NEW ANTENNA

[doctor]

Look at this new antenna, they have a 10 meter version, I would presume with an antenna tuner, it can be used on CB, any comments?, and the price is right..

They will make a 11 meter version if orders are placed I just found this out..shipping 14 dollars
doctor

http://www.tak-tenna.com/

 

[W5LZ]

It's an end loaded 1/2 wave dipole. New form but old idea. The claims sound half way reasonable, don't know about the price though. Also don't see why it wouldn't be much cheaper to just make one your self, shouldn't be that difficult. Oh well.
Give it a try and let us know how it works. I think I'll pass.
- 'Doc

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I wonder if he makes a version for 160m.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

with a 30 inch boom it looks only a few feet tall in the pic . im sure someone will put it on a mobile if they havnt already .

 

[W5LZ]

...anybody make a 12 volt rotor?
- 'Doc

 

[Lazybones1222]

Someone please buy one and try it out. There is a review for this antenna on hamuniverse:

click here for review

 

[W5LZ]

hmm... I'll pass on 'buying' one, but I'm certainly thinking about making one!
- 'Doc

(Wonder if my yard is big enough for a 160m version?)

 

[Marconi]

'Doc, can you describe to us what the old idea dipole you mention, looks like?

Is this one vertical or horizontal?

One picture shows a rotor. I guess this radiates like a horizontal dipole, broadside to the boom in this case, right?

 

[W5LZ]

Blanket,
Am I a 'cheapskate'? Absolutely! Besides, I like making antennas, not buying them. As for copying an antenna idea, hey, I invented the dipole! All you other guys are the ones doing the copying - lol.
- 'Doc

(If 'what's his name' invented the internet, I can claim the dipole.)

 

[W5LZ]

Marconi,
What I was referring to was a 'loaded' dipole, usually having longer 'slender' loading coils instead of flat 'pancake' type coils. Most I've ever seen have been hung horizontally, but there's no reason it couldn't be hung vertically.
This thingy ought to have about the same directionality as any other (horizontal) dipole, at least, I don't see why not. And as the guy points out, like any other rotating dipole you would only have to turn it a 1/4 turn to cover all directions.
If I can remember what I did with it, I've got some #8 or #6 hard drawn wire around here, and the PVC pipe shouldn't be all that difficult to round up. Far as that goes, almost any size wire that's stiff enough to support it's self ought'a work. The alligator clips are the thingys I don't have...rats. Oh well, I'm gonna try it!
- 'Doc

 

[thetnhillbilly]

Doc, I think these are pretty neat and would be good to experiment with. This particular one is obviously a archimedean planar spiral, but it would be cool to see the effect of using a conical spiral or better yet a fermat spiral. I think I remember the direction of the winding affecting the reception of either right-handed or left-handed circular polarization. These aren't really new and you wouldn't be stealing his design. I think I ran across similar ones being used for galileo and gps antennas. Hope you get a chance to try it out and adapt it for different bands, let us know.

 

[W5LZ]

Fractal! Coils wound in a 'fractal' pattern.
- 'Doc

 

[Master Chief]

Oh no...here we go...close the doors and lock the windows! you brought up FRACTAL ANTENNAS!!!

This was the source of much heated debate back in the 90's! Good ol' Nathan Cohen. This antenna however, is NOT a fractal.

 

[W5LZ]

Wondered if anyone would pick up on that. Okay, I'll wash my mouth out with soap.
- 'Doc

(Of course it's not a 'fractal'! It works.)

 

[rlnthndr]

So what is the polarization of this thing?

Most all spiral like antennas seem to be horizontally mounted not vertically.

Also did I read that right a half-wave that does not need matching? I guess it depends on where you tap the feed lines to the spiral?

I am no antenna guy just curious.