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11m Moxon vs 5/8GP
- Thread starter Crasher
- Start date
I'm in the process of building the Moxon...I'll post pics of the finished product! Can't wait to try this out!!
In the 2012 WW-DX SSB contest on the last weekend of October I used one on 10m at 22ft high with just 100W. Worked all continents, China long path from the UK (19,928 miles), 31 zones and 91 countries in just 16hrs and got 1st place in my country in class.
I also had an Imax 2000 up at the same time at 35ft and there was just no comparison to the Moxon. The Moxon just walked all over it even though it was barely 2/3 the height off the ground the Imax was. Signals inaudible on the Imax were S5 on the Moxon, clear as day.
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I agree the Moxon is a great antenna, I currently use one for 11m, a HPSD one made by Henry.
I do have an Imax 2000 also but I'm unable to test directly against the moxon, I do however have a vertical 1/2 wave mounted above my Moxon. Ideally the vertical would be a 5/8 wave GP but this would be impractical for me to mount above the Moxon and the Imax 2000 is a bit of a handful so I opted for a simple lightweight no ground plane 1/2 wave for this reason.
To be fair it is not often that I receive a signal on the moxon that cannot be heard also when I switch to the vertical 1/2 wave, BUT I can say for sure that the Moxon outperforms it probably 95% of the time for DX, that can range from 1 'S' point to 4 'S' points of an improvement depending on the propagation of course.
The moxon horizontally is much quieter on receive as far as noise goes, the noise floor on 11m here has my vertical pull in anything from S4 to an S6 noise most of the time, switching to the moxon the noise is an S2 on the meter at most.
Somebody asked also about vertical moxon, I tried this also and yes there is no reason why it should not work BUT when I tried it as an experiment the test was far from ideal as my pole is aluminum, for the moxon to work properly in a vertical configuration you will need a non metallic pole to mount it on, you have the coax also to consider running down through the elements. If yours will be for DX I would strongly suggest keeping the moxon horizontal.
73s
I do have an Imax 2000 also but I'm unable to test directly against the moxon, I do however have a vertical 1/2 wave mounted above my Moxon. Ideally the vertical would be a 5/8 wave GP but this would be impractical for me to mount above the Moxon and the Imax 2000 is a bit of a handful so I opted for a simple lightweight no ground plane 1/2 wave for this reason.
To be fair it is not often that I receive a signal on the moxon that cannot be heard also when I switch to the vertical 1/2 wave, BUT I can say for sure that the Moxon outperforms it probably 95% of the time for DX, that can range from 1 'S' point to 4 'S' points of an improvement depending on the propagation of course.
The moxon horizontally is much quieter on receive as far as noise goes, the noise floor on 11m here has my vertical pull in anything from S4 to an S6 noise most of the time, switching to the moxon the noise is an S2 on the meter at most.
Somebody asked also about vertical moxon, I tried this also and yes there is no reason why it should not work BUT when I tried it as an experiment the test was far from ideal as my pole is aluminum, for the moxon to work properly in a vertical configuration you will need a non metallic pole to mount it on, you have the coax also to consider running down through the elements. If yours will be for DX I would strongly suggest keeping the moxon horizontal.
73s
I'm interested in running a Moxon 10 meter vertical for local talking. I contacted MFJ who makes a 10 meter Moxon. They said if a fiberglass or pvc mast (anything non conductive) is used it should work mounted vertically. As far as the coax running down through the elements. How would one avoid this?
I have a Imax 2000 that could be used but I would prefer the gain and directivity of a Moxon over the Imax 2000.
I have a horizontal 3 ele yagi for DX so the Moxon would not be needed for DX. If I could still work some DX with a vertically mounted Moxon that wouldn't be so bad either. More interested in a vertical for local talking and not DX.
I guess running the coax down the mast should not be as big an issue as using a metallic pole to mount the moxon vertically and after all many yagi beams are used vertically on metallic poles with the coax running down parallel with the elements and they seem to work just fine.
Perhaps running the coax along the boom and down the back reflector would be an option but you may find you don't even have to do this.
