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The old hy-gain super penetrator antenna....

Oatmeal

Oatmeal

Active Member
Mar 22, 2009
484
78
38
West Virginia..
Been putting this off for a long time, but think now is the time I need this antenna done...

I bought this antenna awhile back, tore it down, and the S0-239 is black and the wire coming off it that goes over to one of the screws is almost broke into..

Don't think it has been hit by lighting because all the aluminum on it is all in good shape.....its just this here that looks bad and needs replaced...

So, the 239 needs replaced and so does the wire coming off it......so I going to have to drill the ribbets out....

So like to know what SO-239 would be the one to replace it with ?...

Been looking at some dxengineering has over there.....
And what kind of copper wire should I use as well for this?...

There isn't any coil in this antenna, it just has a stub, nothing else inside it at the bottom....

I do plan on getting some steel wool next week to clean all the aluminum up, is there any certain type wool I need to get ?...

Ive never cleaned one with the steel wool is why Im asking but have always just used some fine sandpaper..
 

Scotchbrite pads and a light cleaning solvent (like gasoline or acetone) works OK for me. Cleaning inside the tubes where the tubes insert is also a great idea too.

The SO-239 w/silver plating and the nylon insulator are the best - IMO . . .
 
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Oatmeal said:
Been putting this off for a long time, but think now is the time I need this antenna done...

I bought this antenna awhile back, tore it down, and the S0-239 is black and the wire coming off it that goes over to one of the screws is almost broke into..

Don't think it has been hit by lighting because all the aluminum on it is all in good shape.....its just this here that looks bad and needs replaced...

So, the 239 needs replaced and so does the wire coming off it......so I going to have to drill the ribbets out....

So like to know what SO-239 would be the one to replace it with ?...

Been looking at some dxengineering has over there.....
And what kind of copper wire should I use as well for this?...

There isn't any coil in this antenna, it just has a stub, nothing else inside it at the bottom....

I do plan on getting some steel wool next week to clean all the aluminum up, is there any certain type wool I need to get ?...

Ive never cleaned one with the steel wool is why Im asking but have always just used some fine sandpaper..
Click to expand...

Oatmeal does the wire look like this?

Penetrator matcher.jpg
 
10-4, thanks Robb Im get me some of them....

How about the short wire that comes off the SO-239, it looks like it maybe a piece of 14ga wire just guessing and about 3" long maybe...

Ill see if I can get a pic of it up here....



Marconi, no its not like that, let me see if I can get a pic of it up here....
 
Not going to hurt anything by using a 3" piece of 10ga stranded copper wire to make the connection.

With the amount of rust that can be seen in those pictures, looks like getting rid of the rust is going to be job #1.
 
10-4, this is where all the rust is, the rest of the antenna is in good shape...
Just needs cleaned up..oh and have to drill out the top hat screw too to get that off...

Any ideas how to solder the wire on it and get a good connection ?...
After I solder the wire on the 239, how can I check it to be sure its got a good connection ?..

This will be the first time doing something like this...

Guys your have to bare with me here, Ive never don't this before not this far down inside the antenna anyways....Ive cleaned them before but nothing like this..
 
Oatmeal said:
10-4, this is where all the rust is, the rest of the antenna is in good shape...
Just needs cleaned up..oh and have to drill out the top hat screw too to get that off...

Any ideas how to solder the wire on it and get a good connection ?...
After I solder the wire on the 239, how can I check it to be sure its got a good connection ?..

This will be the first time doing something like this...

Guys your have to bare with me here, Ive never don't this before not this far down inside the antenna anyways....Ive cleaned them before but nothing like this..
Click to expand...

Oatmeal, I see what you show us as a HyGain, and maybe it is very old, maybe one of the first such Penetrator models HyGain made, but it does not look to me like a modern versions of the Super Penetrator 500...made over the last 20+ years or so. The wires I posted earlier are currently being use as a matcher which allows for high power. Over the years I think these exposed wire matchers are what has been used to match this SPT500, and this is not done with the CLR 2, which is somewhat similar by design.

Can you post a picture of the side or more of the top of the insulator. IMO, it is possible the antenna you have is a old HyGain CLR.

Does the antenna have 3 or 4 radials?

I think I can add a little help on this one, but I caution that if it is a 1/2 wave about 17'-18' overall, or a 5/8 wave about 21'-22', then it will need a matching device, and that matcher might be inside the insulator you show in your picture. If so, then you might not have much to work with...as an original. You might be able to modify a matcher, however, and then have some success, but right now that area looks pretty bad. If you check with HyGain, you might be able to get a brand new part. I understand that are a few folks around that rebuild these old HyGain antennas and they are able to get new parts directly from HyGain.

