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 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
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| 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.
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| 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...
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).
ReplyDeleteI'll have to see how friendly they are over the next few weeks, lol.
73, Tom.
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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