember this antenna from back in the 70's? I wanted one of these so bad back then and my Dad said no because they cost so much. A local CB Shop had one in the box in the early 80's and I saved up to buy it, only to find out they sold it the week before. It was the only CB Shop around that had one, I would love to find one N.O.S.
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Sandbagger
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Post by Sandbagger on Jan 14, 2013 18:09:18 GMT -5
Do any of you guys remember this antenna from back in the 70's? I wanted one of these so bad back then and my Dad said no because they cost so much. A local CB Shop had one in the box in the early 80's and I saved up to buy it, only to find out they sold it the week before. It was the only CB Shop around that had one, I would love to find one N.O.S.
Yea, that was Turner's version of the Super Scanner, only this one could do 4 (or was it 8?) directions, vs. the Super Scanner's 3 directions. The gain number were listed higher too, but knowing how those numbers tended to be inflated, I was doubtful of Turner's as well. It would have been nice to actually see one in action, but to date NO ONE that I've ever known locally has ever owned one, so I really can't give an objective evaluation of it. |
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Post by homerbb on Jan 14, 2013 18:30:50 GMT -5
I've never seen one - ever.
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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 Jan 14, 2013 20:03:23 GMT -5
I've never seen one - ever. |
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Post by KneeBiter on Jan 14, 2013 20:45:06 GMT -5
I want one ;D
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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 Jan 14, 2013 22:52:39 GMT -5
Me too!
I wish someone would make something like it now, but I'm afraid that is wishful thinking! 
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Post by Night Ranger on Jan 14, 2013 23:50:37 GMT -5
Me too!
I wish someone would make something like it now, but I'm afraid that is wishful thinking! There have been plans for building a switchable vertical dipole array with reflector in the ARRL Antenna Handbook for decades. Sizing it for the CB band would be a simple matter. It involves five sloping vertical dipoles supported by one metal support. The metal support acts as a reflector. I first read about it in the 1984 ARRL Antenna Handbook. I found a partial article and picture of it on the Internet. Search the Internet or the "ARRL Antenna Handbook" for "K1WA sloper system"  ...and...  Night Ranger |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,247
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Post by Sandbagger on Jan 15, 2013 7:20:41 GMT -5
Me too!
I wish someone would make something like it now, but I'm afraid that is wishful thinking! Sounds like a challenge for HomerBB....  |
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Post by cbrown on Jan 15, 2013 9:36:51 GMT -5
Sounds like a challenge for HomerBB.... Could be! I also remember the ad, but I've never seen the antenna personally. I'd like to see one in action myself. |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,247
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Post by Sandbagger on Jan 15, 2013 9:37:42 GMT -5
Me too!
I wish someone would make something like it now, but I'm afraid that is wishful thinking! There have been plans for building a switchable vertical dipole array with reflector in the ARRL Antenna Handbook for decades. Sizing it for the CB band would be a simple matter. It involves five sloping vertical dipoles supported by one metal support. The metal support acts as a reflector. I first read about it in the 1984 ARRL Antenna Handbook. I found a partial article and picture of it on the Internet. Search the Internet or the "ARRL Antenna Handbook" for "K1WA sloper system" ...and... Night Ranger I would imagine that this would work acceptably well for skywave DX'ing on the HF bands, but not so well for local talking on the CB band. Ground mounted antennas generally do not do all that well for local talking, unless you're lucky enough to live on the top of a mountain.. |
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Post by Night Ranger on Jan 15, 2013 11:30:42 GMT -5
I would imagine that this would work acceptably well for skywave DX'ing on the HF bands, but not so well for local talking on the CB band. Ground mounted antennas generally do not do all that well for local talking, unless you're lucky enough to live on the top of a mountain.. I suspect the switchable sloper array would work well for local communications provided it had enough height above ground. Night Ranger |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
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Post by Sandbagger on Jan 15, 2013 11:54:30 GMT -5
I would imagine that this would work acceptably well for skywave DX'ing on the HF bands, but not so well for local talking on the CB band. Ground mounted antennas generally do not do all that well for local talking, unless you're lucky enough to live on the top of a mountain.. I suspect the switchable sloper array would work well for local communications provided it had enough height above ground. Night Ranger Well.... sure, elevation is everything when talking local. But it would be difficult/awkward to adapt the sloper array in a non-ground mounted arrangement using wire dipoles. You could do it, but it would be flimsey and tough to tie off without a decent sized real estate footprint. But you pretty much could build an antenna which works similarly to the Super Scanner or the Turner using aluminum dipoles, the associated mounting boom(s) and a relay switchbox, which you could easily mount on a tower or supporting mast. |
