Bless me Father ( Kale )

[Kale Cavel]

concretemanj, Doc said one time that there are no secrets as to why an antenna works any better than others or something like that. There ARE some little things in the design of the antennas that can make a difference in the way they perform. When I first started building the 10K years ago, I used .049 wall thickness which is very thin and had more of a chance to break than the .058 wall that I use now. This is just 9 thousanths of an inch difference but the .049 wall thickness I believe performed better than the .058. If RF travels on the outside, how are you goilg to get it any more on the outside than with thin wall tubing? I'm not saying the 10K works better than any other antenna because of that but things like this might help. I wanted to build a lightweight antenna and this is the only way I knew how to do it.It just turned out that way. Kale






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[jessejamesdallas]

Kale, ever think of making the coil wider? Like the size of a large coffee can? Seen a antenna the other day on top of a Suburban that had a single coil antenna, but the coil was about triple the diameter of yours. Looked like it was on a 12'' shaft.

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[Kale Cavel]

Jesse, I built just one for my own vehicle. I don't know if you remember or not but 51 (Judge Roy Bean) built some like that for a while that looked like a 55 but went back to the 10K. I'm not going to change anything if it doesn't help the performance of it. I know a lot of things that I could do to sell more antennas but they would just be a sell factor. I'm not going to tell some one that one antenna will out perform another just to sell it. I'm a retired machinist of 42 years at 66 years old. I should be slowing down instead of growing. I enjoy doing it but it is a lot of work 7 days a week. Sometimes 50 antennas a week with very little help. Kale


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[Kale Cavel]

MRcoily, thanks for the good post. The machines I worked with all those years was 6 and 8 spindle automatics that run parts like the parts that go into a 10K antenna. I set up and ran parts similar to these antenna parts all of those years for someone else and now I have got to have someone to run parts for me. I don't think anyone would want to copy my antenna identically because of the many parts it takes to build one. It's the only way I know how to build a light weight antenna and stay together.

These parts are expensive. Just the top piece that holds the whip that screws into the tubing cost me 91 cents apiece. I usually have 2000 ran at a time. When I first started building the 10K, I was building them in half of my double garage. I had to have the other half to put my best vehicle in in case a hail storm came up. I bought a 14 by 40" engine lathe new with a quick change tool post so I could switch out tool holders fast. I made the tools on a tool and cutter grinder at the shop I worked at. I made tools that would form the thread diameter, the thread relief and chamfer the front all at the same time. Then I would make 3 passes with a threading tool and make the part fit the tubing. I worked all day at Pyle machine shop and came home and worked up until 10 o'clock at night building antennas. Finally I got to where I could have the parts made in a screw machine shop.

I have learned a lot of short cuts since the early years of building these things. The 10K didn't start picking up until about three years ago. I would wait for someone to call and order some and now I kinda look forward to a breather.

I could't grow in my garage so I found a perfect place in a quiet country community. Air conditioned shop and since I have been here I've added another lathe, a mill a tool and cutter grinder and an Ingersol Rand air compressor. I bought everything new except the grinder. I bought it from a man that retired that used to run some antenna parts for me.

I don't have any boys to help me to take over these antennas when I have to quit. I hope it is a long time yet but If something was to happen to me there just wouldn't be any more.

I need someone to do some of the finish work and take some of the load off my back. My brother-in-law helps me but he is very limited to what I let him do. Not one coil has left here that I didn't roll myself.

I used to make the tips for my antennas but it was a pain in the @#%$ to do it. They are another screw machine part that is a relief to get them done. I just had 5000 done at 11cents apiece.

I guess I will keep on building em' as long as they keep on likin' them. Kale








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[Kale Cavel]

concrete, if the 10K won't tune any lower than 1.3 or 1.7 it will have a lot to do with which antenna that is being used and where it is being mounted. There ain't any antenna going to tune very easy on these new plastic cabs. If I had to compress the coil of my antenna, I wouldn't use it. Most everyone think that the SWR has to be completely flat to pefrorm it's best. There is no noticable difference from 1.5 to flat. Kale


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[Kale Cavel]

The ones that will won't hear as well either. Kale


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[Kale Cavel]

The reason some antennas do not hear as well as others is simply because of the difference in the design of the two antennas. I'm going a whole lot on what the 10K owners have to say about the way they hear. I offer 6 different lengths shafts in the single coil and 4 different length shafts in the two coil. The single coils range from 6,9,12,17,22 and 27" shafts. I have built 48" shaft antennas for those that will be mounting them down low on the bumper of a Jeep or whatever. I will build any length shaft anyone wants if thats what it takes to make them happy. I caution them to use some kind of support with shaft lengths that long. The two coils range from 9,12,17 and 22" shafts. I ALWAYS ask what kind of vehicle they are going to be mounting the antenna on and where they are planning on mounting it. I have tried to build antennas for every type of vehicle out there. Kale


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[Kale Cavel]

skipshooter205, you can call me at 817-790-6239. Kale


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[Seamaster111]

for I have sined.....LOL



Well I got bored and tried the Astetic 3K antenna. First let me say that I am very happy with the 10K antenna that Kale makes<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=""> . The PR about more radiated signal from the Astetic than any other trucker type open coil antenna was the hook.



The antenna is heavy although well made except for the twin allen screws for the stinger. These are undersized and to shollow both in depth of screw and the shoe for the allen wrench. The antenna tuned ( MFJ 259B ) under 1<img src=http://www.wwdx.org/smilies/posticon1.gif ALT=":1"> for about .183 MHZ or 18 channels so it's not as broadbanded as the 10K or the Wilson 2000. The 10K tuned in under 1<img src=http://www.wwdx.org/smilies/posticon1.gif ALT=":1"> for .288 MHZ or about 29 channels. So with the 3K being less broadbanded I was expecting to see a stronger signal.....NOT....



With a quick test with 4040 on a work base, and myself stopped and bare foot, the results showed the Astetic 3K at 5 S units swinging to 71/2 while the dual coil 10K came in at 7 swinging into the red. Clearly a full 2 S unit increase for the 10k!!!!!!<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=""> The 3K has good hype with the linear load design but I feel that it's just that HYPE...



Soooooo another $60 spent for pursit of the xtra watt and S unit.



Gotta get more busy at work....tinkering = $$$ wasted...alas though, it's all fun.



Kale whats my penance??? LOL






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[subs757]

Kale i have sent you a message in ezboard, would appreciate your advise my email address is included.



Thanks

subs757@msn.com


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