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IMAX 2000

178 NASTI1

178 NASTI1

New Member
Dec 24, 2021
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Hey all, I recently installed a imax 2000 on my barn to a Ranger base unit. The antenna base is at a he peak of my roof about 40 ft off the ground level. The antenna is above the peak. I’d say the base of my antenna is in line with my power lines on street. If I installed a ground plain kit and put the antenna another 10-15ft higher would that help my receive? I’m being heard all over but my receive sucks. I’m kinda in a low point and I think my power lines are interfering
Any opinions???
 

178 NASTI1 said:
Hey all, I recently installed a imax 2000 on my barn to a Ranger base unit. The antenna base is at a he peak of my roof about 40 ft off the ground level. The antenna is above the peak. I’d say the base of my antenna is in line with my power lines on street. If I installed a ground plain kit and put the antenna another 10-15ft higher would that help my receive? I’m being heard all over but my receive sucks. I’m kinda in a low point and I think my power lines are interfering
Any opinions???
Click to expand...
I have a few thoughts here:
- Regarding the powerlines interfering with your signal. I don't think the power lines are "reducing" your signal but they could cause interference and causing the receive signals to be covered up.
- Regarding raising your antenna. Extra height ALWAYS helps.

One other thought is the receive alignment. I am unsure if your radio has ever been opened up but I find that most radios have been. Is it possible that someone detuned the receive. What most people do not understand is that in many cases it can take the slightest tweak of a receive inductor to have a drastic affect on the receive level. Just a thought. If the SWR's are good and you are being heard fine then I would wonder if the issue is not in the radio. Is there a chance to try another radio on the Imax or your base in a different setting?

Merry Christmas
 
Is the antenna mast properly grounded?

Like lightning strike level grounded.

Solid copper ground wire and a 8ft copper ground rod in the ground?

The A99 would work well without, though for safety reasons it's foolish to not properly ground it.

But I've helped guys solve this very issue with the 2000 by helping them ground it.

The ground plane seems to be a waste of time on the 2000.

Let the earth be the ground plane. And another 10 or 15 feet up is always a yes.
 
This is how "deaf" my IMAX 2000 was during the last solar cycle. See contact map below. I admit the installation is lacking at only 12ft. with no ground plane and my location in the far northern hemisphere. Having to deal with the limitations, the "deafness" was acceptable. BTW, welcome aboard new member 178.

bsl6rxa
 
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just made contact with 901 in the Arizona desert,, he is in an HOA and his imax 2000 installed at 12 AGL.
He had a strong signal into Florida and he was making contacts all over the east coast and into the big island into Hawaii. Have to love good propogation
I ran an imax 2k for years until lightning decided to separate it into little pieces, is it a great antenna?? no, but I have made some great contacts on it.
 
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I've run both the 2000 and the maco v58 and while the macro had slightly better performance for my installation I have to say the average radio guy anymore really isn't a hard-core engineer/scientist so with that said the imax 2000 is a hell of allot easier to install and tune.

The 2000 has a bigger bandwidth as well, but that comes at a cost naturally.

When the band is open. It's open!
 
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As far as the gpk for the Imax2k, some saw a difference some didn't, only way to tell if it will make a difference on your installation is to try it.
 
Yeah this was case when it first became available, you're right.

Dudes running ungrounded antennas would be the ones to see a difference at that if there was any to be had


RT431 said:
As far as the gpk for the Imax2k, some saw a difference some didn't, only way to tell if it will make a difference on your installation is to try it.
Click to expand...
 
Lkaskel said:
I have a few thoughts here:
- Regarding the powerlines interfering with your signal. I don't think the power lines are "reducing" your signal but they could cause interference and causing the receive signals to be covered up.
- Regarding raising your antenna. Extra height ALWAYS helps.

One other thought is the receive alignment. I am unsure if your radio has ever been opened up but I find that most radios have been. Is it possible that someone detuned the receive. What most people do not understand is that in many cases it can take the slightest tweak of a receive inductor to have a drastic affect on the receive level. Just a thought. If the SWR's are good and you are being heard fine then I would wonder if the issue is not in the radio. Is there a chance to try another radio on the Imax or your base in a different setting?

Merry Christmas
Click to expand...
That’s great info. I did have my Ranger done by a well known expert. He did say he could do more on the receive. I did lift my antenna about 20ft higher and added the ground plain kit. I dropped from a constant 9 signal to a solid 7. I’m shooting skip all over. I’m in Boston and talked to Texas, Colorado, Louisiana etc….. I still feel my receive is a little weak but I’ll tell ya everyone hears me. My tech guy is old school. Everything is A-1 but he’s all about clarity and reliability. I’m trying to crank it up and get distance. I’m just getting back into the CB world I was in it back in the late 80s early 90s. I’m having a blast. Thanks again
 

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