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Post by Night Ranger on Jan 15, 2013 13:01:11 GMT -5
I suspect the switchable sloper array would work well for local communications provided it had enough height above ground. Night Ranger Well.... sure, elevation is everything when talking local. But it would be difficult/awkward to adapt the sloper array in a non-ground mounted arrangement using wire dipoles. You could do it, but it would be flimsey and tough to tie off without a decent sized real estate footprint. But you pretty much could build an antenna which works similarly to the Super Scanner or the Turner using aluminum dipoles, the associated mounting boom(s) and a relay switchbox, which you could easily mount on a tower or supporting mast. I'm sure you remember the old Radio Shack and Channel Master telescoping mast with the supporting guy wires. I would just make the top portion of the highest guy wires the radiating dipole elements with ceramic egg insulators between the radiating elements and the rest of the metal guy wires. Mount the relay control box about where the antenna rotor is in the picture below. Channel Master 50 foot telescoping mast with guy wires.  Channel Master still makes those telescoping mast. www.channelmaster.com/default.aspNight Ranger |
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Post by Sniper..Unit 305 on Jan 15, 2013 13:36:26 GMT -5
I too remember that ad for the Turner. Thought it was one of the wildest looking antennas at the time. Never saw one or heard of anyone local or anywhere for that matter that had one!
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,247
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Post by Sandbagger on Jan 15, 2013 15:09:47 GMT -5
Well.... sure, elevation is everything when talking local. But it would be difficult/awkward to adapt the sloper array in a non-ground mounted arrangement using wire dipoles. You could do it, but it would be flimsey and tough to tie off without a decent sized real estate footprint. But you pretty much could build an antenna which works similarly to the Super Scanner or the Turner using aluminum dipoles, the associated mounting boom(s) and a relay switchbox, which you could easily mount on a tower or supporting mast. I'm sure you remember the old Radio Shack and Channel Master telescoping mast with the supporting guy wires. I would just make the top portion of the highest guy wires the radiating dipole elements with ceramic egg insulators between the radiating elements and the rest of the metal guy wires. Mount the relay control box about where the antenna rotor is in the picture below. Channel Master 50 foot telescoping mast with guy wires. Channel Master still makes those telescoping mast. www.channelmaster.com/default.aspNight Ranger That might work, as long as the length of the mast isn't critical to the performance. |
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Post by zman on Jan 18, 2013 14:07:08 GMT -5
I think Ace hardware can get those telescopic masts.. I ordered a 30 footer from them once and they had it shipped to the store in a matter of a few days...
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Post by Night Ranger on Jan 18, 2013 15:02:37 GMT -5
I think Ace hardware can get those telescopic masts.. I ordered a 30 footer from them once and they had it shipped to the store in a matter of a few days... You can get them shipped to your house on Amazon.com or through ChannelMaster.com's website. Night Ranger |
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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 Jan 18, 2013 15:18:52 GMT -5
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Post by wturgeon on Jan 26, 2018 19:59:43 GMT -5
Hi Guys, I just came across this board while I was looking for info on the Ultra-Kicker. I used to run a CB Radio shop in British Columbia and I actually have one of these Ultra-Kicker antennas in my possession! My current problem is that it was never assembled - quite literally brand-new, but the box it was in got water-damaged in storage and the installation/assembly instructions were destroyed. So I have been looking for anyone who might just have a set of instructions that I could either buy from them, or pay to have them copied. For anyone who vaguely remembers these, they are a phase-switched antenna with a control box that allows them to be switched through eight different directions without moving the antenna itself. The box also allows the antenna to operate in an Omni-directional mode.  I have installed three of these in the distant past for customers, and they are quite amazing. They fully live up to the advertising hype, but they are 'beasts' to assemble. Extremely large overall, unwieldy to get up to the top of a tower, and the wiring from the relays to the control box is quite complex. Also, with the wind loading, you do not want to install these on anything less than a well-guyed tower. No mast-mounting here, that is for sure. Anyway, if anyone knows where I can get a set of assembly instructions, I would certainly appreciate it. The ones I installed were in the late 70's and early 80's, so my memory is not much help from that long ago. |
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Sandbagger
Administrator/The Boss
Posts: 6,247
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Post by Sandbagger on Jan 26, 2018 23:04:51 GMT -5
