I think I cooked my antenna

[357]

My antenna is an older bandit 1/2 wave, its like the antron but no tuning rings and its grey.

Tonight I was putting my palomar 300a into it for about an hour talking and the power went up from 600 to 800 and I was like, "thats not good".

I checked the match and it was like 2.5:1.
It was 1.2.

With just my radio its 1.5 but it goes up with more power, (yes I recalibrate it).

Do you all figure its fried?

I checked the swr up on 27.805 and its almost 1.2 again, its almost like my swr went from flat on 27.205 to flat on 27.805+

I think I cooked it.

 

[222DBFL]

Yep it's done. Same thing that happens to he A99 when you start putting power through them! Been there, done that!!

 

[222DBFL]

My local pal had the same exact issue. We replaced his antenna with a Sirio 2016 and VSWR and match were back to being very good again. Antenna was dumped in the nearest trash bin. Minus the top whip. They don't like power. Time for a new antenna!!

 

[222DBFL]

And his did the same with the VSWR.

 

[357]

guess I'll be running barefoot for awhile.

handles 2000 watts...ya more like 200

I'll probably pull it down, if I'm lucky its just a drirty so-239 connection on the bottom.

 

[222DBFL]

I promise you that antenna is toasted if you were putting 600 watts into it for an hour. No doubt about that in my mind. And also be careful running any radio as of now with it as not only is the VSWR bad, but your R and X values, or reactance and resistance, and impedance are most likely not very good. I am telling you this from prior experience with 2 of the same type antennas. One was an A99 and the other and old Shakespeare 1/2w antenna. Both exhibited the same exact symptoms as you are describing. And I mean the exact symptoms. VSWR went from a flat 1.0:1 to 1.4:1, and with any power added it went through the roof.
Like I said, my local pal had one, and used a Yeaseu FT101 and the matching amp. He was pushing 600-750 watts through his and it did the same thing as yours has. Same with the one I had. Ran a TNT 600hd on mine and went from a 1.4:1, to 3:1 VSWR. Not good and definitely not good for your radio. And like in also said, the impedance and R and X values went crazy as well!!! 70ohm impedance or more, R=70, and X=15. This were the readings I took on my friends antenna. Like it said, it went directly to the trash!! Don't use that antenna. If anything build a dipole and set that up for DX work. JMHO.
Also my buddy blew 2 radios up using the antenna after it had been damaged. Both his Yaseu 101FT and an Icom 728. Had to have both repaired. Again, it's JMO, but I suggest not using any radios altogether. Get a new antenna, or build one.
Hope this info helps and keeps you from burning any other equipment up. Have a good one.

 

[Tallman]

222DBFL knows his stuff. Replace your antenna.

 

[357]

damn...I'll have to get an Imax I guess.
ran 1500 into one before for a couple years and it was 1.05:1.

 

[222DBFL]

I'm not a fiberglass guy. I like aluminum antennas personally. That or a home built dipole.
But I run a Sirio Vector 4000 that is up 27ft the base of the antenna. Tip is right about 54-55ft. With 100 watts or less, depending on the conditions and how many people are on he band, I normally have no issue at all speaking with anyone I hear.
Also locally I do pretty good. Can get out to about 70 miles locally with less then 100 watts. This is all done or 99.9% of the time done on SSB.
My antenna has its faults. Most are fixable if not all of the issues.
For what it's worth the Sirio 827 isn't a bad antenna, the 2016 is no slouch either. It's not as tall as either the 827 nor the Vector 4000. But to get an antenna that will withstand heavy winds, and I mean heavy, you'll end up spending over $300 dollars just on the antenna. And then you need a proper tower to hold it up. They weigh a lot compared to my antenna. Even the Sirio 827 and 2016 are heavy antennas. Anyways. The IMAX 2000 isn't a bad antenna, like I said, I just prefer aluminum. And plus, my antenna was a gift, although I would buy another again any day of the week!! Anyhow, get that IMAX2000 up as high as possible and it will work just fine. No need for a bunch of power though. 100 watts should be plenty of power. JMO. And I have amps sitting around, beleive me. Nothing big, but enough to get out. But I am just a MUD DUCK!!
Both TNT and Magnaforce have Toshiba 2879's. And have never been overdriven!!! Don't use them, but find it hard to sell any of them!! Anyways. Hope you get your antenna system resolved and back on air ASAP!! Be safe!!
73 and God Bless
222 Daytona Bch., FL
Sean

