Base Workman M400 Starduster

[Rick330man]

I bought like 10 of the Radio Shack stainless steel 102" whips when Radio Shack had their going out of business sale a few years back. The price per unit was a lot less than what they normally would have gone for.

The Workman "6 hubs" are nowhere to be found anymore. I grabbed four of them. So far, I've only used one. When it goes outdoors, I've added all sorts of weather protection to it and upgraded to stainless steel components where ever possible. I love having a base station antenna that works well without a coil, a matching network or anything else that can go south.

I'm looking forward next week-end to seeing how it performs head to head vs. the BIg Stick when talking skip.

 

[Marconi]

Here is my adaption for a SD'r using all SS 102''whips. It uses an A99 hub and a mobile bracket for the feed point, and this all worked great.

 

[Rick330man]

If it looks like Starduster, quacks like Starduster and walks like a Starduster
then it ... is probably a center fed dipole of some sort.

 

[Rick330man]

I have the sirio version but I can’t put it together because I don’t understand the metric bullshit!!!

Try using the Metric to SAE conversion tables or factors to change the measurement to something we understand better. That's what I do when I deal with the problem. I copy the directions with my copier and manually change the dimensions before I even start.

I went to Harbor Freight and bought a metric tape measure.

5 pm cst where r you all? 11-26-22

Be careful with those metric system guys. You give them an inch and they'll take 2.54 centimeters!

 

[midnight special]

my m400 story,, i bought thru ebay 20+ years ago some a/s m400 hubs brand new,, i made a set up with 102 whips but took down and put up a 5/8 wave,,,i took one hub and cut the center out and used on a old a99 to put 3 radials on it,,, i still have a couple in junk bucket with a ton of other antenna parts,,,49 years in cb,, how to tell if they are old and real a/s hubs? they are left hand threads, i had to drill rethread and heli coil for my useage,,, just my old stories,,

 

[Rwb]

greg t and i rely on sirio 2008 and we are very content. mine has stood severe wind n is still working great, gain is excellent too

 

[Rick330man]

I've noticed a significant difference in SWRs depending on whether I use a stainless steel 102" or a fiberglass one for the vertical radiator. With the stainless, SWRs across CB are in the 1.7 range but resonance is at 27.365. With the fiberglass 102" as the vertical radiator, the SWRs are just under 1.3 at channel 1 and channel 40 and right at 1.2 around channel 19. So we are back to the age old debate: do I want to tune to resonance or SWR?

I just got this back up. Let's see if the stainless gets out and we'll work from there.

 

[Greg T]

I've noticed a significant difference in SWRs depending on whether I use a stainless steel 102" or a fiberglass one for the vertical radiator. With the stainless, SWRs across CB are in the 1.7 range but resonance is at 37.365. With the fiberglass 102" as the vertical radiator, the SWRs are just under 1.3 at channel 1 and channel 40 and right at 1.2 around channel 19. So we are back to the age old debate: do I want to tune to resonance or SWR?

I just got this back up. Let's see if the stainless gets out and we'll work from there.

102" Doesn't work in the real world. Add 6" and fall into place. The whip is built tot use the potbelly spring and ball mount. Add a 6" spacer rod or spring to the radiator and all should be good.

 

[Rick330man]

102" Doesn't work in the real world. Add 6" and fall into place. The whip is built tot use the potbelly spring and ball mount. Add a 6" spacer rod or spring to the radiator and all should be good.

Typo (now corrected) on my part: resonance at 27.365, not 37.365. I do have the pot belly springs in stainless steel, but have consistently found a perfect SWR curve when I go with the fiberglass 102" for the vertical.

When on the boat, I use a stainless steel 102" whip for the radiator with a 102" section of 1/4" aluminum pipe as a counterpoise. It works great and delivers SWRs below 1.1 across CB. Just as the soil conductivity models tell us, being surrounded by salt water makes a significant, obvious impact.

 

[Rick330man]

I got up bright and early this morning and played with different radial options on my "Workman 6 Hub" Starduster. Like in the past, the SWRs dropped noticeably when I used the fiberglass 102" instead of the stainless for the vertical radiator. My highest SWR is now 1.34 on channel 1. My lowest is on channel 40 at 1.24. When using the stainless 102", my SWRs were running from 1.85 on channel 1 to 1.74 on channel 40. I'm really looking forward to the LSB 16 net Saturday so I can see what kind of DX performance I can get out of the "Workman 6 Hub" Starduster at this QTH.

 

[unit_399]

Put some good anti seize (The kind with metal in it) in the radiator joints, take the coax socket out and goop the stud up with silicone dielectric grease to keep the water out of the coax. You will have no worries for decades I am sure.

Get them both if you can, this antenna is worth having.

SM -

Can you please tell me the brand name of that anti-sieze and point me in the direction of a place where I can buy it. Been looking for it here, but all I get are blank stares. Gracias

- 399

 

[Eldorado828]

SM -

Can you please tell me the brand name of that anti-sieze and point me in the direction of a place where I can buy it. Been looking for it here, but all I get are blank stares. Gracias

- 399

Mr 399, a little different but this is what I use. Similar to no-ox-id.

 

[Rick330man]

Anti-seize, or "antiaferrante" as they would say in Colombia.

I've used Permatex for years.

 

[unit_399]

Mr 399, a little different but this is what I use. Similar to no-ox-id.

Anti-seize, or "antiaferrante" as they would say in Colombia.

I've used Permatex for years.

Eldo & Rickman -
Thanks for the info. Do these contain metal like the stuff Shadetree uses ??

- 399
BTW Rickman - "Antiafferrante" is Mexican Spanish. In Colombia we say, "no adherente" ( no-stick ). We always go the easy route.

 

[Marconi]

SM -

Can you please tell me the brand name of that anti-sieze and point me in the direction of a place where I can buy it. Been looking for it here, but all I get are blank stares. Gracias

- 399

Try this link at HRO. Scroll down a little below the HRO front page. I've used Stuf for years and I always found the stuff still in my coax connections. Some use Vaseline, but IMO it melts at fairly low temperatures.

www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-005875