Hi Guys, I just came across this board while I was looking for info on the Ultra-Kicker. I used to run a CB Radio shop in British Columbia and I actually have one of these Ultra-Kicker antennas in my possession! My current problem is that it was never assembled - quite literally brand-new, but the box it was in got water-damaged in storage and the installation/assembly instructions were destroyed. So I have been looking for anyone who might just have a set of instructions that I could either buy from them, or pay to have them copied. For anyone who vaguely remembers these, they are a phase-switched antenna with a control box that allows them to be switched through eight different directions without moving the antenna itself. The box also allows the antenna to operate in an Omni-directional mode. View Attachment I have installed three of these in the distant past for customers, and they are quite amazing. They fully live up to the advertising hype, but they are 'beasts' to assemble. Extremely large overall, unwieldy to get up to the top of a tower, and the wiring from the relays to the control box is quite complex. Also, with the wind loading, you do not want to install these on anything less than a well-guyed tower. No mast-mounting here, that is for sure. Anyway, if anyone knows where I can get a set of assembly instructions, I would certainly appreciate it. The ones I installed were in the late 70's and early 80's, so my memory is not much help from that long ago. Welcome aboard! I remember that antenna from S9 magazine ads back in the 70's. It looked to be a more robust version of a Super Scanner (more selectable directions). I was curious to see how well they performed. Unfortunately, I never knew anyone in my area who ever ran one. They looked like they wouldn't last long in high winds/ice storms though. I wish I could help you in your quest, but I know of no one who would have such info. I assume you've already tried Google searches, and came up empty handed. Is there any way you could figure out how it goes together? I know I've assembled things before, sans instructions, and managed to logically figure out where each part fit the best by trial and error. It took a little more time, but it was doable. |
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Post by BBB on Jan 27, 2018 11:40:09 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum and thanks for the photo of the controller. N.E.W.S.
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Post by SIX-SHOOTER on Jan 27, 2018 16:57:14 GMT -5
Hi Guys, I just came across this board while I was looking for info on the Ultra-Kicker. I used to run a CB Radio shop in British Columbia and I actually have one of these Ultra-Kicker antennas in my possession! My current problem is that it was never assembled - quite literally brand-new, but the box it was in got water-damaged in storage and the installation/assembly instructions were destroyed. So I have been looking for anyone who might just have a set of instructions that I could either buy from them, or pay to have them copied. For anyone who vaguely remembers these, they are a phase-switched antenna with a control box that allows them to be switched through eight different directions without moving the antenna itself. The box also allows the antenna to operate in an Omni-directional mode. View Attachment I have installed three of these in the distant past for customers, and they are quite amazing. They fully live up to the advertising hype, but they are 'beasts' to assemble. Extremely large overall, unwieldy to get up to the top of a tower, and the wiring from the relays to the control box is quite complex. Also, with the wind loading, you do not want to install these on anything less than a well-guyed tower. No mast-mounting here, that is for sure. Anyway, if anyone knows where I can get a set of assembly instructions, I would certainly appreciate it. The ones I installed were in the late 70's and early 80's, so my memory is not much help from that long ago. Welcome aboard! I remember that antenna from S9 magazine ads back in the 70's. It looked to be a more robust version of a Super Scanner (more selectable directions). I was curious to see how well they performed. Unfortunately, I never knew anyone in my area who ever ran one. They looked like they wouldn't last long in high winds/ice storms though. I wish I could help you in your quest, but I know of no one who would have such info. I assume you've already tried Google searches, and came up empty handed. Is there any way you could figure out how it goes together? I know I've assembled things before, sans instructions, and managed to logically figure out where each part fit the best by trial and error. It took a little more time, but it was doable. I recently SOLD (2) brand new sets of the Tri-Kicker Beams to a local friend.They were very heavy duty 3 element beams that were unlike any I had ever seen.They have a loop in the ceter that looks something like a Steppir beam.They were very heavy & heavy duty material.I have never seen the Ultra Kicker so I don't know how well or poorly they were made but if they are anything like the TriKicker beams they would be well made. SIX-SHOOTER |
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Post by BBB on Jan 28, 2018 8:39:12 GMT -5
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Post by kp280 on Feb 11, 2018 9:44:39 GMT -5
I remember that. They had the "Base Kicker" too. Anyone remember the
Signal Engineering "Thunder 8"? Similar concept to the Ultra Kicker or Scanner.
Interesting topic.
Bill
KP280
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