base station antenna

[casper9]

whats the best base station antenna under $130?

i was looking at the imax 2000

what would you recomend?

 

[Robb]

I got one and I like it. For $130, you can also afford the ground plane kit too. I bought mine from
CB Radio Antennas at Discount Prices - Palco Electronics

 

[KJ4BAE]

MACO V 5/8. ALUMINUM IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

 

[casper9]

would i need a ground plane kit macro v? and how easy is it to set up??
thanks

 

[casper9]

I got one and I like it. For $130, you can also afford the ground plane kit too. I bought mine from
CB Radio Antennas at Discount Prices - Palco Electronics

how far can you get on an average day?

 

[Moleculo]

The maco v5/8 is already a ground plane antenna. I would take that any day over the Imax. Look at the thread in the antenna section on 1/4 wave & 5/8 wave verticals.

Casper, where are you at in SoCal?

 

[casper9]

im down in costa mesa.
handle is lunchbox

 

[W5LZ]

"How far you can get" is a terrible way of looking at antennas. Too much depends on propagation for there to be any meaningful answer to that question. It is one way to judge antennas, just not a very good one.
- 'Doc

 

[Wire Weasel]

Agree with the all aluminum Maco. Will still be up years after the sun has rotted the fiberglass off of any fiberglass covered antenna.

Distance depends on lots of stuff. The elevation above ground your antenna is and how much power you're running. The elevation above ground the guy you're talking to is and how much power he's running ect....on and on like that.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

theres a few places you can get the maco v5/8 for about 110-115 shipped .

i wanna get one after i get through playing with different things on my homey 1/4wgp .

 

[Robb]

If I was to use a 1/4 wgp, I would not hesitate to get the 'Starduster' or a copy of it that Palco Electronics sells for $50. That antenna is one legendary unit! Next, I would get the Maco 5/8 wave for $90. It was a toss-up for me when I was chosing between the Maco 5/8 and the IMAX 2000 w/o ground planes - that are both the same price at Palco Electronics. Most of the people in my area use either the A99 or the IMAX, and I liked what I heard on my radio. That is why I picked the IMAX; but I like aluminum antennas like the Maco. One reason I chose the IMAX over the Maco was that the Maco is a bit shorter than a true 5/8 wave, but it is still broadbanded enough to work on upper and lower frequencies.
Still, a tough choice between the two...

 

[casper9]

can you attack a macro v5/8 to a chimney mount? or is there any other ways that dont require drilling into the house???

 

[DoctorMaster]

Maco and their gamma match sucks.. Imax 2000 shown by many to outperform the Maco groundplanes by .5db in gain or more.

 

[casper9]

really? i just saw some pics of the maco 5/8 and i didnt know how long those radials are. the imax 2k doesnt have radials right? cause i dont think i can install an antenna with radials to an chimney mount

 

[Moleculo]

The Maco antennas are pretty light. I don't see why you couldn't use a chimney mount, unless your chimney is just really short.