Thanks Freecell. I actually have the paper copy of that it came in the box. I was just being lazy thinking BJ radionut might have an overall length written down somewhere.
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MaCo V5000 Assembly
- Thread starter Arch Stanton
- Start date
It's a white paste. We put it on all secondary underground distribution connections and meter base terminations.
First you will want to replace ALL the hardware and replace it with stainless.
Second, i found that this antenna is a bitch to tune even with a good antenna analyzer because of how many different points affect the tuning. Where your hoop bracket mounts to the base, your feed point on the hoop, the bottom antenna section, they all affect the tune and to get them all in the right place is a pain.
After a semi unintentional mishap with my tower resulting in the total distruction of my v5000 i spent the extra money and bought a ZeroFive Colossal groundplane and have never been happier. Comes basically fully assembled with one tuning point. Easiest tune ever.
Jet-Lube works great but it can be messy. Thats what i used for my assembly.
Remember, no more than 6 inches of mast goes into the base of the v5000.
Second, i found that this antenna is a bitch to tune even with a good antenna analyzer because of how many different points affect the tuning. Where your hoop bracket mounts to the base, your feed point on the hoop, the bottom antenna section, they all affect the tune and to get them all in the right place is a pain.
After a semi unintentional mishap with my tower resulting in the total distruction of my v5000 i spent the extra money and bought a ZeroFive Colossal groundplane and have never been happier. Comes basically fully assembled with one tuning point. Easiest tune ever.
Jet-Lube works great but it can be messy. Thats what i used for my assembly.
Remember, no more than 6 inches of mast goes into the base of the v5000.
I had my v5000 tuned pretty good but could never find resonance. Then i had to replace the hoop and it was nothing but a problem after that. I also had issues with large birds and owls perching on my antenna.
Prices are up on everything but when i bought my colossal several months ago it was $425 to my door with an so239 connection. I didnt break my v5000 on purpose though im happy I did because it hastened the purchase of a new antenna. I wanted to sell it to help finance the colossal but i ate crap on that.
If you live in a winter or high wind area the ZeroFive is built much more stout than the maco and will survive harsher conditions.
If you manage to get the v5000 tuned it's not a bad antenna and not the best but it will get the job done.
Prices are up on everything but when i bought my colossal several months ago it was $425 to my door with an so239 connection. I didnt break my v5000 on purpose though im happy I did because it hastened the purchase of a new antenna. I wanted to sell it to help finance the colossal but i ate crap on that.
If you live in a winter or high wind area the ZeroFive is built much more stout than the maco and will survive harsher conditions.
If you manage to get the v5000 tuned it's not a bad antenna and not the best but it will get the job done.
I have an Antron at my house in town and I have had several different antennas over the years but most of them were pretty much just put it together and talk.
My first antenna was an Astro Plane and you just put it together and put it up no tuning at all and it worked great. After that I put up a PDL II the only beam that I’ve ever owned, now that involved some tuning but not too bad. After that I tried my first Antron and liked it. Then they came out with the Imax 2000 and I got one, liked it better but the wind broke it. I had a friend put another top section on it and the wind broke it too so said screw it and got out of radio for 10 years.
That brings me to now. I decided that I want try an aluminum antenna at my place in the country. Eventually putting up my tower and a beam here but for now the MaCo V5000.
Tokin, do you remember the length that you made the radiator on your V5000?
Lmao, mine is in his 30's and i just told him i took out a $100k life insurance policy this week and he says "shit, i need to wait a couple months and get you to the top of a tall staircase. " Damn kidI had one of those once.
He just turned 30 years old last week!
73
David
We were at the ranch for 18 days and got back a couple weeks ago I’ve been busy but I figured that it was time for an update.
After adjusting the antenna about 5 times we got the match to what I consider good enough for now.
I rarely talk on the lower portion of the CB band so I wanted the lowest match further up the band than most people shoot for and we accomplished that.
I have a 1.48 on 26.965, a 1.12 on 27.265, a 1.24 on 27.405 and a 1.49 on 27.575.
We can probably get it down a little better with some tweaking but we wanted to just get in the ballpark as the antenna is only 10’ off the ground right now.
If the match stays the same when we get it to it’s full height I’ll be happy as I talk SSB 90% of the time.
Thanks for everyone’s help and suggestions.
73
After adjusting the antenna about 5 times we got the match to what I consider good enough for now.
I rarely talk on the lower portion of the CB band so I wanted the lowest match further up the band than most people shoot for and we accomplished that.
I have a 1.48 on 26.965, a 1.12 on 27.265, a 1.24 on 27.405 and a 1.49 on 27.575.
We can probably get it down a little better with some tweaking but we wanted to just get in the ballpark as the antenna is only 10’ off the ground right now.
If the match stays the same when we get it to it’s full height I’ll be happy as I talk SSB 90% of the time.
Thanks for everyone’s help and suggestions.
73
Hello All: Yeah stainless steel hardware is the way to go. However also using some sort of lubricate on the threads is a must, if you ever take it apart in the further. Theres special stuff for stainless steel and such, I use high quality automotive grease and that works very well. As stainless steel hardware like in U-Bolts and Bolts like to "Gaul" up causing the nut to freeze to the threads and one has to break it to get it off. I believe the stainless steel hardware still has some sort of coating from the manufacturing process that causes the Gauling.
The Aluminum Tubing really does not need any type of connection compound even in areas around salt water environment. I have bought old Maco and Hy-Gain Antennas off E-Bay for parts and such. Many of the Aluminum pieces was weathered from a salt water location, but the joints had just black tape wrapped around them that did not allow any weathering or corrosion they looked brand new.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
The Aluminum Tubing really does not need any type of connection compound even in areas around salt water environment. I have bought old Maco and Hy-Gain Antennas off E-Bay for parts and such. Many of the Aluminum pieces was weathered from a salt water location, but the joints had just black tape wrapped around them that did not allow any weathering or corrosion they looked brand new.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert