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m-400 starduster
- Thread starter my2995dx
- Start date
I'm using a similar design. Workman sells what they call a 6Hub. It is a hub for a Starduster type antenna. You stick a 102" as a vertical radiator and then screw 3 downward sloping 102" whips for the counterpoise. The hub screws right onto standard plumbing pipe.
I wanted a decent base antenna that did not depend on coils, trombones or anything else to stay in tune. This nice, simple, quarter wave, true and tested Marconi design fits the bill.
I wanted a decent base antenna that did not depend on coils, trombones or anything else to stay in tune. This nice, simple, quarter wave, true and tested Marconi design fits the bill.
I agree Rick330man. Your description of the 6Hub describes my design. One quarter wave vertical with 3 sloping counterpoise made from the ground planes of the penetrator antenna I modified. Bending them was a bit of a challenge without breaking the aluminum rods. Got it done though. The slope is a bit more than 45 degrees. I will have to measure it some day. Meanwhile it is a mean talker.
Do you know where the "Workman 6hub" can be purchased now?
Yes I know it's an old post
I purchased four of the Workman 6Hubs from:
Eagle1com.com
I don't know if they are still around.
My Starduster style base using the hub is currently up and working well.
My SWRs are a little better when I use a fiberglass 102" whip for the vertical radiator. For the downward sloping counterpoise radials, three of the old Radio Shack stainless steel 102" whips are seeing duty. My SWR is lowest in the middle of the CB band at just over 1.2:1. My SWR on channel 40 is running around 1.38:1. At channel 1, it is around 1.28:1.
It works!
Good luck.
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I have made several new varientions of the starduster. My XYL didn't like the view of the antenna up on our patio awning. It was pretty obvious and big. I have moved to a design that is made of wire inside a PVC pipe with two radials sloping down from the feed point. The PVC has a hanger at the top to hang from a tree branch. The radials are pulled out and attached to the fence below the tree. With leaves which are popping out now the antenna will disappear. Working pretty good at this time. Worked some skip from Boise into S. Cal and Arizona on 38 lower. MFJ antenna analyzer has it running good SWR clear up to 28.450.
Mopower71, if you can find 4 x 102" stainless steel whips you can make a SD type ground plane. You will need a hub from an A99 GP kit and a mobile mirror mount.
See example in the PDF file below.
See example in the PDF file below.
Or just make a simple dipole.
(1) Install a mirror mount at the tip of a 102" long piece of 3/4" plumbing pipe. (2) Screw a 102" whip into the 3/8" X 24 female end of the mirror mount. (3) Install your coax.
This simple dipole set up should give you about a 1.5:1 SWR.
(1) Install a mirror mount at the tip of a 102" long piece of 3/4" plumbing pipe. (2) Screw a 102" whip into the 3/8" X 24 female end of the mirror mount. (3) Install your coax.
This simple dipole set up should give you about a 1.5:1 SWR.
I have a 1975 as version. Its okay but has almost no gain. A 58 wave will bury it.
Since your last post and my last post on this subject, I've done a bunch of internet searches to see if I can help you locate one of these. They are nowhere to be found. I've looked at Amazon, E-bay, various amateur radio stores, radio supply sources, etc.
Sorry I could not be of more help.
Whats funny is AS boasted a 5db gain on their box lol.
A plus to the m400 is you can dump as many watts as you want into them.
They were great for local fun but I preferred the astroplane for dx. That was back when you could drive thru the country and find them still mounted to a barn and could be bought for $20 if you took it down.