Anyone ever use this base antenna?

[Nightshade]

I "think" I've found a solution to my base antenna issue with this antenna>
TwinPoint/Workman SATURN 39 Inch Low Profile Base Antenna
[ external image ]

Product Description

# Power Handling- 500Watts PEP
# Frequency Range 26-30 Mhz
# Works for Base, Boat or Truck
# Low Wind Resistance
# Fully Weather Proof
# SO-239 (PL259) Socket
# No Ground Plane Needed
# 36 Inches Long
# Tuneable for LOw VSWR
# Also Known as Workman B100

Does anyone here have any experience with this particular antenna??

[ILjim]

I have been considering that antenna too.

[alternative3d]

I use this antenna in the attic as my base and have no complaints. It works as expected for an antenna of its size.

[Bullets]

I personally haven't used the antenna, but I have heard it has bleed over issues.

[Nightshade]

well, I've got one ordered to try since it's inexpensive and my needs are limited. I'l let al know how it goes when I get it up. Funny thing is I only found this antenna at one online store.

[Bullets]

I've seen similar antennas like it, just with other names. I believe Sparky's carries one like it

[Nightshade]

I've seen similar antennas like it, just with other names. I believe Sparky's carries one like it

Yep, that looks just like the one I ordered.

[Foxhunter]

I've got one of them (the original Saturn version) out sitting on my shop bench. I've never used it. Got it in a package-deal so figured why not grab it ? Thought it might be fun to try out while hooked to a big truck mirror bracket, as a mobile antenna sometime lol. But, they are really really small (about 3-FT). I remember someone posting a few months ago, asking for small antenna ideas for his disabled brother to use at his apartment complex. I put this same antenna out there as a suggestion, and I think someone wrote-in after saying that antenna was nothing but "a dummy load on a stick". That might be. I'm sure it isn't a "stellar" performer and I wasn't recommending it, I was chiefly just trying to give a quick simple solution that would be low-profile and easy to manage for a disabled guy. Anyway, I'm still going to try mine out mobile sometime or just use it for a station monitor antenna. Let us know how it turns out and how well it works, definitely curious.

['Doc]

Haven't had my hands on one, so take this for what it's worth.
It ought to work about as well as any other antenna of about the same length, sort of. I have to assume that it's either a shortened 1/2 wave, or that it uses the feed line as it's other half. Either way, it isn't going to be the best thing in the world. But it has to be better than no antenna at all. It'll be interesting to see what you find out.
- 'Doc

[Remo]

that antenna has been a topic more than once here.

i guess you get what you deserve.

i will leave it at that. im not one to judge. do a search here and you will find out what i mean. or i guess since you already ordered it, you can find out the hard way.

[Nightshade]

that antenna has been a topic more than once here.

i guess you get what you deserve.

i will leave it at that. im not one to judge. do a search here and you will find out what i mean. or i guess since you already ordered it, you can find out the hard way.

WOW! A rather snobbish mean spirited reply for sure.

Not all of us are rolling it dough to the point we can throw money at a hobby to own the finest and the best.

[Remo]

nightshade:
let me please apologize. i didnt mean for that to come across snobbish, or rude or anything.

i may have had a few too many that night... not a reason to act that way though... again, i am sorry

BUT what i did mean by that was, there are a few reviews on that antenna, and they all say stay away... unfortunately you went a head and bought it.

i HOPE it works for you.

please let us know of your findings

[Tinman590]

I had one when I first started, it worked quite well. Bleedover was an issue but dont throw gobs of power at it and it should work ok.

[HomerBB]

I used one briefly a few years ago when we would travel out of town and need a quick solution to having left the base station behind. We would get it as high as we could on the end of a 50' coax and talk to most anything we could hear. We made numerous DX contacts to the Northeast US from Houston with the antenna mounted to the rain gutter once.

My brother-in-law ran one on the mirror mount of his 3/4 ton duallie for a while.

I distinctly recall that the SWR could be radically affected by the movement of the coax. At the time we never considered putting a choke inline to see what the antenna did isolated from the feedline.

I am interested to see how your experience goes, too.

[COREMAKER]

I, ALSO HAVE ONE OF THESE B100 ANTENNAS, THEY ARE THE WORST ANTENNA YOU CAN BUY! THE SWR IS TERRIBLE AND THE RECEIVE IS THE POOR, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND PUT UP A DIPOLE!!!!

