Shockwave Antenna

[sp5it]

There are stainless steel parts to aluminum on mine. Is there an issue with using stainless?

Yes, it is.
Risk of galvanic corrosion is really high.
http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=89
Mike

 

[Mustang 131]

Chris will put a 7/16 din or LC. I bolted and soldered my lmr600 to antenna.
But my guess is 99% will never need more then the pl259.
Is $400 a lot?? Ive only used (2) 5/8 antennas that could handle anything over a 4k dead key for any amount of time.

 

[543_Dallas]

Yes, it is.
Risk of galvanic corrosion is really high.
http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=89
Mike

Good info. It does say aluminum to stainless can be acceptable with large relative surface areas but I suppose that's open to interpretation.

These 2 stainless steel bands are the only stainless to aluminum rf connections. Maco used the same kind of clamp on their 5/8 antennas for the center conductor to ring connection. The clamp on the maco has less surface area and doesn't seem to cause a lot of problems. Their zinc plated fasteners that rust out are another matter.



Yes there are some stainless screws holding brackets on the base and stainless hose clamps on the tubing joints. I expect some galvanic corrosion between the fasteners and aluminum but no issues since the rf connection is aluminum to aluminum.

It's not perfect but I still believe it's a good product.

 

[sp5it]

How much you care about depends on how is your antenna mounted.
3m pipe on the roof is quiet easy to maintain, but antenna on 20m+ tower with bad connection can be problematic, so it is best to avoid mistakes on the ground than rent a cherry picker or crane.
Mike

 

[543_Dallas]

Chris will put a 7/16 din or LC. I bolted and soldered my lmr600 to antenna.
But my guess is 99% will never need more then the pl259.
Is $400 a lot?? Ive only used (2) 5/8 antennas that could handle anything over a 4k dead key for any amount of time.

This is what I was talking about when I said real amplifier and $400 being a drop in the bucket.

 

[wavrider]

When is the last time you tried to bend sch 40 alum conduit, not the cheap stuff you can buy at the big box stores but the industrial grade conduit?

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=73&step=2 6061-T6 extrusions, brittle and breaks

http://www.alliedeg.us/aluminum-rigid-conduit/aluminum-conduit/ 6063-T1
not as brittle and bends easier than 6061, still very strong.

Have many built and installed around the N FL area..all survived the hurricane last year.

I prefer to use resonant antennas, save the vacuum variables for the amplifier.
Now if I can just stop burning up baluns

I bet the repeater guys think we are crazy also.

 

[543_Dallas]

When is the last time you tried to bend sch 40 alum conduit, not the cheap stuff you can buy at the big box stores but the industrial grade conduit?

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=73&step=2 6061-T6 extrusions, brittle and breaks

http://www.alliedeg.us/aluminum-rigid-conduit/aluminum-conduit/ 6063-T1
not as brittle and bends easier than 6061, still very strong.

Have many built and installed around the N FL area..all survived the hurricane last year.

I prefer to use resonant antennas, save the vacuum variables for the amplifier.
Now if I can just stop burning up baluns

I bet the repeater guys think we are crazy also.

I'm sure the stuff you're talking about is strong. Without stopping to look at specs and make weight comparisons I can't say much else about that.

It would be interesting to see the cost of the same materials being used vs buying the shockwave. I'm sure it would be cheaper but you're also paying for someone's time that did the leg work. Just like buying something from MFJ.

Resonant dipoles are cool if you have the room, I don't. With heavy duty parts I am able to work a smaller antenna on the lower frequencies. A store bought tuner would not handle the current. It's hard to find a real balanced tuner anyway. Most are unbalanced with a junk balun built in. I feel the same way about the tuner as the antenna. Use the best parts you can.

I also have some gain on the higher frequencies. If you're a 1 band guy and have the room a coax fed dipole is FB...if you use a good balun or choke.

 

[Needle Bender]

Shockwave?
Storms? Can't beat it.
Performance? Equal to or slightly less .than a P-500.
Build quality? Extreme.
Price? Commensurate.

 

[Mustang 131]

Shockwave?
Storms? Can't beat it.
Performance? Equal to or slightly less .than a P-500.
Build quality? Extreme.
Price? Commensurate.

It might be, but 1500w peak is rather wimpy.

 

[Needle Bender]

It might be, but 1500w peak is rather wimpy.

I wrote "Performance" not 'Power Handling'.

The reason I wrote about the Shockwave having possibly slightly less performance than a Penetrator is because I currently have an I-10K up where a Penetrator-500 was.

- This is my 2nd I-10K and the second time I've taken down a Penetrator to erect an I-10K, and the second time I've seen a little loss from switching to the
I-10K, so I presume the Shockwave might fare similarly since the I-10K is extremely similar to the Shockwave design.

- Anyway, power handling isn't an issue, Galaxy 959 already established the parameters of his questions about these antennas based on, "Running a barefoot radio", so evidently he'll be running low power compared to 1500w.

And the Shockwave isn't a 1500w antenna, it's rated almost 7 times that
- at 10KW.

 

[Needle Bender]

Would it be worth me putting one up over my antron 99 if I'm just running a barefoot radio?

Absolutely!
Since you don't have thou$and$ into 1500w hamateur gear, (which can get by quite well with a simple wire dipole due to high power, extremely long wavelengths and atmospheric assistance) you need to extract the most from your comparatively low power signal.
Your antenna is going to make all the difference, the Shockwave, I-10K or Penetrator easily outgunning the Imax, Maco V and A99, etc.

...though an NV4K might actually come out on top.

 

[Mustang 131]

10[/B]KW.

I never said it was. I own a Shockwave, and love it. And it handles a 10kw DEAD key with no issues.

 

[Needle Bender]

I never said it was. I own a Shockwave, and love it. And it handles a 10kw DEAD key with no issues.

10KW PLUS swing with the supplied SO-239 connector? That's a lot to ask of that connector design

...makes me curious what amp you're using that supplies that .level of power.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Absolutely!
Since you don't have thou$and$ into 1500w hamateur gear, (which can get by quite well with a simple wire dipole due to high power, extremely long wavelengths and atmospheric assistance) you need to extract the most from your comparatively low power signal.
Your antenna is going to make all the difference, the Shockwave, I-10K or Penetrator easily outgunning the Imax, Maco V and A99, etc.

...though an NV4K might actually come out on top.

One of my friends has a shockwave he was talking on when testing it out, and he is in tennessee.. He said it was a real good antenna.. I have also heard others talking on the band when the skip was rolling, a few of them were running shockwaves.. I talk on a zerofive 5kw colossal which is a kick ass ground plane as well.. But either of these will definetly be better then a imax 2000 or antron 99 as Needle Bender has said.. In the end its your decision on which antenna system will be best for you, and if you are comfortable in spending that kind of money on a antenna.. Not sure how much you have invested in your station but the antenna system is one of the most important parts to any station.. Good luck on whatever antenna you do purchase..

 

[Mustang 131]

10KW PLUS swing with the supplied SO-239 connector? That's a lot to ask of that connector design

...makes me curious what amp you're using that supplies that .level of power.

LC