 

[357]

I'm not a fiberglass guy. I like aluminum antennas personally. That or a home built dipole.
But I run a Sirio Vector 4000 that is up 27ft the base of the antenna. Tip is right about 54-55ft. With 100 watts or less, depending on the conditions and how many people are on he band, I normally have no issue at all speaking with anyone I hear.
Also locally I do pretty good. Can get out to about 70 miles locally with less then 100 watts. This is all done or 99.9% of the time done on SSB.
My antenna has its faults. Most are fixable if not all of the issues.
For what it's worth the Sirio 827 isn't a bad antenna, the 2016 is no slouch either. It's not as tall as either the 827 nor the Vector 4000. But to get an antenna that will withstand heavy winds, and I mean heavy, you'll end up spending over $300 dollars just on the antenna. And then you need a proper tower to hold it up. They weigh a lot compared to my antenna. Even the Sirio 827 and 2016 are heavy antennas. Anyways. The IMAX 2000 isn't a bad antenna, like I said, I just prefer aluminum. And plus, my antenna was a gift, although I would buy another again any day of the week!! Anyhow, get that IMAX2000 up as high as possible and it will work just fine. No need for a bunch of power though. 100 watts should be plenty of power. JMO. And I have amps sitting around, beleive me. Nothing big, but enough to get out. But I am just a MUD DUCK!!
Both TNT and Magnaforce have Toshiba 2879's. And have never been overdriven!!! Don't use them, but find it hard to sell any of them!! Anyways. Hope you get your antenna system resolved and back on air ASAP!! Be safe!!
73 and God Bless
222 Daytona Bch., FL
Sean

I'd prefer aluminum too.
I'd get a maco 5/8 or the new hygain 500, but...
I have no mounting options on the house itself, I rent and I'm sure its a no go.
I put my antenna in a tree, a black walnut and I'm not going to be able to fish a ground plane type up there and the branches blowing around it, its not really a great situation.

I like the fiberglass mainly Imax, because I can put it up and forget about it, aluminum needs to be cleaned and rain makes the match go up and down.

I had this bandit, I bought it used with a 2510, the 2510 was my main reason, the antenna was a bonus.

I used the bandit cause thats all I had and it worked pretty darn good....till last night.

If I had the money and a tower, I'd get a aluminum one but in a tree, I find a imax is the best bet.

 

[wile2u]

I lost the load on my maco 5/8, i built the balun from this site http://www.g8jnj.net/cometcha250b.htm it is basically a clone of the cha-250. seams to work well, but it is pretty broadband.

 

[357]

I lost the load on my maco 5/8, i built the balun from this site http://www.g8jnj.net/cometcha250b.htm it is basically a clone of the cha-250. seams to work well, but it is pretty broadband.

you misplaced it?
maco has a tubular ring, the only thing to blow is the wire to it.

 

[357]

 

[BBB]

Sirio makes some very reliable HD aluminum base antennas. Going on three plus years on the Sirio 2016 @ .5K all day. I'm sure it will handle a lot more. The coil seems to be really beefy.

 

[TonyV225]

I have ran power through the original Antron 99 and the later Solarcon A99 and never burnt one up. I have also ran my A99 on 6, 11, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20 meter bands with a tuner efficient not 100% but mad contacts and have a few friends that ran them on 40 Meters and another close friend ran his on 80 Meters with a Tuner and power and realized when he was done that he never switched to his wire and was on that Antron 99 and made contacts LOL!! We were just laughing about it the other day again.

I will tell you I wouldn't trust any remake or copycat antennas and why wouldn't a person spend the extra few dollars for an original proven antenna than a cheap one and for reason stated above POOF!!! I know money can be tight but sometimes the wait is a better option than buying cheap to get on the wait quick. Ill also tell you to becareful with the Imax 2000 they are longer resulting in spaghetti flimsy and the fray and break I have one here that di it and have several friends that had the same happen.

Best option I would say if is Solarcon A99 or or if your after just 11 Meter use or just 10 and 11 Meter use then one of my Good friend Tom Charles antennas like his Maco V58 its all up to you but I will say some of the Sirio antennas are worth the money aswell as they also work well. Just always be VERY careful with these cheap antennas you see on Ebay and other websites.