Base Workman M400 Starduster

[Rick330man]

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.

I couldn't tell you about Mexican Spanish. Never lived there. My wife lived in Mexico City for three years and will occasionally spring a "cacahuate" or a "huachinango" on me. And you can't say "coger" the way you would innocently in normal Spanish.

My Spanish is "castellano". "No adherente" to me is "non-stick" - like a non-stick surface.

 

[Rwb]

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

I prefer permatex silver antisieze. Best ive ever seen

 

[Marconi]

Sorry 399, forget my link, I think I misunderstood the conversation. I use Stuff to try and help keep water out of my feed line on some antennas like the A99 and Imax, etc.

I would use the lubricants noted to contain a metal component to put in the connection overlaps for aluminum tubing that can help later in taking the antenna apart.

Sorry 399.

 

[Eldorado828]

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.

No sir I don't believe it has metallic particles in it. I use it to prevent corrosion in between the aluminum sections. Serves 2 purpose it's a type of grease so it keeps water out of the mating surfaces and prevents the aluminum from building up corrosion residue. I also have a can of no-ox-id but haven't used it yet. It also does not have metal particles.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

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

The stuff I use is Never-Seez and is available on Amazon.

Never-Seez NSBT-8 Silver Gray Regular Grade Anti-Seize Compound, 8 fl. oz. Brush Top Can Amazon product ASIN B000KZCU26

DX Engineering has Jet Lube brand and is very good too.

https://www.dxengineering.com/search/brand/jet-lube/part-type/anti-seize?fr=part-type

 

[Marconi]

Instead of the sheet metal screws to hold the radiator sections, I made a slit with a hack saw from the end down to the screw hole, then used hose clamps to hold it tight. 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.

Here is the thread that Shadetree Mechanic was discussing the two kinds of anti-seize products he used on his antenna projects and noted what he used each for.

 

[SuperLid]

I wouldn't touch a Workman product...based on what I've seen in this thread alone. If Workman is in the U.S., I wonder why they use metrics?

I also don't see the Workman name anywhere on the images or labels posted above.

Wonder why the frequency looks to be marked out?

Workman may be a legit company. but IMHO they seem to attract all the trash builders to using their company name on eBay and such. Some of these thieves show crap and are cheap looking in the ads and technical data presented too.

I guess Workman may be a small outfit and does not look to spend any money to protect their name and products. When you're a small operator...protecting your name and company can be very expensive task to pursue.

Marconi,

I have been a Workman customer for decades. There have been issues with antenna suppliers, such as Maco (who made the 5/8 wave for them) going out of business. The owner had to source new producers.

I am advising the owners for about 3 years and have been re-working the 5/8. I have the M-400 here that I will be testing as well. You will get a human when you call and you will deal with someone that stands behind what they sell.

The goal is to have the best there is for the cost. Stay tuned.

SL

 

[SuperLid]

Workman used to sell a product sold as a "6 Hub". It was a hub that screwed right onto standard plumbing pipe. It was threaded for 3 3/8" x 24 thread downward sloping radials. It also had the space on the top side for a vertical radiator.

An old Radio Shack 102" fiberglass whip serves as the vertical. Three Radio Shack 102" stainless steel whips serve as the downward sloping radials used for the counterpoise. My SWR across the CB runs in the 1.2:1 range. No tuning issues; no matching networks; no metric to imperial conversions: the final contraption was just a simple, efficient and resonant antenna (some call it a center fed dipole while others say this design is a 1/4 wave Marconi ground plane) that provides pretty decent performance and minimal headaches.

FYI, Workman sold out of the 6HUB and is not planning to get more. If this changes, I can report here.

SL

 

[SuperLid]

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.

I took down my re-worked Workman 5/8 wave and put up my 6HUB Starduster yesterday. I used this antenna a long time, now I remember why. Really easy to assemble and install, works really well and impervious to wind.

SL

 

[whiteastro]

A Workman M400 Star Duster is the first base station antenna I put up years ago when I was getting back into CB again because I remember hearing good about a Star Duster and I was on a tight budget. It gave me a great SWR reading for years. ( Can't remember how many ) Finally water got in it and froze and split and the Mud Bees built there nest. I replaced it with a Sirio M400 and again with success and still running it. But being the guy I am the Workman M400 is repaired and in my garage waiting to Rock & Roll again if need be. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

 

[SuperLid]

A Workman M400 Star Duster is the first base station antenna I put up years ago when I was getting back into CB again because I remember hearing good about a Star Duster and I was on a tight budget. It gave me a great SWR reading for years. ( Can't remember how many ) Finally water got in it and froze and split and the Mud Bees built there nest. I replaced it with a Sirio M400 and again with success and still running it. But being the guy I am the Workman M400 is repaired and in my garage waiting to Rock & Roll again if need be. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

You already told me that story and at that time, I mentioned it to the owner of Workman. I am going to have a look at the one I have here when I build it, see if there are weep holes.

Workman has no M-400's in stock. Not sure when they will be getting more.

I am curious to see the quality and performance though.

 

[whiteastro]

Probably at the time I put it up I didn't think about water getting in or I would have used sealant at the joints. I guess I lived and learned. You'll do just fine if you use sealant any place water could get in after you get the SWR set. Good Luck

The trouble today is they use too much plastic and plastic doesn't like the elements. But that is the Trade Off for Price. I'm figuring at almost 74 YO it will probably out last me.

 

[SuperLid]

Probably at the time I put it up I didn't think about water getting in or I would have used sealant at the joints. I guess I lived and learned. You'll do just fine if you use sealant any place water could get in after you get the SWR set. Good Luck

The trouble today is they use too much plastic and plastic doesn't like the elements. But that is the Trade Off for Price. I'm figuring at almost 74 YO it will probably out last me.

Cost is definitely a factor but, so is quality. I am planning to pass on what I see to Workman, if any improvements need to be made. The Workman M-400 is just a test antenna to me. But one never knows, I may like it. At the end of the day, if you look at antenna patterns above ground, the 1/4 wave antenna with drooping radials, negates the complication of .625 and .64 wave antennas in the far field.

Water doesn't just get in from outside, it forms on the inside as condensation. Weep holes are a good idea. I need a plug material that is non conductive, to let water out and keep insects from getting in.

I may just want to keep it up in the air.

SL

 

[secret squirrel]

I did not run a Star Duster, however I did run one of the old school Realistic 1/4 Wave Ground plan antennas. I am in Western Penna, south of Pittsburgh. I found it NOS. It was up about 10 years. No issues. No weep holes in the radials, I agree its a good idea. The stood up to the wind, hale and snow with no issues. I had no problems talking with the locals, height was may issues. It was only at 15 feet. If I was out in that area again I would not think twice about putting up another relic of yesterday in its place. Or a new Star Duster.

 

[SuperLid]

I did not run a Star Duster, however I did run one of the old school Realistic 1/4 Wave Ground plan antennas. I am in Western Penna, south of Pittsburgh. I found it NOS. It was up about 10 years. No issues. No weep holes in the radials, I agree its a good idea. The stood up to the wind, hale and snow with no issues. I had no problems talking with the locals, height was may issues. It was only at 15 feet. If I was out in that area again i would not think twice about putting up another relic of yesterday in its place. Or a new Star Duster.

Sometimes, simple is better.