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Monday, March 11, 2024

New CB antenna into the tower


  PD8HW Herman donated me an almost new Sirio Gainmaster HW CB/10m antenna. It has been replacing the old half wave GP on top of the tower. The Gainmaster has a somewhat other design, it is not an endfed like the GP. This one is actually a vertical dipole. Not a new design, it is originally called a T2LT antenna. Detailed info on this antenna can be found here:

The mystery of Gainmaster

The antenna will be used for local CB communication. Although SWR is below 1:2 on 12m and 10m as well. I already had very good results DXing on 12m FT modes yesterday, although it is absolutely not ment for DX. Fellow blogger Tom M7MCQ already made a mini review partly about this antenna:

ALINCO DX-10 & SIRIO GAIN-MASTER HW

Old Alu GP, not very sturdy.

  To compare antennas I used a webSDR about 25km away. On the GP I barely had a S-meter reading of S5. With the Gainmaster the meter showed well over S5, sometimes S6. There is clearly a difference. To me this antenna looks sturdier as previous used Antron A-99 CB antennas. SWR is below 1:2 between 24-29 MHz here, of course best SWR is at 27MHz.



The Gainmaster HW on top of the tower, can be barely seen with white clouds in the background.

Oh yes, I have to admit. I still love CB. Why not? It is different from HAMradio although not that different. We are all amateurradio operators...


2 comments:

  1. Hi Bas, well done on getting that thing up there! It's not exactly small. It's funny you should post this, because only a few days ago I was thinking that I might need to sell mine. Our caravan park has new owners and they say that they don't like flagpoles erected onsite (that's what I disguised my antenna as).

    I'll have to see how friendly they are over the next few weeks, lol.

    73, Tom.

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  2. Hello Tom, that's a pity. New owners new rules....That's the way it goes I guess. But there are certainly other possebilities for antennas. A thin bearly invisible wire is enough. Make a loop with it, for example on the roof. Feed it with ladderline and match it through a 1:1 or 4:1 balun at your radio and have fun. Not for local CB contacts though...Good luck, 73, Bas

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Thanks for your comment. Bedankt voor je reactie. 73, Bas