help me identify this base antenna

[mustang_gt_350]

Hello, I was told by the guy who gave this to me this is a hy gain penetrator from the 70's. But all the pics i can find of them don't look like this?


Sorry its a little far off, but thats the best i have now. I would like to tear it apart and rebuild it but i want to make sure i have the correct antenna first. As everyone i have seen doesn't have the plastic cover over the base/mount area like this one. I don't really want to spend 150 on a new antenna if i can put 30 into this one and have it working as new again.


I beleive it is this antenna? http://www.worldwidedx.com/amateur-radio-antennas/40541-aluminum-ground-plane.html#post171763

Should i try to fix it or go for a new penetrator or gain master?

 

[binrat]

If its cheap or free, take it down and clean it up and use it.

 

[RatsoW8]

It looks like the old Antenna Specialists Super Mag antennas. I had one in the 70s.

 

[ExitThirteen]

RatsoW8 is correct, it is a A.S. SuperMag 500.


~Cheers~

 

[mustang_gt_350]

ok so it is the supermag. How do they compare to the a99, penetrator and the other antenna's of today?

It is free, or i should say was free. I already have it and am having issues, thats why i posted it to identify it. I put it up thursday, used the cobra 29 to check the swr got it to about 1.4 using it. Today i got my radio shack swr meter off of a friend who borrowed it and i checked it with that. It was showing 3+ on both 40 and 1. So i put my royce that came with the other stuff i got for free with the antenna (madison base, 29ltd, midland 2001, and the royce basic meter) and the royce was showing the same 3+. both meters were showing just a little over that. So i went to bed after checking it this morn (work nights) and when i woke up about 4-5 hours later i checked it again. Nothing changed but the swr was soo high it was pointing to calibration line on both meters. It was breezy and i noticed as the wind blew the meter would move. So i went out on the roof and shook the mast just enough to get it to whip around a little and i could hear a clicking noise in the external speaker and my helper (g/f) said that the meter was moving on the radio when i was shaking it.

Now it did rain on saturday, i'm wondering if water is in it somwhere or if the coil or whatever is inside that plasic gaurd is having issues?

 

[binrat]

There is a matching network in the base of it under the red cover. Sounds like its done. You can build a new matching section with ease.

 

[mustang_gt_350]

There is a matching network in the base of it under the red cover. Sounds like its done. You can build a new matching section with ease.

Thanks a bunch. I'll put it down tomorrow eve and if time allows after mowing tear it apart and check it out.

 

[roadrage]

There is a matching network in the base of it under the red cover. Sounds like its done. You can build a new matching section with ease.

It is very easy. If I can get my hands on a camera, I'll post a picture of how I made one. I'll include materials you can get at a hardware store.

The antenna looks like it is the same basic design as the Penetrator 500. There are several knock off versions. I have one by Archer, which was a brand of Radio Shack. It should work very well once you work out the issues.

 

[sanjosebay21]

It is very easy. If I can get my hands on a camera, I'll post a picture of how I made one. I'll include materials you can get at a hardware store.

QUOTE]

RoadRage, id sure like to see how u made that I've been thinking about fixing my antenna too but not sure how its done on the tunning part 73's

 

[Marconi]

Here is a matching network circut that came out of maybe an old HyGain Super CLR2 that would handle about 200 watts. I think with this one HyGain might have claimed it was a 5/8 or .64 wave collinear. It had 4 x 1/4 wave radials.

 

[mustang_gt_350]

It is very easy. If I can get my hands on a camera, I'll post a picture of how I made one. I'll include materials you can get at a hardware store.

The antenna looks like it is the same basic design as the Penetrator 500. There are several knock off versions. I have one by Archer, which was a brand of Radio Shack. It should work very well once you work out the issues.

That would be great. I'm new to all of this antenna theory stuff, so i need all the help i can get.

 

[binrat]

That would be great. I'm new to all of this antenna theory stuff, so i need all the help i can get.

I had an old Rat Shack 5/8 wave go south a few years ago. this is what I did.

The Ugly Balun stayed in place for like 15 minutes. Just long enough for me to get down then it slid to where it is shown. Stayed there until I took it down.

 

[mustang_gt_350]

The plasic cover that is supposed to be red was faded white and had some pretty big cracks in it that i never noticed. It also was holding moisture inside that. Thats all the farther i have made it so far. Working on it as i type.

 

[mustang_gt_350]

I think i got the connection issue fixed. Where the wire comes off the coil and connects to the bottom of the antenna itself the connection screw was full of corrosion and loose. I sanded both the copper and the aluminum of the ant. and put a new screw in.

I had to leghthen every section of the antenna. Now my swr is 1.55 on 1 and 1.9/2.0 on 40. Isn't that still high for this kind of setup? Could the connection be bad on the little wire ball on the top that is making the antenna seam shorter?

 

[vkrules]

I think i got the connection issue fixed. Where the wire comes off the coil and connects to the bottom of the antenna itself the connection screw was full of corrosion and loose. I sanded both the copper and the aluminum of the ant. and put a new screw in.

I had to leghthen every section of the antenna. Now my swr is 1.55 on 1 and 1.9/2.0 on 40. Isn't that still high for this kind of setup? Could the connection be bad on the little wire ball on the top that is making the antenna seam shorter?

If the SWR is higher on 40, it's to long not to short.