CB Mag Man has his review of the sirio gain master up

[BOOTY MONSTER]

Sirio Gain-Master CB Base Station Antenna Review

i think he likes it

"Over the next couple of years as more people get their hands on these antennas I think the claim that this antenna outperforms many 5/8's on the market will become generally accepted but until then the discussion and debate will continue."

thanks again for the time and effort to put a rational light on popular chicken band products CBMM

 

[Eastside]

Ahhh crap...its fiber glass.

 

[Robb]

First of all, to say one antenna is noisier or quieter needs to be de-bunked and qualified. How does a wire inside some fiberglass ('radome') get nosier that an aluminum antenna? They are both subject to the same signals and static that are present at any one given location. Both are equally influenced. If they are the same length and mounted in the same location; then how can they possibly be hearing less static and getting more sensitive receive at the same time?
Tell me what physics that are in play here - that hasn't yet been discussed?


The article itself was fine.
Thanks, Booty and CBRadiomagazine dude.


The tuning stub is a capacitor of what value?
Is it adjustable or a fixed value?
What is the value if the capacitor after the center conductor leaves the shielding?


The one important/distinct feature of this antenna, is that they incorporated an RF choke into its design.
Other than that, it is nothing more than a glorified piece of coax and a capacitor or two.
=]


All in all, I cannot reason the cost of this antenna. It isn't worth the cost; whereas the materials in a Vector are substantial. I would rather have a Vector 4000 and pay less money than I would have to pay for the Gain Master - and KNOW that I'm going to have better receive with the Vector. I'm sure the Vector even out-performs the Sirio Gain Master on TX . . .

 

[TonyV225]

That is a great review but that antenna for that price is kind of silly considering most people run amplifiers. On the flipside of the token if someone is running a simple stock station this may help a bit but as far as my Imax 2000 and antron 99 I get more band coverage I know for a fact with my antron 99 I took it to 17 meters I believe and will setup the imax 2000 this summer and check its bandwidth capabilities but I cant see it being all that much different than my antronn 99's coverage.

If a person runs a linear amplifier with the A99 or Imax this would make up for any slight output differences anyways. I do think that the Sirio is a pretty cool antenna and would like to try one someday and love the fact of it stable 1.5 standing wave racial all across 11 - 10 meters as mentioned in the article its not an easy thing to accomplish and thats a fact. As he mentioned I guess its up to each purchaser to decide if the slight output difference it worth sacrificing the extra money and tossing the Imax to the side.

You gain 2 nice things off the Gainmaster (slight signal output and less feedback into shack) but gain to things off the Imax aswell (band coverage and power handling) along with a more simplified assembly for a newbe or beginner. I guesss it all depends on what a persons goals are or what hes trying to accomplish and do with his base antenna.

 

[wavrider]

Tony,

Very good points by both you and ROBB.

The IMAX is a good antenna, and multi banded, just wrap an rf choke at the feed point and say goodbye to CMC, no more splatter and performance is as advertised.

As ROBB stated, Physics determines the performance of an antenna, no matter what the advertisement says.

 

[Eastside]

Tony,

Very good points by both you and ROBB.

The IMAX is a good antenna, and multi banded, just wrap an rf choke at the feed point and say goodbye to CMC, no more splatter and performance is as advertised.

As ROBB stated, Physics determines the performance of an antenna, no matter what the advertisement says.

Too bad they do not make the imax with 9ft radials like a maco v5/8.....prolly give it better ears ?

 

[TonyV225]

I dont have the groundplane kit for my Imax and was not going to put it up on another tower until I get the ground kit. I have been thinking about this very same thing with the radial lengths and have several antennas laying around here and know for a fact that one of the antennas haa huge ground radial kit that I was thinking about having a mount fabricated up by a good friend of mine who is a fabricator and also a radio enthusiast.

I am not sure what the heck these antennas are but I have 2 of them there older aluminum 5/8 wave antennas with the big aluminum ring around the nottom one has the ground kit one does not but they are the smae antenna. The ground radials are long aluminum and have eyes at the ends which are glattenened and these thin metal stingers connect the stingers are about the girth of those cheap tie down stakes for a tent.

I need to figure out forsure what the hell these antennas are and Ive had them for years!! I was told by someone awhile back that they sounded like CLR-2 antennas???

 

[Eastside]

I dont have the groundplane kit for my Imax and was not going to put it up on another tower until I get the ground kit. I have been thinking about this very same thing with the radial lengths and have several antennas laying around here and know for a fact that one of the antennas haa huge ground radial kit that I was thinking about having a mount fabricated up by a good friend of mine who is a fabricator and also a radio enthusiast.

I am not sure what the heck these antennas are but I have 2 of them there older aluminum 5/8 wave antennas with the big aluminum ring around the nottom one has the ground kit one does not but they are the smae antenna. The ground radials are long aluminum and have eyes at the ends which are glattenened and these thin metal stingers connect the stingers are about the girth of those cheap tie down stakes for a tent.

I need to figure out forsure what the hell these antennas are and Ive had them for years!! I was told by someone awhile back that they sounded like CLR-2 antennas???

If they are super penetrators...you can send me one.

 

[wavrider]

Too bad they do not make the imax with 9ft radials like a maco v5/8.....prolly give it better ears ?

I will be doing another tower antenna install in the near future at the second QTH.

I plan on putting up the Mosley ProTH67B at about 60 feet and I will plant another Imax 2000 right above the yagi, should be interesting to see how it will perform with that big a ground plane under it.

 

[Eastside]

I will be doing another tower antenna install in the near future at the second QTH.

I plan on putting up the Mosley ProTH67B at about 60 feet and I will plant another Imax 2000 right above the yagi, should be interesting to see how it will perform with that big a ground plane under it.

I have heard of people doing that....putting a imax on top of a yagi.....post pics when you go fer it.

 

[TonyV225]

I see that alot aswell and have talked to guys on 80 meters who do this aswell I have even thought about it myself. Im not sure what the hell these vertical 5/8 wave antennas are. Ill have to do a search all I know is like I said the one has a square hub that these long ground radials attach to and at the ends theres thin wire tips that bolt to the ends of each ground radial.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

If a person runs a linear amplifier with the A99 or Imax this would make up for any slight output differences anyways.

You gain 2 nice things off the Gainmaster (slight signal output and less feedback into shack) but gain to things off the Imax aswell (band coverage and power handling) along with a more simplified assembly for a newbe or beginner. I guesss it all depends on what a persons goals are or what hes trying to accomplish and do with his base antenna.

i agree with you on the price . i guess it depends on what you feel like youre paying for . im certainly not gonna buy one because i cant afford it . i do have a different point of view from yours where you said

"If a person runs a linear amplifier with the A99 or Imax this would make up for any slight output differences anyways."

thats true , but when you consider the cost of the extra amplifier power and the home AC power to run it to make the difference to equal it the levels so many folks keep getting compared to their previous 5/8 .... its actually much cheaper . 3 to 6 db from the different lob angle is twice to four times as much power . 2 to 4 times the 500 watts it can handle is 1000 to 2000 watts . for folks on a not so generous budget a used texas star 500 and a proper used power supply to power it with the GM could/would be just as effective . with the 5/8 add the cost of the amp and possible driver amps plus the power supplies to reach that 1000 to 2000 watts to equal the 3 - 6 db gain and the dollar$ add up quick .

as for the bandwidth . i keep in mind its main customer base is cbers , not hams . but with so many folks using exports ..... and some of those folks actually using the 10 meter option , its a big bonus for them that it tunes there so nicely too .

more power cant give better ears .
just a different way of looking at it . i do find it weird myself that there's so many folks on different fourms that are typically so suspect of so many gee wizz antennas that keep popping up are so impressed with it . as well as folks with similar and more experience in the hobby that dont post as often .

the price just seems like a bit much for some weird coax put together in a just oh so special way . but i guess if i can ignore that and just focus on its consistent performance , it could be considered a real bargain .

its also kinda neat to hear/read a reason why it performs differently other than " because me and (insert name here) says so.........."

they could simply shorten the bottom section 1/2 -3/4 inch where the coax comes out and add a little air pad pack to take the kink/bend out the coax . there is certainly 1/2 to 3/4 inch of extra slack it the top to sections to make up for it ........ or it seems very likely .
hey , someone that works with them tell them my idea and suggest giving me a gain master free if they like it

 

[wavrider]

I have heard of people doing that....putting a imax on top of a yagi.....post pics when you go fer it.

There is an op in Cal that works ten meters has an Imax 2000 above his 6 element tri bander, he says he usually uses the Imax when conditions are in vs the tribander.

His Imax is directly above his tribander and he booms I mean booms into Fl from Cal.

 

[Tucker442]

I hate to stir this pot but just my 2 cents, in the exact some location, exact same coax I have had a 1/4 wave old ground plane, a Francis Stick, an A99, a Maco 5/8 ground place antenna and an Imax with the GPK, all performed about the same but for some reason the Imax talks skip easier so go figure

 

[cbradiomagazine.com]

Hey Everyone, I'll add a couple of notations here regarding the review -

I would agree that for the price a Vector 4000 would probably outperform this antenna BUT my review focused more on this antenna vs the Imax 2000/A99 type of antenna because they are more similar in nature.

My last paragraph notes that for the price the Sirio may still have trouble getting the Imax buyers to pay more for the TX increase. The end result for me was that the Sirio does outperform the Imax and I would venture to say would outperform other antennas of that type.

There are so many other variables when when start comparing it against other antennas in other installs etc etc, so I didn't want to venture too far into that territory.

After doing my testing I walk away saying this is a great antenna and if I had an station running somewhere between 4w and 350w and I wanted a straight vertical antenna without ground plane radials or other pieces hanging off of it and I didn't mind the price this would be the antenna I'd choose. I feel totally comfortable saying that and the only thing that I can't really test is long term durability, only time will tell