Zero Five 11 meters

[314]

Haven't seen a review on this antenna yet.Ordered one about a week ago and just got it so really quick shipping for an antenna that's made to order, so i open the box and first thought was holy shit! It didn't come with instructions so I think it pre marked for 11 meters, but just looking at the base of this antenna is really a work of art. It has a wire and what looks like a gamma to fine tune,wonder how the gamma plays a part in the function of the antenna.So tomorrow i will be setting this monster up, and i'm sure it weighs about 18lbs so this might be fun....But once installed I will be switching back and forth between a Maco v5000 at the same exact height about 40 feet apart...just to see how they both compare besides the price...I'm almost certain both will be the same in performance and if not, I'll be really surprised..So tomorrow i'll post my thoughts on this very well built 5/8 wave antenna.The one thing that is a dead lock for the zerofive is craftsmanship

 

[Marconi]

I have to agree 314, this one will likely perform about the same as the Maco V58. I use to catch a lot of flack when showing my videos of how I compared my CB vertical antennas...about 35' feet apart, but I don't think this is such a big deal.

So, good luck and have at it.

When you get it constructed try and get some good pictures including some close-ups of the matching section and post them up for us.

I'm not totally sure if this is the antenna, but I think I always thought the part you describe as a gamma was not really a gamma, but was intended to allow for one to adjust the bottom of the antenna to help support the radiator, and to allow for the reactance adjustments (resonance length of the radiator) instead of having to lower the antenna to change frequencies by adjusting the tip length. This adjustment allows the antenna tune in combination with the wire tap on the orbital coil.

If you gave him the frequency you wanted to work, and he preset it for you, then I would not mess with adjusting this area to start with.

I have an antenna with this type of combination (resistive/reactive) adjustments and they can be very difficult setting the tune. I find the matching range that works best is within a very small adjustment range, like maybe 1/16" to 1/32" inch for both the space between the coil ends and the tap point on the feed point extension wire.

It's like tuning a piano.

Good luck.

 

[bob85]

Eddie,
The zero five antenna has a capacitor connected across the folded hoop forming a parallel tuned matching setup,
it looks to be a variation of the setup in the avanti av170 & av190 but using an external capacitor which looks to be adjustable,
I can understand why some people mistake it for a gamma match.

 

[bob85]

you can get a good look at the matching from this link, click the pic and go full screen.
http://www.zerofive-antennas.com/20-or-17-meter-58-wave-monoband-freestanding-3kw-vertical-foldover

 

[Marconi]

Eddie,
The zero five antenna has a capacitor connected across the folded hoop forming a parallel tuned matching setup,
it looks to be a variation of the setup in the avanti av170 & av190 but using an external capacitor which looks to be adjustable,
I can understand why some people mistake it for a gamma match.

Good point Bob.I think it is because in a way it looks like a gamma with a dielectric insulator inside a metal tube.

My Wolf 50_10m EFHW works similar, except the capacitor is inside of the mount. I wish Eddie C had mounted his outside. Instead, he used a bolt that screws through the thick walled aluminum tubing to secure the radiator inside the mount. The bolt digs into the insulator material and the wind makes this screw muck-up the insulator. Now I can even slide it up or down anymore.

The setup is neat though, and does allow one to adjust the antenna impedance and reactance from the bottom and that saves taking the whole thing down.

The Wolf has another flaw. The screw that attaches the matching coil end at ground uses a screw in the side of the mount, with very few threads to hold the coil tight. It finally stripped out the three threads.

If Eddie C had just welded a nut on the outside of this hole in mount to allow for more thread...problem solved...but no it added to the cost.

The antenna never made a good CBr's match, but it worked really well for me even at >1.70:1 SWR across the band.

 

[Marconi]

you can get a good look at the matching from this link, click the pic and go full screen.
http://www.zerofive-antennas.com/20-or-17-meter-58-wave-monoband-freestanding-3kw-vertical-foldover

Yes, you can clearly see the bolts thru the radiator/insulator are good and secure, and the parallel capacitor as you describe does not have such a problem like the Wolf I described.

