11mtr Radio Shack antenna recommendations

Guys could do with some recommendations for a 11 Mtr antenna for my home set up, I'm approximately about 400 ft asl but located in a valley about 20 k from Carlisle. I'm really wanting it for DX and need something with good ears, I gues the base of the antenna is going to be about 15 ft from ground level. I've no real obstructions close by, I was looking at the Antron 99 maybe. I've had good reports when mobile in my area but that's getting up onto the valley sides, I guess if the base antenna doesn't work that well due to location I could take it on the road and use it as a static mobile set up.
Cheers Andy

Go to the HeyWhatsThat site and do a profile for your location , theres a lot of b@ll@cks out there about antennas in valley's remember if your set on DX and a vertical antenna the tip height is key, a quarter wave with the same tip height as a half wave or five eighths wave will give the same sort of gain at the most common low take off angles. I,m in a valley and for the most part nothing without some refraction (knife edge ?) gets in below 3* and upto 5* in some directions but even with a low mounted 3 element LFA I can work the odd bit of DX

Hi Andy,

Nothing opens the proverbial can of worms and causes more contention than asking other radio operators about antennas!

If it helps any.......


A little report on opening up or dissecting an Antron 99 :-

http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/ACC_antenna/Solarcon_A-99_review.pdf

That may give you some idea about the utter nonsense 'marketed' for apparent gain figures too!



A simple entry for the use of a half wave antenna at CB frequencies :-

"http://www.dx-antennas.com/Half wave vertical.htm"

(You'll have to cut and paste the link between the quotes due to the stupid use of white spaces in the original HTML address.)



In all reality it's totally up to you, just simply buy what you like or can afford.

If I was in the market for a homebase CB antenna, (although I have looked at extending my 10m repertoire ), I'd be plumping for a typical cheap 1/2 wave and work with it. Your mobile setup will probably beat it hands down especially atop the valleys for DX work but you can't be out in the car all the time. Sometimes it's just nice to be sat at home, flick that power switch and catch any skip as well as often elusive DX stations when and if you can.

The most fun that can often be had is turning on your radio whenever you can and simply enjoying what you get with what you have.

Unless of course you can build/erect (on an appropriate site) a dirty big Quad antenna monster such as seen on these 'hallowed' CT pages!



All the best,
Victor

Bean wrote:

Go to the HeyWhatsThat site and do a profile for your location

Useful site. Better than THIS one I have been using to scout out high open areas.

Andy, depending on your definition of DX.. if the skip's running good you'll probably get some decent distance contacts on almost anything you get up. A friend had some amazing contacts on a cheap 1/2 wave vertical from the lowest part of our town back in the day, including Australia.

Dipole set up as in inverted V for DX. Run it North/South.

Victor wrote:

Hi Andy,

Nothing opens the proverbial can of worms and causes more contention than asking other radio operators about antennas!



All the best,
Victor

Had to laugh at this Victor...

Over the years i have modified/built/bought many antennas and given my very limited knowledge on them to members here only to be shot down by a certain someone who while knowledgable cannot see the many variables or experiences i or others may have.

For sometime it has been easier to keep away from antenna subjects rather than get into a debate..

Hope the op finds a decent antenna to suit his needs..

73 Sam

Many Thanks, I was going to start a new thread titled what a difference a day makes.
So I decided to go for a 5/8 silver rod, fairly cheap option as I didn't want to go all in and spend a fortune on something I doubted would work anyway due to my location. Anyway got the 5/8 up, not really as high as I wanted but was restricted due to the wife lol, ok been sat on the radio most of yesterday with plenty of good chatter coming in on the 27.555. Tried all day to get a contact and nothing, by the end of yesterday I was pretty well fed up and thought about ripping it down and going static mobile with it. Ok 12 hrs later I jumped back full of hope and bingo, second call I got out to North East Germany and had a good chat with a guy called Ben, later on got a good UK contact with caravan man in Southampton, and a few various others across the day. Yep the skip was good but what a good feeling to be able to get out on the net without getting in the car.

Nice one Andy.

Glad you've been able to get some good contacts with your choice of antenna. A little bit of 'skip' happily provided by Mother Nature can make all the difference.


