The penetrator

[Robalo]

take a look at what i got for my summer project, am i going to need some help to restore this antenna? it looks like the matching rod and the beta rod are damaged. any ideas on where to make one or find one? also the top radial assembly is not in very good condition and its also missing one of the ends of the elements

any ideas?

 

[Marconi]

I don't see wire element # 7 either. Looks like one of the tips of one ground plane radial is also missing.

You also need to check the two insulators closely. If they have been exposed to the weather for years they may be all dried out, cracked, and may not insulate very well under power.

 

[Master Chief]

Although well abused, you have the "better" version of the Penetrator. Your version has 2 x 1/4 bolts per ground radial.

The drawing is of the "other" version that is not as robust.

Need a manual?
http://www.cbtricks.com/ant_manuals/telex_hygain/penetrator.pdf

Jay is the resident EXPERT on this antenna. It was because of THIS antenna that he decided to build the Mastadon 5000, which was a high power version of the original Penetrator and included #7......

But, the Penetrator is not a perfect design and didn't perform as desired. So the "hairpin" became a "trombone", was placed in the horizontal plane, and a second trombone added for impedance matching. The vertical element was raised outside of the ground plane radials and bracket. The GODS blessed it and now we have the I-10K.

 

[Master Chief]

Here is some info on this antenna from the man himself!

Hy-Gain came out with 3 each Penetrator 500 antennas.

The first one was 259 inches long for the 23 channel radios;
2 & 3 were 256 3/8 inches long, for the 40 channel radios.

There was just vertical element length differences, for the longer lengths. You can tell it you have a old original 23 channel P500, the bottom vertical element is 1 1/4 inches in dia, but is 77 inches long. The 40 channel versions where 71 inches long. You simply shorten a 259 inch P500 to 256 3/8 inches, if you want. The Ground Plane Radials and tuning wires stay the same.

Telex took over Hy-gain in 1979 or something like that. Telex P500 antennas have only one bolt holding the ground plane radials inside the mounting Clam Shell Bracket.

Telex is the one that made the Golden Penetrator 500, that had a cheap gold anodized finish to it that would come off in a few years of use.

Jay in the Mojave

 

[Slim]

I sure liked mine.I rebuilt it inside and out and used stainless steel hardware for everything I could.Then I mounted it at 20'
and it blew the socks off my Imax2000 at 45'.I plan to put it back up this summer with a 10 meter 4-element horizontal
beam below it.I've entertained the idea of retuning it for the 10 meter band.Don't know how well or if it would work;just an idea. Great classic stick for sure.It's a keeper
Slim CDX285

 

[Robalo]

i think is P500 because

M1 = 77" (1 1/4 DOUBLE TUBE )
M2 = 55"
M3 = 48"
M4 = 48"
Top radial = 52"
R1 = 24"
R2 = 33 1/2
R3 = 52"

THANK YOU for the info. 73's

ROBALO

 

[Master Chief]

They are all called P500. You have an earlier version made for 23 channels.

What's the difference? The original was probably tuned for channel 12/13 and the 40 channel version was tuned for channel 19 (both in the middle of the CB band).

 

[Robalo]

Qsl tx MC Have nice day

 

[Robalo]

I found more information on web.


Jay in the Mojave wrote :

I would say they are worth getting, many times people just want them
off their roofs. I have several Penetrator 500 5/8 Antennas, But one is
a product of being made from a few, and its in great shape.


The Upper and Lower Plastic Insulators, and the Plastic Tuning wire
Stand-off's are still available from Hy-Gain, for only a few dollars.


The Tuning wires can be replaced by Tinned 12 or 10 gauge wire. The
Top-Hat Assembly can also be easily repaired, with 1/8" OD Aluminium
Rod.


One of the biggest problems with the HY-Gain Antennas, is that Hy-Gain
figured a very smart way to make there antennas resilient, meaning
strong but flexible. They do this my "Reduce Swaging" the Aluminum
Tubing, reducing the tubings OD & ID size, to accept the next smallest
Tubing size, in 1/8 OD increments. Such as necked down brass riffle
cartridges.


Example: Their 7/8 inch OD / 3/4 inch ID tubing is Reduced Swaged to
accept 5/8 inch OD tubing. This Reduced Swaging saves them big money in
material times a gazillion antennas, Very shape indeed.


However if the Penetrator 500 Reduced Swaged Tubing is damaged, it can
be replaced with the same size OD tubing, and a short adapter can be
installed to allow the next size smaller tubing to be installed, it just
takes a extra hose clamp. I have repaired many Penetrator 500's using
this technique. The only exception that I have run into is the 7/16,
that is used ant the end of the vertical element, and the end of the
ground plane elements. A piece of 1/2" OD x 72 inches long, tubing can
be used, but the Reduced Swag on the mating end of the 5/8 inch tubing
will have to be cut off a few inches. NO big deal.


The Penetrator 500 was the only CB Antenna that I know of that was rated
from the manufacture to handle 1500 watts coming out of the gates.
Ten-4.


I am sure this was the result from Hy-Gain getting some heat from the
antenna users, that where burning up their CLR-II 5/8 Wavelength
Antennas, that had a Mickey Mouse Impedance Matching Coil on a small
circuit board. I am sure the power from the Hy-Gain Linear Amplifiers
was enough to take out the CLR-II Antennas. Which drove the 1500 watt
rating for the new design Penetrator 500.


Jay in the Mojave

 

[Master Chief]

The Penetrator 500 was the only CB Antenna that I know of that was rated from the manufacture to handle 1500 watts coming out of the gates.

The Avanti Sigma 5/8 could handle 2KW out of the box.

 

[Robalo]

Yes 1982 sigma IV antenna model AV-174 I going to work this sunday on this one .I'll post pictures soon.

 

[davegrantsr]

'The GODS blessed it and now we have the I-10K.'. another member of the 'church of steve & jay'. my $70 maco v5/8 is every bit the performer. nobody EVER heard me sound different on an i10k vs my v5/8, nor did i EVER hear anything on my i10k that i couldn't hear on my maco. all the reasons steve said that i had a problem, eddie wolf laughed at. he told me if my maco works, don't even waste the money on HIS antenna. THANK the RADIO gods for E BAY!!!! a used i10k sold for MORE then NEW! who woulda thunk it

 

[Master Chief]

my $70 maco v5/8 is every bit the performer.

The I-10K is mechanically and electrically superior to the Maco. This does not mean the Maco is a bad antenna and I recommend it often. E-bay is anything but a godsend, but I'm glad it worked out for you!

 

[Robalo]

 

[Seminoles]

WOW looks as good as new...