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Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:19 pm
Looking at getting one i have been told some good and bad reviews on it whats your thoughts
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Alan Pilot Major contributor
Call Sign : 163-CT-220...MW7TTA Posts : 2446 Times Thanked : 66 Join date : 2019-11-19 QTH or Location : Anglesey North Wales Equipment Used : Yaesu FT-991A,,Yaesu FTDX-10,,Icom ic-7300,,Anytone AT-D878UV PLUS",,LINCOLN II+. Age : 150
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:34 pm
Never used the antron 99 but i have just put up a Sigma 2011 skip master 5/8 wave looks very similar and i find it works quite well.
Last edited by Alan Pilot on Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:51 am; edited 1 time in total
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Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:51 pm
The fairest review I've seen for these antennas is here:-
CB Magazine A99 review
Hope that helps.
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:34 pm
Great review mate thx the reason i am looking at the antron because i am disabled i wont something easy to swr and put up
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:55 pm
No worries John.
Same here mate, permanently bust knee, put paid to my days shooting up and down ladders. I've been lucky and persuaded 'volunteers' to help me out with my antennas
Do like the 'ring-twist' SWR tuning method and the fact they're quite wide banded. Could be just the job for you.
I've said before on here that any antenna is better than no antenna. We'd all like to sling up a 5/8ths atop a 20 metre pole on top of the house but it's all down to what we can manage.....not just financially, but physical practicalities.
All the best to you, Victor
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
Alan Pilot Major contributor
Call Sign : 163-CT-220...MW7TTA Posts : 2446 Times Thanked : 66 Join date : 2019-11-19 QTH or Location : Anglesey North Wales Equipment Used : Yaesu FT-991A,,Yaesu FTDX-10,,Icom ic-7300,,Anytone AT-D878UV PLUS",,LINCOLN II+. Age : 150
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:59 pm
TJS 26CT3029 wrote:
Great review mate thx the reason i am looking at the antron because i am disabled i wont something easy to swr and put up Â
SNAP
Sydthecat CT Directors
Call Sign : 2E0VRX Posts : 767 Times Thanked : 45 Join date : 2019-06-26 QTH or Location : Yorkshire dales Equipment Used : Yaesu FTdx 101d, MD200 mic ,Mosley 3ele Yagi Age : 58
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:09 pm
Used Antron 99 for a few years and had no issues , worked very well and was completely bomb proof , worked ok on other bands which was a bonus , sold it to a local and it's still going strong
Craig
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:13 pm
My silver rod as ad its day last night Thx guys antron it is
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:34 pm
@Craig,
Craig, I had heard the A99 was good for loading from 20m through to 10m but hadn't believed it. Was it really that wide banded or would that have been through a matcher? Never had the opportunity to actually ask someone who may have used one in such a manner.
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:43 pm
Don't worry Craig, had a dig around t'internet and found me answer
If anyone else is interested I found a thoroughly good review for the A99's big brother the Solarcon I-MAX2000
Solarcon I-MAX2000 review
Apologies for hijacking the thread John, sparked a diverging interest
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
Sydthecat CT Directors
Call Sign : 2E0VRX Posts : 767 Times Thanked : 45 Join date : 2019-06-26 QTH or Location : Yorkshire dales Equipment Used : Yaesu FTdx 101d, MD200 mic ,Mosley 3ele Yagi Age : 58
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:50 pm
Hi Victor
Not sure about using one on 20m but I certainly had it tuning up ok ( internal tuner Yeasu 450d ) on 10, 11, 12 , 15, and 17m that's five bands ! Bit of a no brainer if your first starting out like I was at the time
Living in the Yorkshire dales the Antron coped with everything nature could throw at it
Craig
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:03 pm
Hi Craig,
Cheers for that, really appreciated. Did think 20m was pushing it but blow me is that a nice range for an antenna!
Currently on my quest for a Ham ticket so gathering as much intel for future operations as possible. Handy stuff to tuck away in the information pile.