Here, is a matcher similar that was used inside of the bottom insulator for one version of the old HyGain CLR2, that I had years ago. I may have already shown this to you, maybe in another thread. I don't recognize the wire shown in you picture however, so I could be totally wrong, but I'm willing to try and help.

Here is the part, and what you have could be the same, but most of it has been pulled off, or it rusted off and all you see now at the base is the pin sticking out with no connector.

HyGain CLR Matching Coil 01.JPG

In this picture there was a bottom plate that has been removed to expose what is inside, and IMO, this is the same or similar to the item you posted with the bottom plate still attached.

Am I making any sense here?
 
gupupena.jpg
OM I bought and rebuilt one of the same p 500s. I used fine steel wool and mineral spirits! Picked up a few pipe cleaning brushes from the home center, cut the handles off and use my drill to clean the female parts of all the elements! Looked like new! Used the same so connector, just cleaned it up! Ordered new Gamma wires, insulators and the lower plastic hub,( that the vertical Bolts onto from hygain. Without looking back through my mail, I believe MFJ carries those now. The gamma wires they sent were the same ones they use on the new version of these antennas and are a little different! Some modification was needed to make them work. I had more in shipping then all the parts cost. I think 12 bucks for all the parts. I used a solid 12 gauge wire to replace the corroded wire inside the bottom hub. Used all stainless fasteners going back together.
Mine tuned out flat and works better the new!! Take your time, do it right the first time!
Have fun and keep us posted with pics!!

Ps. I'm not a tech or a machinist. It was all real easy. And I feel good that I did it and it worked! Lol
 
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Marconi, this one here has 4 radials on it, and each of the radials has 2 bolts to hold it in place..and the gamma match is like the one you have in the pic where you had the tape measure in....

Theres nothing inside this one to burn out just the wire coming off the 239...

Its like the one IRock817 has in the pic...


Actually Im mostly worried about replacing the SO-239 and soldering the wire on it......Irock817, what kinda wire did you use, that's solid ?...

This like some of the 12ga house wire ?....

The gamma match, both wires are still in good shape, so is the rest of the aluminum parts...even has the 4 top hat radials on it in good shape..
 
Nice find! Use high heat for a short time. I think the 14 or 16 gauge wire was what came factory. I used 12 gauge so it would handle more heat! Take your time and clean up all the connections. Use stainless. You'll be real surprised in the performance of this antenna.
 
IRock817 said:
gupupena.jpg
OM I bought and rebuilt one of the same p 500s. I used fine steel wool and mineral spirits! Picked up a few pipe cleaning brushes from the home center, cut the handles off and use my drill to clean the female parts of all the elements! Looked like new! Used the same so connector, just cleaned it up! Ordered new Gamma wires, insulators and the lower plastic hub,( that the vertical Bolts onto from hygain. Without looking back through my mail, I believe MFJ carries those now. The gamma wires they sent were the same ones they use on the new version of these antennas and are a little different! Some modification was needed to make them work. I had more in shipping then all the parts cost. I think 12 bucks for all the parts. I used a solid 12 gauge wire to replace the corroded wire inside the bottom hub. Used all stainless fasteners going back together.
Mine tuned out flat and works better the new!! Take your time, do it right the first time!
Have fun and keep us posted with pics!!

Ps. I'm not a tech or a machinist. It was all real easy. And I feel good that I did it and it worked! Lol
Click to expand...

ORD
QTY SHPD
QTY Product ID Description Unit Price Line Total
1 1 170774 MATCHING STUB, SPT-500 $6.08 $6.08
1 1 170775 SHORTING STUB, SPT-500 $2.56 $2.56
2 2 463642 1 8 TO 1 1 4 ROD SUPPORT, BK, $0.14 $0.28
1 1 863427 BASE ASSY, W PIN SHORT,AV12, $6.90 $6.90
1 1 463056 MKII UPPER INSULATOR, 71, $3.12 $3.12
Subtotal:
Tax:
Shipping & Handling:
Total:
$18.94
$0.00
$12.00
$30.94

MFJ can hook you up!!!!
 
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10-4 Kd6led, that's something that needs to be pinned here somewhere....good info on this antenna...

Id sure like to find that part that has the wire already on the SO-239...

And what Joe or maybe it was Steve, was saying about using the regular bushings....

I noticed in the pics of the stub, the newer one looks to have been longer than the regular one is.....

That is the SP 500 I have the one that manual is on..I remember having that paper work when I had one of these antennas back in the late 70s, early 80s....I bought one new back then, but little did I know they would still be around today.....I bought that SP 500 new, it was 49.95 at this cb store...

Man that's been a long time ago...lol..
 
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