Bought Sigma Venom 5/8 Silver Rod, Performance Review To Follow

[Wire Weasel]

Okay, am finally in the new house and made an inexpensive antenna buy this week. Weather permitting will get it up tomorrow and see how it is. I posted a little while back expressing interest in the Sigma Venom High Gain model for around $74 bucks I think. I went with the Venom 5/8 Silver Rod model which is the exact same but without the 3 short radials at the bottom. This is a simple all aluminum vertical for 10~11 meters. Just a stick. Think of an Antron 99 but this is all aluminum instead of a fiberglass stick with a skinny wire inside. All-metal verticals like this should be at least somewhat more broad-banded than a wire vertical and most people say they notice better receive with metal pipe antennas over wire ones of similar antenna type.
The construction is good. Is it as heavy-duty as a $400 Predator? .... No .... but I'm not expecting it to be.
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Uber thrilled with price and Customer Service. This one without the little radials is only $68.70 on eBay and get this: 2 Day FedEx EXPRESS ship from England for FREE. Shipped Wednesday, delivered to my door out in the country on FedEx Express truck Friday morning. Wowzers The Sigma Antenna people are in England and this was from their factory eBay Seller account. Simply search eBay for Sigma Antennas.
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States 19' length, 1,000 watts p.e.p. 26~28 mhz
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Will Comment back after I get it up and put it through all the paces

 

[Rick330man]

I'd definitely like to hear more about this antenna and your experience with it.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Looking forward to your review.

73
Jeff

 

[Low_Boy]

At the rate I am going yours will probably be up before my venom goes up. I have had my antenna since winter and just too much more important things to do. Basically my job LOL.

 

[sp5it]

5/8 wave without radials? LFMAO.

 

[Jay Mojave]

Hello Rick330man: The photo isn't all that great. What are the antennas dimenations and such? Can you post the assembly instructions?

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

5/8 wave without radials? LFMAO.

Maybe the coax is the radial?

 

[2315 Robert]

Sigma Venom 5/8 Wave Siver Rod CB Base Antenna

The Sigma Venom 5/8 Wave is longer than 1/2 Wave.
This means it will have improved performance on transmit and receive.
Power Handling 1000watts
Length 5.80m
Gain 4.2db
Impendance 50 Ohms
Frequency 26-28Mhz
SWR 1:1.3.1
Mounting Pole Bracket

 

[sp5it]

Maybe the coax is the radial?

Won't work that way.

Gain 4.2db

Yeee, dBd or dbi? DB here means nothing.
Mike

 

[Wire Weasel]

At the rate I am going yours will probably be up before my venom goes up. I have had my antenna since winter and just too much more important things to do. Basically my job LOL.

 

[Wire Weasel]

Got it up today after waiting out a storm. Is working as expected with my long history of various verticals and ground planes going back to 1976. 1:3 SWR across 26.800 ~ 28.800. Lower in places in-between. I agree that Sigma's math seems wonky. It is slightly longer than a1/2 wave as is longer an Antron 99. Call it an enhanced 1/2 wave End-Fed Vertical. Call it Betsy. The performance, materials and construction are satisfactory and I'd rather have this than an Antron. The price is right. Thanks to 2315 Robert above for copy/paste on the specs. Posting a full-size pic for Jay (Jay get off your goddamn phone and use a computer !! )

 

[mrgumby]

Looks almost like this

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Looks like the mast is the counterpoise.

 

[Low_Boy]

Looks Really broad banded. How is it's preformance so far?

 

[Wire Weasel]

Looks Really broad banded. How is it's preformance so far?

Hi Low Boy, I commented yesterday. I'm happy with it. Although I'm in something of valley at the foot of the mountains, I was easily hearing and talking to stations 35-45 miles away with the antenna only up 20' feet off the ground with a temporary mount. Getting it up higher later.