New Antenna

[spiderman5095]

Hello, everybody. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. Now I'm not trying to start a big debate here, but I would like to know if the Monkey Made antennas are worth the money. The reason I'm looking at them, is I need a new antenna and I need something that will take a beating from the occasional low branch and such. I've tried fiberglass antennas, and Wilson 2000's and had them damaged. With the 2000, the shop I go to said that I was one of a very few who had the coil damaged.

So, is the MM worth the $90? Or should I go with something else? Oh, by the way, it'll be mounted on the driver side mirror arm, the radio is a regular 40 channel barefoot (for now) radio.

Thanks.


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[fortymobile]

spiderman i have had the MM-9 ant to others MM but i run the 10k's now.... the mm or good ant but i the 10k works good for me...hope this helped


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[211 in tha mag]

I will agree with tommy on that as well, GREAT antenna and WAY better the nthe monkey and megatron. The predator is my choice because of many reasons.

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[4570cowboy]

10K all the way here i run 2 10K antenna's one flatside and one vert. with a antenna switch behind the seat they are the best out there i have 2 MM in here now and a solarcon i had 2 wilson 5000's the 10k wins hands down



and you wont find anyone who will back there antenna's like kale backs his



cowboy4570


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[hossless]

Hey Spederman, I hope that new antenna works for you. Most of the comp style (non mass produced) antennas are pretty close in performance. But like others have said, the Predator 10k is extremely well built, tough as nails and light. But the thing I like most about Kale's antennas is, EVERY single part on that antenna can be replaced, and if you order enough extra goodies, (coils, spacers that go between the coils, stingers, shafts, etc.,) you can have a blast puting together what ever suits your fancy... Me, right now I run a 27" shaft, two long coils with the stinger only about 10" long give or take. Next, I'm gonna' try a 17" shaft two long coils, and one short coil. ... Lot's of fun<img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/eek.gif ALT=":eek">



Hossless


</p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://b2.ezboard.com/bworldwidecbradioclub.showUserPublicProfile?gid=hossless>hossless</A> at: 4/24/04 3:10 pm

 

[KD5VHF]

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>i look foward to getting my 2 new gulf alpha antennas up on next non rainy day..<hr></blockquote> Keep us posted on how you like them. If they preform as good as they look....SWEET.<img src=http://users.joplin.com/dutch64804/posticon36.gif ALT=":36">


<hr />73, Mike

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[Kale Cavel]

frbest, what antenna do you market? Is it a production line antenna that is limited to quality and performance? I don't brag on my antenna but when some one that doesn't know what they are talking about runs down my product I will have something to say about it. You have just run down one of the best performing and best selling antennas on the market when you run down my 10K. Not because I say so but because of what the 10K owners are saying. You sound like you are still living in the days of the 102 whip and 23 channel radios. I'm not running down the 102 whip. I'ts cheap in cost and used to be the only full resanent antenna on the market but not any more. An old ham told me that hams are cheap and aren't going to spend any money on antyhing if they can look in the book and make their own with a few tools and some hardware supplies. If this is what you would want to put on a Rolls Royce, well,fine. The first antenna I ever built was sure enough not very much to be proud of but after 11 years and the help of some 1`0K owners it has got where it is today.

The 10K is not a heavy gaudy antenna. It weighs in ounces, not pounds and has a 5 year warranty. It's machined out into three sections and screwed together and each section can be replaced if damaged. Nothing pressed or anything standing out like standoffs to hold the coil on that can arc at high watts or volts. Some antennas have a lifetime warrantee. These are the ones that will stand up against tree limbs and anything else that gets in their way. This kind of antenna would be best suited to be used for a self defense weapon more than an antenna.

I don't have to prove anything. The antenna has proved itself over time. There was a tert run some time back on the Wilson 5000 and the Antron 21K at the University of Michigan. Mobile antennas are tested in effeciency factor more than by gain. The Antron 21K turned out to be 45% more effecient over the Wilson 5000 and the 10K was 10-15% more effecient over the 21K. I can give the name and phone number of the one that knows the people by name at Antron and all about this test.

I'm not building antennas just to make a dollar. I don't need it that much. I will be 66 years old Sunday(October 3rd.) I am a retired machinist of 42 years. I enjoy doing it to keep active and as long as I have a grip in my hands and flexable joints, I'm going to keep on building em' as long as people keep on likin' em'. I ran screw machine parts for 42 years in machine shops for other people but never dreamed that I would be paying someone to run parts for me to build antennas out of.

There's nothing wrong with a Wilson antenna. It is the most popular trucker antenna out there I guess but that's about the limit for it. It's designed to take a few hundred watts but not thousands of watts for very long at a time.

I have done the best I can with the 10K's and I'm alwaws looking for ways to improve them. BTW, I have a new one that just hit the market. It's on a 5-1/2" shaft and tunes at 4' 8"

Kale
































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[Kale Cavel]

frbest, I'm not saying the 10K is better than any other coil antenna. If you will notice I said that I have done the best I could with the antenna and always looking for ways to improve it. You ask WHY is one coil antenna better than the other??? They are all coil antennas but they are all designed different. Little things like the coil design, the diameter of the shaft, the thickness of the tubing and a number of other things. You tell me why a Wilson antenna is better than a Fire Stick or Fransis or any other antenna that is a piece of fiberglass with a wire wrapped around it. What is your reason for thinking the Wilson design is better than a Fire Stick or a Francis? They all look similar just like all the coil antennas look similar.

