M400 STARDUSTER OWNERS: Poll & Info please.

[Unit 194]

I never owned one but the original "Starduster'" seems to be in high demand on eBay.

 

[357magnum]

I have an old Star duster too bad the winds here in the north east did a job on it . Too bad because like was said some place in this thread it had fantastic ears unfortunately now its beyond repair .

 

[hotrod]

I have an old Star duster too bad the winds here in the north east did a job on it . Too bad because like was said some place in this thread it had fantastic ears unfortunately now its beyond repair .

if ya watch ebay ya can find the old ones there once in a great while. also sirio
makes thier own version ONLY version id buy other than the orignal

 

[Unit 194]

if ya watch ebay ya can find the old ones there once in a great while.

Believe it or not, I saw 2 NOS Stardusters for sale within the past 2 weeks on eBay.

 

[hotrod]

i believe it. i got 2 locals here that use them and swear by them . one guy been in radio
since the 70s

 

[392]

Well this is my first post and to an old thread but I stumbled across it and found this info very interesting and useful, so I Joined. For what it's worth here is my Skylab, starduster clone at 135 feet. I replaced HyGain Super Penetrater that was damaged in a storm. The starduster is effective but does not match up to the HyGain. A regular contact at 63 miles is no longer in reach with the starduster and was 3/5 with the Hygain.....

I just bought an Imax 2000 to replace the starduster......

Thank you all for the good info here!

 

[Marconi]

Welcome to the forum Tim. Very good report and picture of your setup. Be sure and keep us posted when you get the Imax mounted.

Be safe.

 

[222DBFL]

For the height you're at, a Gain Master or even a Shockwave antenna would have rocked as well. Not sure about the Sirio vector 4000 as it is prone to wind damage as its so long. But there are a couple simple mods that can make the Vector 4K a stronger antenna. If I was able to get mine up about 10-20 more feet I feel I would have no issues getting out over 100 miles locally. I can consistently hit 70 miles on SSB. Antenna is only 26ft off the ground. And it's pretty flat where I live. Central FL along the coast. Just South of Daytona Bch, FL, by about 5 miles. Anyways, make sure you have good coax run as well. Many overlook this area and it comes back to haunt them later. I recommend nothing less than either LMR240 or preferably LMR400. I use both, but for my vector I use Andrew's LMR400 type coax that is made for outdoors. Anyways, hope you have better luck with the IMAX 2k. It should work a bit better as the tip height will be taller. Anyway. Again, be safe installing antenna and post up some pics if you can. Nice to have good pics of the entire process, but most don't want to mess with all that. At least keep us updated as to how it worked out.

 

[wavrider]

Simple 1/4 wl antenna, no matching network thus no loss however slight a loss there is in a matching network.

Almost an balanced antenna for a vertical, the 9' mast pipe the coax is routed inside of assists in eliminating/reducing cmc on the coax. I still put an ugly choke at the bottom of the 9' mast pipe.

The antenna is very quiet, compared to I2K or A99,( I have ran both so real world experience.)

On 10 meters one of the net control for orange blossom net, 28.385 uses a starduster and when conditions are in the net lasts for hours with check ins from 6 and 7 land,he is in FL. 4 land, sort of blows away the high angle of radiation theory of a 1/4 wl.

Summary: for the price it is hard to beat and antennas 3 times the price barely give better performance.

 

[392]

222DBFL I do have runs of LMR 400 for coax at 175 feet per antenna. I also have surge protectors for all of my antennas grounded at the tower. I was really happy with the HyGain SPT500 and easily talked 100 miles on USB. the problem is hawks and other birds! At this height they like to land on the antennas and it if holds them, the wind at that height blows against them while they grip the radials. the penetrator didn't last 3 years up there. Thats why i will put up the Imax, it has no radials. I would love to put a beam up there but at that height I fear it wouldn't last long. I am hoping the Imax will make up for what I lost with the Starduster. Starduster is a solid antenna but does not reach out there like the SPT500 did.....

That Shockwave looks awesome but not sure it would do any better up there....

Thank you all for your comments, really good info on this forum...

 

[222DBFL]

The shockwave is beast of an antenna compared to the SPT500. There are a couple of members that use them here on the forums and they will vouche for these antennas being constructed like a tank! They are an HD antenna and truly can't be placed in the same league as far as quality of materials used versus the SPT500. Just saying. But I do understand the concern. I'm just not a fan of fiberglass. It will bend a lot more than the aluminum, I'm sure. Hopefully you get good results with it. I don't see why you wouldn't. I suppose it's a matter of opinion to say the least. The higher you get them the better. To a certain point. But anyways. Again, good luck with the install and be safe!! Post up some results at least.

