new 55 merlin base antenna

[Master Chief]

I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is......where can I buy a Merlin?

So YOU got suspended or you are a mod and suspended someone? I'm confused. Just trying to get the facts straight.

 

[bob85]

some people just hate the truth,
if you cant argue/debate/bicker whatever you want to call it then the people with a financial interest or misguided belief will win every time and the cb-world for most people stays were it is,
full of nonsensical cb mythology, bs gain antennas, antennas that work super on tx but not so good on rx, 1db per s-unit meters, superaudio antennas and pompom waving bullshitters,
some time ago i contacted somebody respected around the world and far more knowledgeable on antennas than i will ever be,
what he had to say about vertical antennas in the real world over real ground as opposed to freespace EZNEC modelling or running about your area with ground resistivity meters using precision guesswork was very interesting and can wait untill i have done more tests to back up what i have thought for years from my own tests and he said was more than possible,

i got suspended from grumpys forum for no reason at all ( i have never even had a warning on any other forum ), i had information of use to a guy asking a question and getting wrong answers, they activated my account ( eventually ) so i could log in but i could not post, now im suspended lmao,
its just another forum where people can post nonesense unchallenged,
what makes me laugh is if i had wanted to stir the pot theres no way they could stop me getting on time and time again, im just not that way inclined

 

[Marconi]

i wonder how a gr45 would work on a starduster lower portion

Bob, the bottom of the radiator of the SD'r has a long brass tube at the base that screws into the hub for the feed point connection. The center pin in the coax PL259 goes up inside this tube when installed. This tube is also insulated from the hub as installed and the end of the tube has some small threads on the exterior. These threads screw into the non-conductive base insulator in the hub in order to secure the radiator. This is all that holds the radiator on the Starduster.

Without some modification, I doubt the GR45 will meet these requirements as constructed. My dad, has a GR45 and swears by its performance and supports the claims made by SE completely. I'm not sure but I think he has one of the newer antennas from SE as well.

This aside, the idea may have some positive affects, if in fact there is truth to the claim that placing a top-hat and a coil at the top of a shortened 1/4 wave radiator improves performance over a full length 1/4 element. The claim for such top loaded elements is that this raises the current distribution higher up the radiator and I believe that to be true technically, but I just don't see that making a big enough difference to really matter.

All of the applications for cap hats in these CB antennas are relatively small in relationship to the wavelength. The AstroPlane does approach 50% in its application of this idea and that may be something more of value, but all of the others result in just fractions of the wavelength. So, I question being able to detect the effectiveness in these smaller applications.

The real clincher for my consideration here is the lack of performance I got using my Wolf .64. I had high expectations for that one and it uses all the bells and whistles in this regard. I sure wish I was up to working with my antennas again, but at my age it is a thing of the past.

I am convinced however, that this new Merlin antenna has some merit in performance, because of my personal experience with my 1/4 waves or as MC says, approaching vertical center fed 1/2 wave dipoles like the Starduster.

Bob, I also agree completely with your first remarks in you post above. I continue to find it reassuring when guys get sideways with remarks like Cool Breeze posted and then support their own thinking and ideas using similar approaches. I figure Cool Breeze gave us what he found and that is good enough for me knowing what I find in my own experience. Stuff like this always gets me to wanting to go out and prove myself wrong or to see something similar to the other guy's results. At times in the past I have been convinced to change my mind, but this business about 1/4 wave antennas being, without question, less effective is not going to be one of 'em.

Thanks Cool Breeze for the report and keep it coming.

 

[W5LZ]

FWIW Stuff

Capacitive hats are used to make up for a lack that an antenna has, primarily length, just like coils do. If an antenna doesn't 'lack' length, there's no real electrical purpose in using a 'cap-hat', there's nothing to 'make up' for. Same for loading coils. 'Cap-hat's and coils don't radiate any more than an equal length of conductor does, nothing 'magical' about it (not the un-wound length of conductor that makes up the coil, but it's wound length). A 'cap-hat' does make the current 'move' further up the antenna. But if the thing is the 'right' length to start with, the current is already up there, why bother?
What's the difference between a 1/4w, 1/2w, 5/8w, 33/45w? Radiation pattern, where the signal is directed, take-off angle mostly. If that signal goes where you want it, then that's the 'best' for your purpose, doesn't matter what length the thingy is. So, in some cases, that 1/4w will out perform the others. Now, if you could make everything adjustable, length, height above ground, etc, etc... you'd have the 'best' of all worlds. I wish!
- 'Doc

Absolutely nothing 'new' / 'earth shattering' in any of that.

 

[chale]

If there are any questions and you want to talk to the man who designed the antenna himself
Call 55 at 904 753 0759 after 0830est

This was posted with permission from 55

 

[Master Chief]

A 'cap-hat' does make the current 'move' further up the antenna. But if the thing is the 'right' length to start with, the current is already up there, why bother?

Because its not already up there.

