Lightning Antennas????

[dxhound]

LIGHTNING's "True CB Quad" Antennas

Has anyone dealt with this company? I understand they are the offshoot of signal engineering. I was just wandering if anyone has tried their antennas. I inquired about the SFS feed system and this was the response I got from them. So far they have been good to deal with............................


Hi Richard,

Nice talking to you over the phone.
Our longest Fiberglass rod is 80.5 inches. Diameter 3/8.

Lightning Antenna's Quads use the same matching system that SE called the
SFS FEED SYSTEM. It allows the SWR adjustment close to the point where the
antenna mounts to the mast.
It consist of flexible wires (not coaxes) running along the boom and also brass rod stubs,
which are included with our set of wires. The SFS System allows the use of much more
power than a Gamma Match and results in very low SWR over all forty channels.

Take a look at the Patent here:

Patente US4236160 - Loop driven element antenna system and voltage feed system - Google Patentes

SFS provides two independent feed points, one pure vertical
polarization, the other purely horizontal. Two coaxial lines
then run to the operating position as usual and are selected by
the operator through a coax switch. (Neither the antenna switch
nor these coaxial lines are included with the antenna.)

In a nut shell the antenna is voltage fed and NOT current
fed like a traditional quad. That what allows this
antenna to be dual polarity.

I hope this answer your questions.

Thank You for interest in our antennas.
George.

Lightning Antennas
Manufactured in CA by INNOVA
Tecate, CA 95117
(408) 625-7717 Phone
(408) 457-9440 Fax
george@lightningantennas.com

 

[BJ radionut]

DX: I been considering one of they're 5 or 6 element LFA Yagi's for 6 meters...

In regards to the new quad feed system...
Looks like a variation of the old "Hairpin" design....
However must be a new twist to deserve a patent...
Let us know, how it works out if you go with it...
73
All the Best
BJ


Our Antennas

 

[dxhound]

So no one has bought an antenna from this company?

 

[lil-bump]

I have the Signal Engineering Lighting 4+ and it works great. The dual polarity is awsome. Most people have a hard time understanding Voltage fed quads. I've never dealt with Lightning antenna but they seem to be the real deal.

 

[radioreddz]

one of the same guys that started Signal Engineering started this company lightning antennas after what ever problems SE. had. but they do build a great quality product. also they have different cuts on the wires in reguards of your most desired operating frequency range you operate in, so if your main freq range is say above ch.40 they may have a diffrent cut on the wire lengths then if you operate below or mid band. i've had Signal Engineering quads and they worked great. i really don't think thou there is that much difference between a yagi and a quad so take into account your environment, if you get extream winds and harsh winter storms and ice stick with the yagi, nothing is worse then in the dead of winter when you like to be indoors playing radio and you look up at your quad and a good ol'e ice storm has raped your wires and it' 5 degrees out side

 

[supergonzo]

What determines whether something is voltage or current fed has more to do with what it is. 1/2 wave length elements such as dipoles or yagi element are considered current fed because that is there the highest current is at, being 1/4 wave length of each side.
Full wave elements are all considered Voltage fed because in a full wavelength if you feed it where both sides are an equal 1/2 wave length then at that point the Voltage is highest, this is why it is considered to be Voltage fed.

This has nothing to do with any manufacturers claim of being one being better than the other.