Maybe some of the big guns like henry HPSD, marconi or Homer etc may be able to give you some proper info on how the coax would affect the pattern with the moxon in a vertical polarization. I would assume in this configuration the moxon would outperform your Imax 2000.
Good Luck and let us know how it worked for you.
73s
Perhaps running the coax along the boom and down the back reflector would be an option but you may find you don't even have to do this.
Maybe some of the big guns like henry HPSD, marconi or Homer etc may be able to give you some proper info on how the coax would affect the pattern with the moxon in a vertical polarization. I would assume in this configuration the moxon would outperform your Imax 2000.
Good Luck and let us know how it worked for you.
73s
There are two ways to look at this.
First:
It isn’t wise to put up a yagi vertical.
Cause the mast will have influence.
cause the coax will have influence.
The other way is to sort of "deal “with the problem.
You have already been told about the non-guiding mast.
but just make sure it is a LONG one...as the antenna really needs to be in the clear.
A couple meters won’t do it.
And the coax...well that CAN NOT run through the elements.
The only way is to place it behind the beam. So you could extend for example the boom and let it go down from there.
There are other ways:
1- stack 2....no mast issues (less) No coax issues.
2- USE a QUAD, A cubical quad in a vertical polarisation has far less issues.
3- use "in front" mast attachement. (you will need to put some counter weigth on the otherside hihi.)
Often the question comes...
Why do some manufacturers advertise with "horizontal and vertical".
Well, probably cause all of them have matching systems.
But be warned.
Say we have a hor/ver antenna one of those well know "moonrakers" etc.
We will need to place the gamma match in a different position on one of the two polarisations that means........
The entire pattern is influenced.
SWR is one of the first things to "change" in the antenna specifications.
If SWR changes...you can bet on it the pattern (gain/fb /fr etc) has changed as well.
Now, because the average CBer is only interested in a good SWR and "some" directivity the issue isn’t noticed, as the manufacture will make sure you can find that "SWR"hot spot.but he certainly cant stand for the efficiency of the entire system.
At least now you know why you have heard so many stories about vertical beams and SWR problems.
Im not a real traditional quad enthousiast, as often a yagi can perform more or less equal with less mechanical issues. But this is one of the cases it can not.
And thats the best advise i can give.
Yes you can have a moxon vertical...yes you migth (probarbly will be) able to "deal' with the issues..but still... it probarbly wont perform to its potential.
The cubical quad will give your mind rest...it will perform.
Kind regards,
Henry
First:
It isn’t wise to put up a yagi vertical.
Cause the mast will have influence.
cause the coax will have influence.
The other way is to sort of "deal “with the problem.
You have already been told about the non-guiding mast.
but just make sure it is a LONG one...as the antenna really needs to be in the clear.
A couple meters won’t do it.
And the coax...well that CAN NOT run through the elements.
The only way is to place it behind the beam. So you could extend for example the boom and let it go down from there.
There are other ways:
1- stack 2....no mast issues (less) No coax issues.
2- USE a QUAD, A cubical quad in a vertical polarisation has far less issues.
3- use "in front" mast attachement. (you will need to put some counter weigth on the otherside hihi.)
Often the question comes...
Why do some manufacturers advertise with "horizontal and vertical".
Well, probably cause all of them have matching systems.
But be warned.
Say we have a hor/ver antenna one of those well know "moonrakers" etc.
We will need to place the gamma match in a different position on one of the two polarisations that means........
The entire pattern is influenced.
SWR is one of the first things to "change" in the antenna specifications.
If SWR changes...you can bet on it the pattern (gain/fb /fr etc) has changed as well.
Now, because the average CBer is only interested in a good SWR and "some" directivity the issue isn’t noticed, as the manufacture will make sure you can find that "SWR"hot spot.but he certainly cant stand for the efficiency of the entire system.
At least now you know why you have heard so many stories about vertical beams and SWR problems.
Im not a real traditional quad enthousiast, as often a yagi can perform more or less equal with less mechanical issues. But this is one of the cases it can not.
And thats the best advise i can give.
Yes you can have a moxon vertical...yes you migth (probarbly will be) able to "deal' with the issues..but still... it probarbly wont perform to its potential.
The cubical quad will give your mind rest...it will perform.
Kind regards,
Henry