Despite hobbling around on a stick nowadays I have happy memories of walking Yorkshire, from the Pennines, across the Dales and along the East coast. Beautiful place to trek
All the best, Victor
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:48 am
great review on the i max 2000 just read it its only 30 pound more
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:44 am
I know what you mean John The wideband functionality is what interested me, pretty neat design. I've earmarked it for a possible future purchase myself
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
Northern Crusader Major contributor
Call Sign : M0GVZ / 26CT1760 Posts : 514 Times Thanked : 35 Join date : 2019-11-13 QTH or Location : IO94SA Equipment Used : Icom 7300, TS480, President McKinley, Albrecht AE6110, CRT Mike Age : 53
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Wed Jan 15, 2020 11:51 am
Part of the reason it works on so many bands is because it uses the coax as a ground plane 9/10 installs.
If you read the Imax 2000 review linked in Victor's post it said that once they added the groundplane kit it stopped working on the other bands and the SWR went up. They blamed the ground plane kit because the reviewer didn't have the knowledge to understand what was going on and that by using the ground plane kit and a choke the coax was no longer being part of the antenna.
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Wed Jan 15, 2020 4:26 pm
i got a good deal on imax so it will be put up next week so thx guys
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Wed Jan 15, 2020 4:46 pm
Nice one John.
Hope the installation goes smoothly and you get some good DX.
All the best, Victor
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Wed Jan 15, 2020 4:54 pm
Thx victor
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:35 pm
Tired to Put it up today got new brackets up and the hevans opened always the same it will be Monday now
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:54 pm
Ain't that always the way John? Don't fret about it mate, there's always another day
My Grandfather always said, "There's always tomorrow....until there isn't a tomorrow....then it don't f**king matter anyway!"
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...
Northern Crusader Major contributor
Call Sign : M0GVZ / 26CT1760 Posts : 514 Times Thanked : 35 Join date : 2019-11-13 QTH or Location : IO94SA Equipment Used : Icom 7300, TS480, President McKinley, Albrecht AE6110, CRT Mike Age : 53
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Thu Jan 16, 2020 6:26 pm
TJS 26CT3029 wrote:
Tired to Put it up today got new brackets up and the hevans opened always the same it will be Monday now
LOL sods law. Mind you I've always found that when I put them up in crap weather they always seemed to have less problems than when I put them up on a nice calm sunny day.
Wonder if the cider had anything to do with it.
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Fri Jan 17, 2020 1:56 pm
My bro in law was up ladder with the wind and rain my sister went mad so we do it Monday now I went for the IMAX if I was getting the antron and firestick it was same price as the IMAX
Northern Crusader Major contributor
Call Sign : M0GVZ / 26CT1760 Posts : 514 Times Thanked : 35 Join date : 2019-11-13 QTH or Location : IO94SA Equipment Used : Icom 7300, TS480, President McKinley, Albrecht AE6110, CRT Mike Age : 53
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Fri Jan 17, 2020 5:16 pm
The Firestik top section is a worthless upgrade anyway. Tried it, sold it. Actually made a much better mobile antenna than it did a "performance upgrade" for the A99.
TJS 26CT3029 Contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3029 Posts : 75 Times Thanked : 6 Join date : 2019-11-29 QTH or Location : Dudley Equipment Used : CTR SS6900 cobra 29 ltd st Fidelity CB 3000FM Ham international multimode 2 Imax 2000 Age : 46
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Sat Jan 18, 2020 3:22 pm
got it up today
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 5265 Times Thanked : 339 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: thoughts on the antron 99 Sat Jan 18, 2020 4:57 pm
Hey, hey Nice one John.
Hope it serves you well.
All the best, Victor
_________________ Theory means that we know everything, but nothing works. Practice means that everything works, but we don't know why. Often, however, theory is closely related to practice. It means nothing works and nobody knows why ...