No ground plane base: Workman Saturn B100

[Rick330man]

I used one of these for a while down here. My coax run was 27' of RG8X. HOA restrictions limited my height, so the base of the antenna was only about 12' off the ground - not ideal. My SWRs across the CB band were from around 1.15 to 1.7. Performance was very respectable.

The elements down here ate that thing up. I had it up for less than a year. Despite great efforts at corrosion protection, it was pitting terribly. I soon went back to my reliable, now-35-year-old, 1/2 wave Radio Shack "Crossbow" ground plane (a Shakespeare Big Stick dyed in light blue).

 

[The DB]

Are you sure you got that coax length right? On Amazon it clearly states at least 18 feet of coax cable... Still, running a minimum coax length should have no affect on how the antenna works unless the design intends to put common mode currents on said coax, and even then you really do need a specific length or a multiple of said length, not just a minimum of a given length...

As this is a cheap antenna, it is likely that purchasers of this antenna would get a cheap coax for it as well, which could mean they intend to use coax losses to hide something...

Either way, it isn't looking good for the people purchasing this antenna.


The DB

 

[Beetle]

Yes, at least 50 feet of coax. More would be better. With about 150 or 200 feet of RG58, you could do a transmitting test, then disconnect the antenna and see the same numbers. ALL the RF power is lost in the resistive part of the coax, so the meter sees all the power going out and none coming back and says "This is good, dude!"

Build a simple dipole if the neighborhood will permit it.

 

[222DBFL]

Here you go. Photos of the description of the Saturn B100 antenna.
Directly from the manual:
Coax
18 feet or longer coax cable with PL259 is recommended for use with the Saturn 39 Inch Low Profile Base Antenna.

Hope this sorts out some of the mess. I also loaded some photos of the actual manual.
Also are lengths that in the manual state that these lengths will produce best results for 27mhz. There is a chart and all for the coax length and type I believe. I posted photos of the manual for the Saturn B100 as well. I would look into making a different antenna. Or try what the manual states. And also you might try a bit better antenna.
This is one area most skimp out on even when you can build great antennas for not much money. Do some research into what works best for your needs before just jumping on the first antenna that says it's the best!! You can't make up for physical length very much without a lot of losses and an inefficient antenna system at best. But before you give up on the antenna, I would truly read the manual, and also try to keep the coax as straight as possible for at least the first 6-9 feet down the antenna. It might take more, but don't junk it just yet.
Yes a better antenna should be looked at ASAP, but in the meantime you could try to get something out the one you have.
Also check your coax for a short or pinch or break in the coax. I would inspect the coax and connectors, then place a volt/ohm meter on the end of one of the connectors and check for a short or break in the line. A sliver of braid can cause issues!!
These are just my recommendations.
But a better antenna would definitely help a lot!! Hope you get it resolved. Good day.

 

[Rick330man]

Down in this area, the CB is a backup for marine VHF and cell phones. I've got a decent marine VHF set up in my open fisherman. Cell phone range down here can get spotty real fast even over the water. We use the CB primarily to communicate from house to boat.

Most of the spots I frequent are about 10 miles or so from the house. I take a 40 channel walkie-talkie (usually a Realistic TRC234 or a Cherokee AH100) with an old (but excellent) 4' center loaded Radio Shack walkie-talkie antenna on the boat. The Saturn/B100 allowed me to communicate from house to boat from all of my close-by favorite spots. As a base antenna, it performed almost as well as my 8' Shakespeare "Salty Dog" marine CB antenna

As far as the "weather proof" comment, I'll have to seriously disagree. This thing took quite a beating in very short time. It would hold up fine if kept out of the elements completely, but that hardly strikes me as real world.

 

[scout943]

Get a WILSON LIL WILL MAG MOUNT OR OTHER DECENT MOBIL ANTENNA stick it on a cookie sheet ,refrigerator radiator buy a window or air conditioner unit you will be surprised how well it will work .The metal you stick it on acting as the ground plane .

 

[M0GVZ]

I do not disagree that it is not a good design but you have to at the very least use it in the manner in which the OEM has indicated before you just call it junk. Since 99% of people fail to use it with 50 feet or greater run of coax how can you just call it junk outright?

Because when you need to use 50ft of coax in order to make it work then the coax is actually your antenna and this is just something to put on the end of it that doesn't do a lot. You could literally just plug a 50ft length of coax into a tuner, route it the same way as you would have for that antenna and it would probably perform just the same as if it had the antenna on the end. Not only that it is going to cause its users a shitload of problems if they want to run more than a few watts through it due to common mode RFI and that is even before we consider just how much unwanted crap this is going to pick up via the coax.

If you know about relatively basic antenna theory then you can call antennas like this junk outright safe the in knowledge that you're not wrong and there are tomes written with a 100 years of antenna theory to back you up.

 

[M0GVZ]

Also are lengths that in the manual state that these lengths will produce best results for 27mhz. There is a chart and all for the coax length and type I believe.