Thanks for posting the images.

 

[314]

ok tomorrow gotta get back up and tune, think i got to unscrew happy and detuned it..Hey Marconi, my readings are CH.1=1.2 R=42 X=5..........CH.20=1.2 R=50 X=11........CH.40=1.5 R=44 X=18.....and yes you was right, just the slightest touch to the what i call a gamma and it goes way off.. i might need a little help on what i need to achieve and conquer this thing

 

[Marconi]

ok tomorrow gotta get back up and tune, think i got to unscrew happy and detuned it.

The readings, probably a little low in frequency, are probably good enough for many CB operators. Even if the match was perfect, I doubt it will make any difference to the performance anywhere in the CB band, and for sure just using your radio.

I would think twice about going back up the tower and trying to tune up high...considering the little mismatch you report.

Sorry to hear about the miscue. Good luck.

 

[bob85]

Eddie,
The MaCo & BIG-MAC also look to have a capacitor in parallel with the coil,
I have not measured either to see if there is enough for it to be a parallel tuned circuit.

314,
I find it odd that you don't get any tuning instructions with the ZEROFIVE considering that its sold as a 10/11mtr antenna & there are multiple adjustments you can make,
Have you contacted them to ask about tuning ?.

 

[314]

Eddie,
The MaCo & BIG-MAC also look to have a capacitor in parallel with the coil,
I have not measured either to see if there is enough for it to be a parallel tuned circuit.

314,
I find it odd that you don't get any tuning instructions with the ZEROFIVE considering that its sold as a 10/11mtr antenna & there are multiple adjustments you can make,
Have you contacted them to ask about tuning ?.

Yeah I contacted yesterday.He said he'll help me out.The antenna comes marked so all you do is put it together, but yeah no instructions on what you need to do to to get it fined tuned, 3 things you can tune on it. 1 the length of antenna 2 wire tap and 3 the capacitor..and I'm lost with what to tackle first

 

[hotrod]

Yeah I contacted yesterday.He said he'll help me out.The antenna comes marked so all you do is put it together, but yeah no instructions on what you need to do to to get it fined tuned, 3 things you can tune on it. 1 the length of antenna 2 wire tap and 3 the capacitor..and I'm lost with what to tackle first

1st id tackle the overall lenth if this is marked then shoul be fairly easy
the other two im not completely sure of. but my guess would be one does reactance or X= on ya antenna anylizer. just my guess here. i have no idea why they have 3

 

[The DB]

The MaCo & BIG-MAC also look to have a capacitor in parallel with the coil,
I have not measured either to see if there is enough for it to be a parallel tuned circuit.

I can't speak to the Big Mac, but having handleled the Maco V5/8 and v5000 antennas, and happen to have a currently dissassembled v5000 antenna in my garage, I took some measurements and did some calculations... The v5000 antenna has a capacitance of about 3 pF in parallel with the ring. The earlier V5/8's which used a different dielectric material for separation, (PVC instead of teflon) would have closer to 4.5 pF.


The DB

 

[222DBFL]

Are you taking these readings directly at the feed point of the antenna? Didn't see where or if that was posted anywhere? Or are you using a very short jumper, like 1ft or less? Again just curious?? Thx for any replies.

 

[314]

Ok the misque was the operator, I'll get back up and retune it, I took it out of tune getting to impatient, but I did notice something really weird, I went ahead and transmitted on it with 40 watts, now a guy about 10 miles from me compared the Maco v5000 and the Zero5, on the Zero5 I hit with a 9s solid, then I switched to the v5000 and gave an 7s, the receive on my end didn't change as both was the same except maybe a little more static with the v5000 but not much...not sure how the transmit signals were night and day but maybe someone could explain

 

[314]

Are you taking these readings directly at the feed point of the antenna? Didn't see where or if that was posted anywhere? Or are you using a very short jumper, like 1ft or less? Again just curious?? Thx for any replies.

yeah doing at the feedpoint, what jumper length is ok to use?