I've read some of the Talk about this antenna but never got much in depth without a pissing match between two Antenna gurus...(both had good points) ...what I want to know is...how easy is this antenna to tune..put together..weight...performance ECT...(I don't want to talk about the old model that my dad had...thanks in advance
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hy-gains new SP-500
- Thread starter Bearcat
- Start date
Well I never thought I'd say it but due to the changes from the original P500 it appears, at least locally, that the new P500 can be problematic in ways the orig usually wasn't, so personally I'll pass.
For true 5/8 performance you might look into the Sirio Tornado if you can use a lighter duty antenna where you live. One local guy replaced his Imax with a Tornado and saw a definite improvement in signal strength & noise mitigation, otherwise there's the Sirio Vector 4000 (NV4K) or the more expensive Zero5 5/8.
Not sure the Interceptor 10K is still in production, though the Shockwave 5/8 looks good and you should be able to extend it to .64 and reset the match to X=0 if you find having more medium TOA to be beneficial.
It's a bummer that several locals have had issues with the P500 insulators arcing out.
For true 5/8 performance you might look into the Sirio Tornado if you can use a lighter duty antenna where you live. One local guy replaced his Imax with a Tornado and saw a definite improvement in signal strength & noise mitigation, otherwise there's the Sirio Vector 4000 (NV4K) or the more expensive Zero5 5/8.
Not sure the Interceptor 10K is still in production, though the Shockwave 5/8 looks good and you should be able to extend it to .64 and reset the match to X=0 if you find having more medium TOA to be beneficial.
It's a bummer that several locals have had issues with the P500 insulators arcing out.
I am curious too Bearcat.
If they were running some pretty high power, HyGain says 1500 watts here: http://www.hy-gain.com/Product.php?productid=SPT-500
I would like to know what they were doing when the insulator arced...if they weren't running over the limit.
They may not be telling the entire story. Do we know if it was raining or wet when this happened? Also power applied as said. Bad VSWR causing issue?? Was the connection good at the feedpoint and completely dry when removed??Both connector and the actual feedpoint connection. I would be asking things like this as well. Or is that not right?? I have seen a lot of radio and antenna failures due to bad weather proofing while trouble shooting cell sites for ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint, and many others as well. I can't tell you what a little bit of moisture will do to both the radio and the antenna and coax itself!!! Bad all around! At any rate. Hopefully someone that has has this issue can explain more how it happened or when exactly and what all was happening at the time it happened. JMHO.
The two I spoke with were both running Texas Star 667 amplifiers. Yes it was raining when one zapped out and took the amp with it 
I have rebuilt a couple P500s using gray UV-resistant PVC stretching all the way up the radiator from the match connection point to about 6" above the radial plates. seems to help prevent arcing - he ran an Heathkit SB-200 (~750w PEP) with no issues, even during rain. Really, what good is an antenna if you have to stop using it or drop your power when it rains
Please don't take me wrong, I like the P500 but if 4 or more transistors will be applied, I fear it might be an issue if erected right out of the box w/o mods. I prefer to mod it anyway, extending it 6.5" (.64) and of course resetting the match for X=0, for increased 25-30 degree performance while not affecting the low angle performance of 8-15 degrees.
And regarding getting one, it's not hard to locate gray sch40 PVC so maybe go ahead and give it a try as I'm not aware of any other specific issues with it's construction.
I have rebuilt a couple P500s using gray UV-resistant PVC stretching all the way up the radiator from the match connection point to about 6" above the radial plates. seems to help prevent arcing - he ran an Heathkit SB-200 (~750w PEP) with no issues, even during rain. Really, what good is an antenna if you have to stop using it or drop your power when it rains
Please don't take me wrong, I like the P500 but if 4 or more transistors will be applied, I fear it might be an issue if erected right out of the box w/o mods. I prefer to mod it anyway, extending it 6.5" (.64) and of course resetting the match for X=0, for increased 25-30 degree performance while not affecting the low angle performance of 8-15 degrees.
And regarding getting one, it's not hard to locate gray sch40 PVC so maybe go ahead and give it a try as I'm not aware of any other specific issues with it's construction.
Water has a funny way of working into places that you wouldn't think possible!! I've seen some heavily weather proofed coax connectors have moisture in them. Weather proofing the right way with some materials is not easy. The preferred weather proofing for commercial cell sites is butyl tape. 2" electrical tape first, the butyl tape, then 2" tape again, then down to 1/2" elec. tape. But man that butyl tape is a PITA to work with!! I like the self amalgamating tape myself!! But anyway, sucks that that happened NB, and I agree you should be able to run your equipment in the rain no doubt about that.
Dayum!,.......... you just confused a lot of people with that term
,........ but yeah, it is GREAT stuff
Hey RS I had to look it up to spell it. Most tower guys I worked with just called it "magic tape". That is a bit easier than saying self amalgamating tape LOL!!! Try that one 3 times fast!!! Great stuff it is though.
yeah, for some reason, I seem to think it is an English (Britain) term,... or at least it should be.