Any antenna which says it needs a length of coax other than the one required to get from the transmitter to the antenna by the route I choose is not one I would ever entertain. The reason it states those lengths is because it is deliberately using the coax to make up the missing part of the antenna.

 

[222DBFL]

No doubt!! Or it would be as you said, point a to b. Was just showing the same thing that others were stating. And heck no I would never buy an antenna like that! Better off building your own. JMO. Where there is a will there's a way!!

 

[392]

I have 2 of these, my home is in an HOA area so I cannot have a tower there. I had one of these mounted to a vent pipe with exactly 50 feet of coax. I have very good SWR and with 100 watts I talk all the DX on SSB I wanted. For local, it's about like a mobile.

I then went to a firestick dipole, there is a coupler you can make or buy with two vehicle stud mounts. I use 2, 5 foot firesticks and this actually worked a bit better and you can mount it horizontal for DX then rotate it vertical for local, and again, it is about as good as a mobile. I have no problems with DX on SSB and its tuned for 10 meters.

Both of these worked for me but for sure I have no complaints on the B100. I was thinking about going back to it and having it vertical, then switch to the firestick rig for horizontal...... 73s, Tim

Oh both of them will hit my office with a weak signal (5), 18 miles away, I have a tall tower there......

 

[Slowmover]

Here you go. Photos of the description of the Saturn B100 antenna.
Directly from the manual:
Coax
18 feet or longer coax cable with PL259 is recommended for use with the Saturn 39 Inch Low Profile Base Antenna.

Hope this sorts out some of the mess. I also loaded some photos of the actual manual.
Also are lengths that in the manual state that these lengths will produce best results for 27mhz. There is a chart and all for the coax length and type I believe. I posted photos of the manual for the Saturn B100 as well. I would look into making a different antenna. Or try what the manual states. And also you might try a bit better antenna.
This is one area most skimp out on even when you can build great antennas for not much money. Do some research into what works best for your needs before just jumping on the first antenna that says it's the best!! You can't make up for physical length very much without a lot of losses and an inefficient antenna system at best. But before you give up on the antenna, I would truly read the manual, and also try to keep the coax as straight as possible for at least the first 6-9 feet down the antenna. It might take more, but don't junk it just yet.
Yes a better antenna should be looked at ASAP, but in the meantime you could try to get something out the one you have.
Also check your coax for a short or pinch or break in the coax. I would inspect the coax and connectors, then place a volt/ohm meter on the end of one of the connectors and check for a short or break in the line. A sliver of braid can cause issues!!
These are just my recommendations.
But a better antenna would definitely help a lot!! Hope you get it resolved. Good day.

Thanks for the info linked.

.

 

[AudioShockwav]

I then went to a firestick dipole, there is a coupler you can make or buy with two vehicle stud mounts. I use 2, 5 foot firesticks and this actually worked a bit better and you can mount it horizontal for DX then rotate it vertical for local, and again, it is about as good as a mobile. I have no problems with DX on SSB and its tuned for 10 meters.

I have done this with 2 fiberglass whips and it worked well.
You can make your own bracket easily.

73
Jeff

 

[HomerBB]

I made the mobile antenna x2 dipole with one of these:

 

[PLANEMANONE]

I had it linked to 100 feet of coax and had it on top of a 15 foot post last summer. When conditions were OK it did great. However my FIrestick dipole homebrew blew it away and it sits in the shed now.

 

[Slowmover]

Thanks, gentlemen. Having just gone ahead and bought it I do understand it’s not in any way either ideal, or cost-conscious.

1). Wire Dipole I have.

2). An MFJ-1947 “Dipole Mount Bracket” I also have a pair of, as well as (2) 108” whips.

3). A SIRIO 27A Boomerang I’ve also ordered.

Depending on how acquisitive I get with telescoping poles, there are others I may try.

For the TRAM 1499 I’m going to start with the simplest push-up and strap it to an awning arm of my trailer (while retracted). Run the coax a short distance across the roof and down the refrigerator vent.

I’m about 2.5-miles from an Interstate Loop around Fort Worth. (East). The highway out front carries truck traffic also.

Will I have any reach at all?

I’m rarely home. If this can hear the two roads, it’ll be a success for ease of use and storage.

I’ll try the next two listed after. But don’t plan to leave either out past use. Maybe a 24-hour period.

There’s a limit (I’m guessing) as I’m not 30-yards from stout power lines. Not high tower, but “larger” (so to speak) than residential.

I won’t be the only guy wanting to make one of these work. The world has gotten weirder. Think of others searching the site. So I’ll give this “dummy load” a tryout and see what might make it work (albeit without the know-how of many of you).

I see it’s sold for marine install. Given the unreal reception I had the other day crossing the St Johns River, that may be its natural home

Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay

The trailer will someday have something fancy, roof-mount (starting a collection for electric TarHeel lay-lift plus a Scorpion Screwdriver and a gold-plated tuner, ha!).

But an RV might wind up anywhere.
The TRAM 1499 is pretty low-key. Easy to store. Forget until it’s wanted.

As both pickup and Peterbilt have priority, info for this post-topic is simply being collected.
.