Base Maco Big Dog Antennas

[Riverman]

Just curious if anyone is using a Maco Laser 500, Flat 8, or M108. Each has a 40 ft boom length and 18 dB of gain.
Holy Cow.

 

[bob85]

Don't believe that 18db gain claim from 8 elements on a 40ft boom, its hogwash,
not as hogwash as JO GUNN's 25db from 8 elements on a 37ft boom.

 

[Riverman]

Don't believe that 18db gain claim from 8 elements on a 40ft boom, its hogwash,
not as hogwash as JO GUNN's 25db from 8 elements on a 37ft boom.

Well, shoot. What about the old Moonraker 4 and its 16.5 ft boom and 14.5 dB gain?

 

[w9cll]

hat about the old Moonraker 4 and its 16.5 ft boom and 14.5 dB gain?

Nope..10db at best.

 

[Riverman]

Nope..10db at best.

Dadgum.
How does stacking two antennas affect gain?
Does 10 become 20?

 

[w9cll]

Dadgum.
How does stacking two antennas affect gain?
Does 10 become 20?

You gain about 3db

 

[Riverman]

You gain about 3db

So if my buddy stacks two Laser 500's he won't have 36 dB of gain resulting in a power multiplier of 120x? All he'll have is 80 feet of boom, 28 elements, an expensive tower, expensive rotor, and one very unhappy wife?

 

[The DB]

You gain about 3db

And that is assuming optimum spacing for said antennas...


The DB

 

[Riverman]

And that is assuming optimum spacing for said antennas...
The DB

The sound you hear is that of my bubble bursting. I love reading all those glowing numbers in antenna specs and daydreaming. Now I'm told they are usually something less. Often, a lot less.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

So if my buddy stacks two Laser 500's he won't have 36 dB of gain resulting in a power multiplier of 120x? All he'll have is 80 feet of boom, 28 elements, an expensive tower, expensive rotor, and one very unhappy wife?

Stacking properly increases gain by 3dB. Also you would NEVER stack two antennas inline making an 80 foot boom from two 40 foot booms. Stacking is done either side by side or one above the other depending on the antennas and the desired resultant pattern.

 

[Riverman]

Also you would NEVER stack two antennas inline making an 80 foot boom from two 40 foot booms. Stacking is done either side by side or one above the other depending on the antennas and the desired resultant pattern.

LOL. I'm a little slow on the uptake occasionally, Captain, but not that slow. I just meant 80 total feet of boom length. Trying to mount two of those monsters end to end would be a feat of engineering only a handful of good 'ol boys with plenty of beer would be capable of. Am guessing the resulting radiation pattern would be somewhat skewed as well.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Well from what some people think and actually post it is hard to tell exactly what they are think8ng sometimes. LOL

 

[w9cll]

The sound you hear is that of my bubble bursting

Not everything is as it seems and I heard the pop all the way over here. FYI I knew someone that ran the Laser 500 (was called Wilson back then), he had it on a 30 foot tower and it just cleared his room and went over his neighbors home.

 

[Riverman]

Not everything is as it seems and I heard the pop all the way over here. FYI I knew someone that ran the Laser 500 (was called Wilson back then), he had it on a 30 foot tower and it just cleared his room and went over his neighbors home.

Heck, even if the performance wasn't quite what it was cracked up to be that thing still must've looked darn cool. Bet he was the envy of the airways back then. Hope he had a Browning Golden Eagle or Tram Titan attached to it.

 

[w9cll]

Tram Titan

Tram D201A