It's hard to answer your question because you have already got your mind made up that you don't like coil antennas.

Most hams start out on a c.b. radio and then look down on the ones that have no interest in ham bands. If I had to talk on anything other than 11 meters, I would get out of the hobby and retire from building antennas. One of the highest class hams I know builds one of the best c.b amplifires out there. I have one. He uses them himself.

You're wrong about the Wilson 5000. Most people that talk on 11 meters like to set up the best antenna system and anything else that they can do to talk as much skip as they can. In one case a man in Dallas that I know was running two hots with 2 Wilson 5000's. They lasted longer than I thought they would. At 3000 watts on 20 volts they lasted almost a week. When the plastic cover was removed the coil was broken down and crusty looking like it had been thrown in a fire. Like I said, a Wilson antenna is a good antenna for a lot of things but they will NOT take 5000 watts and high volts like an open coil antenna will.

It's all in what everyone likes to do. If you like to show your skill in playing with different antennas and power equipment and talking skip(on 11 meters) or to show your skill on talking from one repearer to another.

You're damned right we have machinist building antennas. Being a machinist doesn't have anything to do with how well the antenna works or not. Ain't I supposed to know anything else besides how to be a machinist?? I wonder what kind of people put together the Wilson antenna? I haven't ever noticed if it was even made in the USA or not.


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[Moleculo]

I think Frank has at least a legitimate question: Has anyone figured out what the Q is of the 10K or Monkey Made? Is this information available for any of the other antennas mentioned?



Moleculo


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[Moleculo]

Yep that is true, Freecell. It seems to me that if we were going to have a discussion on which antenna could "beat" another antenna, an important discussion point would be the Q of each.



Moleculo


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[NorthStar34]

Simpleman159,



I missed where Justin said something here?






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[Moleculo]

Where did I say I was taking sides? I did say Frank had a legitimate question in asking what the Q is on the 10K. I would like to know what it is on the Wilsons, also. Surely since you're a ham op, you know that's a perfectly legitimate question when evaluating antennas?



Since when did asking for data about any radio related equipment become so wrong? <img src=http://users.joplin.com/dutch64804/posticon60.gif ALT=":60">



Moleculo


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[Kale Cavel]

Frbest, Wilson said themselves that big coil antenna sales are growing because the customers are getting better performance from them. The 20 to 30 Wilson sales a week might slack off in time. I'm too old to try to start trying to out sell Wilson. I never planned to do that. I sell a lot more than 20 to 30 antennas a week and have to build them first. I could do some advertising and grow bigger but that would require hiring more help and I can't find anyone that I can trust to do the finish work that I do. It would require a production line and production line antennas are limited to quality and performance. Big coil antennas are not just for big power and broad bands. I have built antennas that are not quite so broad banded before.

Like I said, as long as I have a grip in my hands and flexable joints, I'm going to build 10K's as long as I can. I was trimming in my yard 3 weeks ago and fell backwards over a section of antenna tower and landed on my back on the winch laying on the ground. I didn't know how bad I was hurt at first. I just knew it would be a while before I could do any antenna work. One of these days I am going to have to put my machinery up for sale and retire from it but I wish I could find some one to train to keep the 10K's going. Kale




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[Moleculo]

Texas2Watt: I don't know how you can possibly perceive that Justin's post was anything but objective. If you think that relating sound science along with practical application of theory in an objective manner amounts to being an A Hole, then so be it.



We all don't have to see eye to eye on things, or have to agree on what is the best equipment for each of us to run in our own situation. But, when someone asks us to back up our opinion with facts, some of us are going to do our best to provide at least our best understanding of the facts. I respect Doc, Freecell, Frank, Justin (to name a few and there are others) who take the time and energy to express their opinions by backing them up with research and applied theory. Does that mean we are all always right? NO! But it DOES mean that when someone asks you (for example) what you mean by "bird watts" when you're criticizing someon's opinion, you better be able to be able to comment intelligibly on the subject instead of just saying they're an A hole for asking.



Now, you can say that I will "always stand by Justin & Frank" or "stop looking down on CBers" (which is ridiculous, because I am one) or use whatever other tired rhetoric you feel like. However, if the only counterpoint that you have to make to an objective presentation is that they come across as "A Holes", then I guess the discussion should be concluded.


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[Moleculo]

Kale,



First of all, the build quality of your antennas is probaby the finest I've ever seen on a CB antenna. I own one and have used it from time to time and it works very well for what I was using it for.



I do have to make one correction on your statment. You said that, 'Wilson said ...big coil antenna sales are growing because the customers are getting better performance from them.". That is NOT what Justin said. Justin said that, "A great number of dealers told them their customers report better results, with this type of antenna." The difference in wording is important! The customers REPORTED better results. They did not say that the customers ACTUALLY ACHIEVED better results. There is a BIG difference there. Here's an example: We have all heard people TELL us that they "GET OUT" better when they use echo on their radio. Yet most of us undertand that the echo has nothing to do with the effective distance of our transmission. Just because a person REPORTS beter results doesn't mean there are any actual benefits being realized, unless they are of an imaginary nature.



A note to UKMUDDUCK: You mentioned comparing the 10K to the Wilson 2000 trucker. I think we were actually talking about comparing it to the Wilson 5000.



I still would like to know what the Q of the 10K is.



Moleculo


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