[Nightshade]

I, ALSO HAVE ONE OF THESE B100 ANTENNAS, THEY ARE THE WORST ANTENNA YOU CAN BUY! THE SWR IS TERRIBLE AND THE RECEIVE IS THE POOR, SAVE YOUR MONEY AND PUT UP A DIPOLE!!!!

To late! Mine came today and now the process begins (when the damn weather breaks!) of finding the best spot, the right coax, and best pole to mount it on. Since the antenna is so inexpensive I don't expect to much as long as I get some signal I'll be ok. For me it's the adventure more of doing this than anything else. Next on my list it to try and build my own antenna which looks like a fun thing to do!

[HomerBB]

Building antennas is fun, and frustrating, and hair pulling, hopefully, your own, but fun.
Remember, the SWR is influenced by the coax movement (for us it was), so I suggest you put about 5 wraps of your coax around a 4" form to make a choke right up against the connector on the antenna to help isolate the antenna from the feedline, and see how it goes. If it is just for the fun of it you'll still enjoy what ever results you get.

[Nightshade]

Building antennas is fun, and frustrating, and hair pulling, hopefully, your own, but fun.
Remember, the SWR is influenced by the coax movement (for us it was), so I suggest you put about 5 wraps of your coax around a 4" form to make a choke right up against the connector on the antenna to help isolate the antenna from the feedline, and see how it goes. If it is just for the fun of it you'll still enjoy what ever results you get.

4 wraps ????? Good to know, thanks. What exactly do you mean by "form"? Please.....explain so I can factor the choke into the design selection.

[alternative3d]

Building antennas is fun, and frustrating, and hair pulling, hopefully, your own, but fun.
Remember, the SWR is influenced by the coax movement (for us it was), so I suggest you put about 5 wraps of your coax around a 4" form to make a choke right up against the connector on the antenna to help isolate the antenna from the feedline, and see how it goes. If it is just for the fun of it you'll still enjoy what ever results you get.

4 wraps ????? Good to know, thanks. What exactly do you mean by "form"? Please.....explain so I can factor the choke into the design selection.

I am curious as well. What exactly are the results we should see by doing this?. Would doing this help eliminate some of the bleedover or does it affect the SWR only?.

[19dt2120]

Here i have some pics from inside of a same kind of antenna called the Bazooka .
All you find is a sort of rigid tube what is enforced with a steel coil , its just like a helical whip.
img 1: [Please login or register to view this link]
img 2: [Please login or register to view this link]
img 3: [Please login or register to view this link]

Sorry the image's are to large to show on this forum

['Doc]

Sort of disappointing, isn't it?
But you had to know that it was a 'loaded' antenna since it is significantly shorter than about 8 - 9 feet. Even if it isn't the absolute most bestest thing around, it's certainly better than nothing.
One idea for a 'hidden' antenna is like what's done on some of the VHF/UHF bands. If you can make the thing into some commonly found 'shape' on a roof, such as a vent pipe, it would mean hiding the feed line would be the hardest part. It would be a tad more difficult for HF bands because the usual antenna is much longer than for VHF/UHF. How many 4 - 6 foot vent pipes do you ever see? Sort of squeezing an 11 meter antenna down to about 1 - 2 feet typically means a really crappy antenna. But then again, since it's a 'vent pipe', having a 'crappy' signal is sort of reasonable...
- 'Doc

(all puns definitely intended!)

[Nightshade]

Here i have some pics from inside of a same kind of antenna called the Bazooka .
All you find is a sort of rigid tube what is enforced with a steel coil , its just like a helical whip.
img 1: [Please login or register to view this link]
img 2: [Please login or register to view this link]
img 3: [Please login or register to view this link]

Sorry the image's are to large to show on this forum

Your links did not load anything to do with an antenna, mate.

[19dt2120]

For the people who cant see the pics :**Foreign Forum** is the URL of the Dutch HAM Board

(edited by MDY, another forum link)

[Stoneman]

Well Nightshade, did ya ever hook that antenna up???

[rider2002]

Hi just bought this antenna for my tractor trailer. have a stryker cb,and was wondering how this antenna will work with my cb as a mobile unit.