New spt500 gamma

[r carl]

My old penetrators swr is 1.00 on channel 1 and 20 and 1.10 on channel 40. After it rained this morning my swr went up .20 until the antenna dried.

 

[Jay Mojave]

Hello r carl: That's normal for those antennas.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert.... "Next Gas 150 Miles"

 

[r carl]

Best part is I got that on first try. Went with the measurements in the instructions.

 

[snippits75]

Thanks Marconi for the info. Mine came upside down from the factory. I didn’t know it was wrongfully installed. Thanks to Ranch and Carl I could fix it.

Just put one together yesterday, and it won't tune worth a dang. 22 ft 4 inches was the best SWR at 5.8 on channel 1. Tuning it with a RigExpert.

Finally found this thread, and the base insulator is installed upside down from the factory. Hopefully, once I get the base insulator changed it will tune correctly.

Everything else is installed correctly except for the base insulator being upside down. If it does not tune after the fix, it's going back to where it came from.

After looking it over again, I just don't see how it is going to make a difference on how it tunes once I change the base insulator. It seems to me it should still tune...maybe not. Just getting frustrated with this antenna at this point.

 

[Ranch55]

Thanks for the info. That is what an old HG SP500 ad shows it will handle and also states that is illegal for CB.

Yes, but it's not illegal on 10 meters with proper license. and this antenna performs well on 10 meters.

 

[Marconi]

Yes, but it's not illegal on 10 meters with proper license. and this antenna performs well on 10 meters.

Ranch55,

thanks for the clarification telling us...that a 10 meter license ALSO does not allow 1500 watt privileges.

I also think we might also consider...that when HG started using only 1 screw or bolt to secure the radials...could have been when arching started being reported by P500 users.

Just a guess though.

 

[Flyin' Hawaiian]

Ranch55,

thanks for the clarification telling us...that a 10 meter license ALSO does not allow 1500 watt privileges.

Yes it does, if you're general class or higher. Of course, if you're not, then 200w is all you get to play with.

 

[snippits75]

Hygain Penetrator is going back to DXEngineering. It will not tune period even after installing the base insulator the correct way. SWR stayed the same.

Also, all four radials would not lock up good even with double clamps. I think that's the problem.

There is no way this antenna weighs 10 pounds. Probably weighs not much more than six pounds. Will not be buying another one.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Hygain Penetrator is going back to DXEngineering. It will not tune period even after installing the base insulator the correct way. SWR stayed the same.

Also, all four radials would not lock up good even with double clamps. I think that's the problem.

There is no way this antenna weighs 10 pounds. Probably weighs not much more than six pounds. Will not be buying another one.

My brother bought one last summer.
We had to put it up and take it down too many times fighting with it to get a good match.
That matching device is very soft and was bent out of shape right out of the box.
All of the aluminum is soft, not the quality of days past.
5 min after the last go up with it, a scrub jay landed on the top hat and bent it and that was the final straw.
It has now been replaced by a Sirio 1600 that went up properly first time, no issues.
It is disappointing, 30 years ago they were good antennas......
MFJ has spiralled down the toilet and is dragging everything they bought with them.

73
Jeff

 

[Ranch55]

Ranch55,

thanks for the clarification telling us...that a 10 meter license ALSO does not allow 1500 watt privileges.

I also think we might also consider...that when HG started using only 1 screw or bolt to secure the radials...could have been when arching started being reported by P500 users.

Just a guess though.

Yessir, you would be correct, but notice that I said a proper license class does allow full legal power output of 1500 watts on 10 meter band. (General and Extra class)

 

[snippits75]

Let me back up over the weight of this antenna. Don't want to misrepresent.

Took it to UPS, and they weighed the box with all antenna parts inside. It weighed 10 lbs. 11 ounces. It's a very big, long, and thick corrugated box. I would estimate the box would weigh at least two pounds. That's my two cents.

By the way, I used 3/4 of a roll of heavy duty packing tape to secure the box.

 

[Joseph Riffle]

Three Extra class and a General class operators with tons of experience could not tune this antenna. Length of vertical , length of radials could not get to resonate anyplace other than 33-34 Mhz at 1.3 SWR and 68 Z. It was replaced at DX Engineering with another one today 9/13/23 .... long story short, it did the exact same thing. Top insulator long side up, radial bracket flat against the mounting bracket. MFJ 259, Rig Expert, and NANO VNA, different types/lengths of coax was used. Looking for someone that has experience the same with the fix. DXE? no help...Hy-Gain , No help, They say we put together wrong? Two in a row?

 

[whiteastro]

Here is the flat sheet metal matching device I put up a couple years ago for 11 meter and it matched and worked well except for shorting out in the rain until I modded the top insulator.

 

[whiteastro]

Looks like someone tried to bend that flat strap to look like the wire part on the original SPT-500.

 

[whiteastro]

These instructions show 19' but that is for Ham band. Mine ended up 22' 8 3/4" for 11 meter.