 

[rumblefish]

Well this is my first post and to an old thread but I stumbled across it and found this info very interesting and useful, so I Joined. For what it's worth here is my Skylab, starduster clone at 135 feet. I replaced HyGain Super Penetrater that was damaged in a storm. The starduster is effective but does not match up to the HyGain. A regular contact at 63 miles is no longer in reach with the starduster and was 3/5 with the Hygain.....

I just bought an Imax 2000 to replace the starduster......

Thank you all for the good info here!

Hi Tim, I will recommend painting your Imax2000 with a non-metallic paint. This will help it from splintering. I painted an a99 and it lasted 17 years. The threads in the top center section finally failed from experimenting with different whips. I have also painted my Imax2000 with a uv resistant paint. I'm sure it will last as long or longer than the a99. 135 ft. man thats some serious height I get dizzy just looking at that photo, omg!

 

[wavrider]

175 feet in the air?? Man put a simple wire dipole and work the hell out of it, at that height you should have awesome range.

Verticals?? put a jo gunn yagi and rule the roost, they are built like tanks and should hold up to any old raptor using it for a perch

 

[Needle Bender]

222DBFL I do have runs of LMR 400 for coax at 175 feet per antenna. I also have surge protectors for all of my antennas grounded at the tower. I was really happy with the HyGain SPT500 and easily talked 100 miles on USB. the problem is hawks and other birds! At this height they like to land on the antennas and it if holds them, the wind at that height blows against them while they grip the radials. the penetrator didn't last 3 years up there. Thats why i will put up the Imax, it has no radials. I would love to put a beam up there but at that height I fear it wouldn't last long. I am hoping the Imax will make up for what I lost with the Starduster. Starduster is a solid antenna but does not reach out there like the SPT500 did.....

That Shockwave looks awesome but not sure it would do any better up there....

Thank you all for your comments, really good info on this forum...

Welcome 392

I doubt you'll have quite the TX performance of the P500 from the Imax, I usually see about 1 S-unit drop when swapping from a P500, I-10K or Avanti Sigma II 5/8 (REAL 22.5' 5/8 with FULL 1/4 WAVE RADIALS) to an Imax, though it should outperform that center-fed 1/2 wave Starduster.

I'd caution you to avoid the Gain Master, they seem to be breaking by folding in higher wind, not that ANY antenna won't be taken down by high wind, but it doesn't seem to handle what the I-10K-type could.

My jury is still out with regard to the Sirio NV4K survival in high wind.

You may notice the Imax seems to offer more band static, partly due (I've heard) to fiberglass being more static electricity friendly than aluminum, and partly due to the fact the radiator isn't at DC ground potential, though I believe the bottom 1/2 of the matching network into the SO-239 might be.

I believe the tubing on the Shockwave would stand up to your Pterodactyl problem, if it's as well-built & strong as the old I-10K which it's obviously patterned after.
I believe the I-10K used 6063 T-8 tubing.

You may want to add fiberglass rods inside the 1/4 wave radials of any metal 5/8 you might end up with, and I 2nd the recommendation for the Shockwave (USA, not Aussie version) or an I-10K.

Upon delivery & assembly of an I-10K or Shockwave the first thing I'd do is loose the propeller top hat, add 16.5" to the height, then retune for X=0 @ 52Ω & 1:1 swr for a true .64.

If you absolutely, positively must have a corona ball, order the top 3' of the NV4K and adapt it.

Welcome 392 and 73!

 

[392]

Well I finally got the Imax up, I had a delay, took a full bore lightning hit to the tower and I must say the starduster was un-damaged, lots of other stuff did not survive!

So the Imax has low SWR on 12, 11 and 10 meters. I feel now that I should have cut 4 inches or so off the top as I tend to work the upper channels on 11 and then 10 meters most, but My SWR is only 1.5 at the top of the 10 meter voice band, and its 1.4 at the bottom of 12 meters, so I can't complain.

Now I tested with a friend, 15 miles, On the starduster we tested just before I took it down and was hitting him at S9 and I was receiving him exactly at S9. Hes on a good kenwood unit, Me on my 2995DX. With the Imax, same freq, same power..... no change! I gained nothing on this test. I'll do more testing with stations further away but I was disappointing as both transmit and receive did not change. The Imax does seem to be a bit noisier than the starduster.

So for now verdict is not yet in, got more testing to do and I may go up and adjust those tuning rings a bit more but the Imax will not blow out the starduster......

You guys have me thinking about the Shockwave.....

Or even a ""Small"" beam that would out perform a groundplane for local talk, skip is easy. Suggestions are welcome!

73s. Tim
oh tower photo included, 135 feet up!