 

[bob85]

welcome back marconi
i know you love your 1/4waves especially the homebrew with horizontal and sloping radials ( marconi diplane ), also know the difference between 1/4waves and longer antennas is much less than the comparitive lengths when mounted over real ground, the main problem is how to make a fair comparison,
a guru told me that fixed station antennas should be mounted with the current maximas at the same height to have a meaningfull test,
i cant argue with that but it puts a whole new light on how antenna tests are done and in my minds eye would favour 5/8 groundplanes over antennas such as 55's top loaded design or the sigma style if it is a jpole putting the current maxima about 1/4wave from the top of the antenna, if on the other hand it is a none aparent colinear array then my current method of testing with feedpoints at the same height would be near enough and favour my 31ft antenna.
i know terry 55 is a smart cookie and would be surprised if the antenna did not have some merit to its design,
can it beat or equal the i10k over real ground im not sure, i suppose that depends on how and where its tested,
putting the antenna tips at the same height at my location i would bet it would beat my 10k due to its current low mounting height and surroundings, the same goes for the astroplane,
take the antennas back to my parents in an open field with ground gently sloping away in most directions which is where i did most all my tests apart from the i10k vs 7/8hybrid vs imax2000 and i would put my money on the i10k but then i dont personally consider putting the tips the same height as been fair nor do i think putting current maxima points the same height as been fair either,
a cber just wants to know which works best when mounted on the same pole, the pole they have in their yard,
one thing im sure of is the i10k has the edge on any 5/8 we have here in my garden or above the house on a hill with ground dropping away in all directions and its stronger than anything available here,

the gr45 is something i will definately either buy or build a replica if shipping is too steep, i have some great pics and all the measurements i need from another forum member, everybody i talked to that has tested one say they work as described, so far the ones that poopoo the design claiming any shortening either coils or hats reduces performance admit they have never actually tested one,

i thought i had found an astroplane just 10 miles from me a couple of days back, turns out that it was a thunderpole that somebody had shorted the coil on and added a caphat fastened on with tiewraps lmao.

 

[bighammer]

I'll try to answer some of the questions.
Feed point on both antennas was 75 ft. coax 4 wavelengths of bury flex with the velocity factor taken into account.

TX test barefooted only on a uniden 78.

a coils reason for being there is not for length, thats the other result. As 55 has explained to me. And I am not quoting. its there for a few reasons and the length, diameter, amount of turns and material design ( flat to round) all have an effect. to many turns and its a dummy load. round coils makes it worse. coil helps control impedance to a point. shaft length ( mobile) makes a difference in gain and loading also.

a straight antenna has high current at the bottom. a top load it up high. that can change the angle of radiation. so do the angle of the radials. a straight antenna shoots a lot of signal straight up.

I have read some of Marconi's post in the past. the wolf vrs I10k was interesting. I believe the wolf won?

One answer to MC. the unlimited power reference was to the antenna only. With hard mounting the coax to the antenna it can handle what you throw at it and most people wont come close to its power handling. It was not a reference to the individuals set up. thats their problem.

Before you guys start trying to contest me in anything I have posted let me say. I am not the designer so I can not answer some of the questions. Nor will I call 55 and ask him to answer them for me. I am only passing around info with my findings. I could care less i sell one here. neither does 55.

the main reason of building a well performing 1/4 wave antenna was not to shake the world on fire. But to make a smaller antenna that people in H.O.A's might be able to use. small areas of install, try to hide it better bla bla related to size. why try to build a better 5/8 there is already the I10k. 55's comment to me was If it performs close to the I10k then great. He didn't expect it to out perform it. One thing for sure is it is much easier to tune then the I10k.

I have found that theory is just that. with RF there are so many different variables. results are results.

 

[Mr Clean]

From the things I have seen 55 build from amps to antennas never heard a negative coment. I am sure he would not sell it if it was not a quality product. Try it you may like it! I know this. To the guys that run truly large radios he is well respected. I may have to try one for hilltoping!

 

[chale]

 

[Master Chief]

Thanks for the pictures. How can I buy one?

 

[bighammer]

MC if you want 55's number pm me for it. Unless an admin gives me permission to post it in the open.

recent use has shown an increase in tx over the other antennas i used. Imax and 99's cant compair. Since I now am able to talk on 10m I retuned the antenna. centered it on 27.8-9. ON 27.150 to 28.550 i have 1.2 swr. 1.5 to 1.5 swr is 2.5 mhz wide, 2.0swr is 3.5 mhz wide.

MC I am not going to go rounds with you on antennas. get his number. buy one and try it for yourself. A ham operator had a 5/8 gp, put up a merlin and now reports that he can contact europe on a regular basis. With is old antenna it was near imposible without great conditions.

the hot element may be based on a 1/4 wave, with the coax in the middle of the antenna, radials below it do you think its posible its acting more of a 1/2 wave dipole?

when everyone was on a predetor 10k band wagon due to the hype and the right people talking about it people thought it was the best. but the much older 55 coil can out tx it any day. hmmm that old starduster design getting a second wind posibly. with some upgrades of course.

is this just like the pepsi coke debate of the ages? there is no way the other is better?


mc you buy the antenna , ill pay the shipping for you.

 

[Moleculo]

Bighammer,

Whenever someone makes a bunch of claims on any technical internet forum without a lot of technical data to back up those claims, expect some backlash and questioning of the facts. Furthermore when one does not have the facts to back the claims, the typical response to the debate is answered with something along the lines of, "But im not going to start the normal bickering that goes on here". Sorry to inform you, but challenging facts and technical data does not qualify as "bickering". The last time I checked, there wasn't much "bickering" going on here anyway.

Anyway, I welcome any discussion about new or any antenans and anyone's opinions of them, but please don't assume others are just "bickering" with you when they want some better technical data. That's just lame.

BTW, if you're CoolBreeze on cbradioforum, aren't you a mod/admin? If you are, maybe you can explain why I got instantly banned when I registered there today to find out more info about his antenna. I never posted anything there that was derogatory toward anyone. Please tell me one particular Mod over there isn't still butt-hurt when I corrected him 5+ years ago on what the difference between an O-scope and Spec Analyzer are used for? It was done very politely and it really is in the best interest of forum members to understand what the equipment of their favorite hobby is supposed to be used for.

Jeez, I helped Charger383 start that forum.

 

[bighammer]

moleculo, then only thing I can do with the technical data is post my results on my test. I am not going to get into a discussion of how thats not possible.

as for your membership ill pm you.

 

[bighammer]

MC pm sent with the number