Done

[Caliman409]

Was wondering if anyone has modified the antron 99, in this way, by installing a 102 inch steel whip antenna for the top radial? My question would be, would it increase transmit and receive strength? And may be reduce white noise, I welcome your candid responses! Thank you

 

[sp5it]

If length is the same as original, no difference.
The key to success with A99 is proper mounting.
Mike

 

[Caliman409]

Thank you, how about the grounding, currently, my antenna is grounded via the galvanized mast, which is attached to the antenna, or do I need to run a ground wire street to the U bolts holding the antenna?

 

[sp5it]

Based on your description it's totally wrong.

 

[Caliman409]

Based on your description it's totally wrong.

Ok,

 

[sp5it]

It's not about grounding.
In my old posts I wrote how properly mount endfed vertical. I try to find it, too lazy to write it again.
Some reading in the meantime: https://www.w8ji.com/end-fed_vertical.htm#IMAX

Found: https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/ac-power-line-conditioner.251367/#post-702271

 

[unit_399]

Cali409 -
I've had the same A99 antenna for close to 30 years. It's an "original" ANTRON 99, and not a clone. Back in the late 80s, ran it on our house in SoCal on the chimney with a 12' steel mast, so the base of the antenna was at 36' total. Low SWR. Good talker for what it was. We left SoCal in '96, and I was off the air until we moved to Colombia in '06. I made a temp install with a push-up pole on the roof of our 3 story apartment. Changed to a steel whip as the driven element. Again, it talked great with only 150 watts or so on AM. Good DX to the US. When we got our farm ready to move in, I installed it there on a 36' mast. It was my primary antenna until I put up a 5/8 horizontal dipole and a 2 element quad. Gave it to a neighbor to use, and his station is loud and clear.
I don't understand why people dis this antenna. NO ANTENNA IS PERFECT. If there is such a thing ... show me. I think most of the people who had bad results with an A99 made some mistake in the installation, and just blamed the antenna.
If you do what is needed for a proper install : Good clean connections that are insulated against water and corrosion, proper antenna height, and least a 3 meter metal mast below the antenna itself, it will do a good job. As far as grounding, all I used was a #10 copper wire from the SO239 connector on the antenna to a copper-plated ground rod. Right or wrong, it worked for me. I always ran my A99 with the ground plane kit. I don't know if it helped, but I'm sure it didn't hurt.

- 399

 

[Greg T]

Hello
Thank you for the great reply, as for the antron 99, I do not understand as well. Why so many people dish the antenna? But like you said, maybe for reasons of how they installed it, i used to run an IMAX 2000, and that was a good antenna as well, currently I have it at 34 feet from grade height to base, I'm going to be buying a rohn h50' mast soon, and so when I do the install, I want to get the best effiency of course, the few things I will do from the tips I receive will be to isolate the antenna, so there is no metal to metal contact where the U-boats join, ground the antenna at the so239 connector as you described, isolate the coax from the mast so that it's not touching, and also make a balun at the feed point, and with the added height should be good, and also I am going to get the stainless steel with 102 inch for the top radial, thanks again for your input and story, it's appreciated! 73s

Why? Because it's nothing but a piece of 16ga wire. If you have two trees in your yard, or even one tree you can make a comparable performing antenna for 3 bux. The A99 not only has no gain, it has a .3DBD loss.

 

[sp5it]

So, my contacts with this antenna have been the following: east and west coast of Australia, New Zealand, Hobart Tasmania, Alaska, Hawaii, Christmas Island, about 2/3 of the US states, Scotland, Ireland, England, Austria, Italy, Jamaica, West Indies, Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, all logged in my logbook with dates times, and contact numbers and the dates, I don't believe it to be such a bad antenna!

It proves only how good propagation was. Nothing else.
Mike.

p.s.
I had even better results with barb-wire fence brought to 50 Ohm.

 

[unit_399]

It proves only how good propagation was. Nothing else.
Mike.

p.s.
I had even better results with barb-wire fence brought to 50 Ohm.

Mike -
Why don't you offer up some proof of why the A99 is so bad.
-399

p.s.
I don't really believe you ever tuned up a barbed wire fence.

 

[BJ radionut]

Copper Talk: Review

"Referenced to a center fed 1/2 wave dipole, which is the industry standard, the Antron 99 has a NEGATIVE gain of 0.3 dB. This could also be stated as -0.3 dBd."

Now granted this review from 2001, it's possible the new Chinese owners have corrected the QC issues when this is written. However still the same design as before, hard to beat the old Dipole antenna.

 

[sp5it]

@unit_399 w8ji explained it very well. Link in post #6
Mike

 

[HomerBB]

They told me it wouldn't work, but it did.
They told me it wouldn't work well, but it did.
They told me something else would work better, but I wasn't using something else.
They told me I was crazy while my logbooks filled up.
They wrote some math hieroglyphics on the internet to prove me wrong while I wrote my contacts in my logbook.
They said I didn't know what I was talking about while I talked around the world.

I build antennas for fun. I use antennas to talk to people. If those two simple things happen, nothing else matters.

 

[Greg T]

They told me it wouldn't work, but it did.
They told me it wouldn't work well, but it did.
They told me something else would work better, but I wasn't using something else.
They told me I was crazy while my logbooks filled up.
They wrote some math hieroglyphics on the internet to prove me wrong while I wrote my contacts in my logbook.
They said I didn't know what I was talking about while I talked around the world.

I build antennas for fun. I use antennas to talk to people. If those two simple things happen, nothing else matters.

That's not the point of the issue, though. No one is saying the A99 doesn't work. In fact, for normal, everyday use it's fine. MY opinion is it's foolish to spend $150.00 to $200.00 to erect an antenna of inferior quality or performance, when one can spend the same and install a better performing and more resilient piece of hardware. Maybe it's just me, maybe I take logic to an extreme, but I'd rather purchase a gold watch over plastic watch if I can get them for the same
price.

 

[HomerBB]

That's not the point of the issue, though. No one is saying the A99 doesn't work. In fact, for normal, everyday use it's fine. MY opinion is it's foolish to spend $150.00 to $200.00 to erect an antenna of inferior quality or performance, when one can spend the same and install a better performing and more resilient piece of hardware. Maybe it's just me, maybe I take logic to an extreme, but I'd rather purchase a gold watch over plastic watch if I can get them for the same
price.

We agree, and, yet, not everyone can reverse out of their current setup and make a second purchase. And, actually, the OP was asking advice about whether adding a SS whip would maximize his current gear. Instead, he got numerous telling him how comparatively bad his antenna is, and "what's the point" of even pursuing a maximum result from his A99 with little assistance. I just decided to respond to the "idea" that the A99 has no value just because other things have greater performance potential.

As for the answer to the SS whip, it will be no better than the current whip if it is cut to the same length as the current whip. If not cut, it may tune well below the 11m band. The 102" whip is about 30" too long.

As for taking logic to the extreme, I don't think you do. Always try to begin with the best you can do.