Worth noting that often when you hear Italian chatter on the triple five they're pointing beams towards us, (in the hope of hitting the USA), and often pumping hundreds of Watts if not kiloWatts! Unless you're doing the same in their direction in less than favourable skip conditions you won't have much luck. Whereas a good bit of propagation can see you bagging great DX with nothing more than a wet piece of string and a few Watts.

Genuinely pleased that it's all worked out for you and you're enjoying your radio. Keep hold of the good feelings when you have otherwise poor radio days to keep your spirits up. Mother Nature can be a fickle cow!

Well done.

All the best,
Victor

Many Thanks Victor. Good advice, because I know there will be more bad days than good. But hey ho that's how it goes.

Yes well done Andy on getting out with the new antenna it's bloody frustrating sometimes knowing youve got all this gear and no bugger can here you or so you think lol.
Anyway keep trying as the solar cycle will get better and better and your be amazed how far your get on just radio power 
73 s

https://www.bigsignal.es/en/antennas/big-signal-4bs-11-10.html

Hi are dipole antennas ok or are other antennas better 

All antennas perform differently but yes dipoles are good to some extent depending the height of them and where there located.a wire dipole like most verticals can perform really well for example the G5RV if you've heard of them.i use 1 on the HF bands and they work very well even in a loft. Now I use a vertical 5/8 wave sirio 2016 works really well.as they say mate height is mite and it also depends which bands your going to use the antenna on.

are they any good if they are horizontal as i was thinking of laying one across the gutter mounts on the house again im just thinking of ideas about ants anything to get away from the mag mount , plus what sizes of rod dipoles are there apart from the wire ones, ps the gutter mounts are plastic  thanks Howard 

Hi Howard,

A horizontal dipole will be poor for local contacts due to cross polarization but very good for skip albeit directional.

73's Gary.

Hi Gary
Yes I know but on a vertical can work well aswell as I can vouch for that myself as I work both antennas on HF and 11m. My working conditions Aren't helped by local power lines near me and RF noise from electronic devices.

Hi Skyrider
Well  dipoles as said work ok but if working on CB bands etc your need a half decent halfwave or 5/8 depending on your space and not to upset the the locals lol.dipoles I've had in the past were vertical to be honest worked well back in 1981 when I first came on to FM back then BUT then there wasn't the noise we get now mobile devices pcs etc.
I run a sirio antenna and if I'm honest are prob the best makers of CB antenna in my opinion.if you want to be discrete you could always try the signal keeper from sirio which I've used in the past works ok but TBO are ok on local stuff.
Just a question do you have any trees near you ? .

Oh forgot to say dipoles are normally 18ft centre fed with no gain or very little try Moonraker website there very good and reasonably priced or you could ring them there very helpful.
73s .

Thanks Howard i will have a look , i now have a president mc kinley so i now need a decent ant to go with it cant keep going with the mag mount

Mag mount oh dear lol. What par t of the country you live in ? Our CB channels here our dead most of the time about a handful left of us which is a real shame as I thought when lockdown was about some might of returned which some did but went straight onto the 2m band etc and to be honest is a bit boring and to regimental always having to use your callsign snore snore lol.
Get a mate to help you out with your antenna when you get 1 and your see the difference straight away .
73s

yes im in preston lancs , just turned the president on and it seems busy so good news a bit like the old days back then i used to have an electronica special which seemed a good antenna so i might go for another vertical alloy one, forgot to say i do have one tree very close by its the one im going to fasten the ant to   a change of plan with a dipole and having it horizontal

Lol I was just going to say about putting the antenna in the tree lol. Anyway good luck with that I wish my area was busy on the radio we had such a good laugh back then .

yes i hope it stays like this it would be great over the winter time staying in and warm with the rig

Howard wrote:

Hi Gary
Yes I know but on a vertical can work well aswell as I can vouch for that myself as I work both antennas on HF and 11m. My working conditions Aren't helped by local power lines near me and RF noise from electronic devices.

Hi Howard,

Sorry bud I was addressing Lionel's question, about using a dipole in a horizontal position. I put your name by mistake.

73's Gary.

No worries