Recommendations on an inexpensive 10/11/12 meter base antenna

[whiteastro]

Workman also makes a M400 Starduster which was my first base antenna when I was getting back into CB again and it also tuned well and ran it many years until water got in it and froze & split it. Then I replaced it with a Sirio M-400 which I run today. But being a old repairman at heart the Workman is repaired and setting in my garage just waiting to get put up again. ( just in-case ) LOL

 

[Mudduckmobile]

Sirio 2016 Like a Rock and will last for ever Montana winters and then moved to Or, and wa. coast still 100% Have one in the box just in case...she's 8 years on the air now at 80 to 1000 w.

 

[AmericanEagle575]

Sirio 2016 Like a Rock and will last for ever Montana winters and then moved to Or, and wa. coast still 100% Have one in the box just in case...she's 8 years on the air now at 80 to 1000 w.

I have a brand new Sirio 2008 in the box still,if I remember correctly,the 2016 and 2008 are almost the same antenna with different numbers ,glad to hear that it's a good antenna!!

73's

 

[RC4]

I have a brand new Sirio 2008 in the box still,if I remember correctly,the 2016 and 2008 are almost the same antenna with different numbers ,glad to hear that it's a good antenna!!

73's

 

[RC4]

Old school imax or 827.

 

[SuperLid]

Yes, I found a workman at Palco Electronics. I was actually surprised the first time I visited their site. Great prices and they seem to have a good size inventory. Undertaker said he's had nothing but great experiences with these guys.

CB Radio Antennas at Discount Prices - Palco Electronics

Palco Electronics sells brand-new, name-brand CB radio antennas at discount prices.

www.palcoelectronics.com

I don't think Palco is in business. They have not updated their website in a few years. When I tried to order from them, it went nowhere.

The Workman Starduster is a viable option.

I think the Sirio's have gone up in price above your budget. I have made vertical dipoles that work well too.

 

[BC Coyote]

I've been running Antron 99's for many years now. We live on a coastal island and it is VERY windy here in the winter. Antron's have great wind resistance, and when they do get demolished by hurricane force winds they are cheap to replace. They are easy to put up and also work well; I've talked to over 75 countries on them over the years !

 

[hotrod]

i can also vouch for the sirio 2016 ..ive had mine since 2009 .at 2 different locations ,,beat out the imax it replaced.. lasted thru many pa winters ..but for a budget antenna i still say sirio m-400 is king

 

[Jimbo165]

I have a Antron 99 and a Imax 2000 hooked up here in Michigan and both work great on 10 and 11 meters plus have weathered the hard winters here with no problems. Best antennas for the money period!!!!

 

[BJ radionut]

Hey BJ - I never thought to make my own. I've seen a lot of people on YouTube make antennas. Thanks for the diagram!!! Wow.. what a cool thing to do!
73

1/4 Wave Ground Plane Antenna Calculator – M0UKD – Amateur Radio Blog

Set at 28 mhz ...should be close to top end of SSB for 11 and good enuf to 10m SSB at 28.400

 

[unit_399]

Hey Bro -

I've read all the posts in this thread, and there's a wealth of info here. . . from many well-informed members. There are so many good antennas available today at reasonable prices. The choice is up to you.
Personally, I like BJR's homemade verticals. Especially the one with the 1/2" tubing driven element. As another poster suggested go with 1/2"hard copper tube. Because of "skin-effect," RF runs on the surface of the driven element and the 1/2" copper tube has a very large surface area and will radiate the most power. Just follow all of BJR's recommended install instructions and you'll have an antenna that will kick ass and at a great price point.

Two other points: If the sometimes high winds in TX should damage the antenna, repairing it is just a trip to the hardware store; and, the feeling of satisfaction you'll get when you make some DX hookups on an antenna you built yourself is hard to beat.

- J.J. 399

 

[Brother DXer]

Hey Bro -

I've read all the posts in this thread, and there's a wealth of info here. . . from many well-informed members. There are so many good antennas available today at reasonable prices. The choice is up to you.
Personally, I like BJR's homemade verticals. Especially the one with the 1/2" tubing driven element. As another poster suggested go with 1/2"hard copper tube. Because of "skin-effect," RF runs on the surface of the driven element and the 1/2" copper tube has a very large surface area and will radiate the most power. Just follow all of BJR's recommended install instructions and you'll have an antenna that will kick ass and at a great price point.
Two other points: If the sometimes high winds in TX should damage the antenna, repairing it is just a trip to the hardware store; and the feeling of satisfaction you'll get when you make some DX hookups on an antenna you built yourself is hard to beat.

- J.J. 399

Thanks, JJ for the info. And thanks to everyone who posted a recommendation. There's a lot of good stuff here and I'm sure that I'm not the only one benefitting from this thread.

I started this thread almost two years ago and since then I have had several different antennas, and recently have been looking at a small beam. Maybe... maybe not... time will tell.

I screen capture most of these ideas and will continue to put them to use. Between working and working on home projects, I do find a slice of time to play with radio stuff.

Again, a big thank you to all who posted! There's a wealth of information here from a group of very knowledgeable people.

 

[BC Coyote]

RF runs on the surface of the driven element and the 1/2" copper tube has a very large surface area and will radiate the most power

A small correction is due, as that's not quite how it works!

The larger diameter pipe does indeed have more surface area, which increases the bandwidth of the antenna, making it useable over a wider frequency range.

The diameter of the radiating element has NO effect at all on power dissipation, which is governed by the SWR and the reactance and inductance of the antenna.

 

[unit_399]

The diameter of the radiating element has NO effect at all on power dissipation, which is governed by the SWR and the reactance and inductance of the antenna.

I stand corrected. I assumed that because a larger diameter antenna would capture more received RF, that, conversely, it would radiate more power too. Sometimes reality trumps logical assumption. My bad.

- J.J. 399

 

[BC Coyote]

My bad.

Nobody's bad. In fact it's always good when you learn something new !