CB Antenna

va3hub · #1 (**permalink**) 05-31-2009, 08:46 PM

Just got a CB radio' DX 949 from Galaxy.
I am looking to get a base antenna for it.
Whats the best base CB Antenna i can buy ?
Thank you.

jhooten · #2 (**permalink**) 05-31-2009, 08:53 PM

Antron 99

2beers4me · #3 (**permalink**) 05-31-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by va3hub

Just got a CB radio' DX 949 from Galaxy.
I am looking to get a base antenna for it.
Whats the best base CB Antenna i can buy ?
Thank you.

The Imax 2000 is one of the best verticals you can buy for the money. It's a 5/8 wave antenna. The A-99, or Antron 99 is a half wave vertical. I have owned an A-99, and it worked great with no problems. The Imax is supposed to have better receive than the A-99. The thing with the Imax is that it's a long antenna at 24 feet. I think the A-99 is 18 feet. People say the Imax really sways in the wind. Bottom line is the Imax is a little better than the Antron if you could put up with the length.

Wyandotte · #4 (**permalink**) 05-31-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2beers4me

The Imax 2000 is one of the best verticals you can buy for the money. It's a 5/8 wave antenna. The A-99, or Antron 99 is a half wave vertical. I have owned an A-99, and it worked great with no problems. The Imax is supposed to have better receive than the A-99. The thing with the Imax is that it's a long antenna at 24 feet. I think the A-99 is 18 feet. People say the Imax really sways in the wind. Bottom line is the Imax is a little better than the Antron if you could put up with the length.

VA3HUB:

I've have used an A-99 for a while for 15 and 10 meters. I'm happy with it.

I've never really used a Imax, so I can't actually comment if it has better recieve.
And since I have never actually seen an Imax up in the air, I certainly can't tell you that it sways in the wind.
So the bottom line is, I'm certainly not going to tell you that the Imax is a better antenna, if I've never actually used one.

n9emz · #5 (**permalink**) 05-31-2009, 10:38 PM

As to the topic, you shell out upwards of $200 for 10/11M ground plane antennas and receive only marginal gains from them. Same with coax. An Anttron99 and RG-8X coax will deliver excellent results relative to price.

Sinister · #6 (**permalink**) 06-01-2009, 05:25 PM

I have deleted and edited post as necessary to keep things on topic in this thread. Any further O/T post by will be meet with a warning be issued to the offender.

ki4rvh · #7 (**permalink**) 06-01-2009, 08:56 PM

I use an Antron 99 on 10 meters. It works great. I use it to talk to the local guys and when the band opens. I have also used it on 6, 12, 15, 17 and 20 with a tuner. I have worked all over including South America, Europe, and Africa on it when the band was open. For the price its a good antenna. For local communication on CB I would think it would be great.

Another idea if you just want something quick and cheap would be to make a vertical dipole and throw it up in a tree. I used to use one of those on CB when I was a kid. If you have a tall tree it works well.

va3hub · #8 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 12:22 PM

I would like to thank everybody for their input.
I am a Ham radio operator and i am currently working on getting my HF ticket.
Morse code is also on the agenda.
CB radio played a BIG part for me in getting my Ham ticket,I credit CB for that.
My local CB'ers are very nice people and i don't mind talking to them.
The A99 will be the Antenna i will buy,I just got my coax cable(RG213),
and it will be going up on my 40 feet tower,I will be pushing 4 watts on AM
and 12 watts on USB/LSB.Hopefully i will be able to get the odd DX from here and there from around the world on my CB.
I have 2 scanner BCT15,BCD996T hooked up on a discone,I have a FT-840 hooked up to a dipole,I also have a FT-8800 hooked up to a dual band antenna.Lots of miscellaneous stuff also that i am not listing.
I like CB's and think it as a place among my other radio's and compliments my hobby real nice.
Again thanks for the input........................off to order my antenna for my clean cat.............73 and Keep the bugs off your glass and the trouble off your…

mike_gain · #9 (**permalink**) 06-03-2009, 10:20 PM

Go for the Imax 2000. The A99 is good, but has no gain.

va3hub · #10 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_gain

Go for the Imax 2000. The A99 is good, but has no gain.

Too late.......lol The A99 is on route.

Highlander_821 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 08:08 AM

Good choice on the A99. Affordable, easy to install, looks nice, works great, will work throughout 11 and 10 meters, and will last a long time.

Good luck on your ham upgrade.

motorola_otaku · #12 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 11:03 AM

Can you not get MACO V 5/8-wave groundplanes anymore? I'd take one of those over a fiberglass antenna any day. Their only flaw was that stupid skinny little piece of wire from the SO239 to the tuning ring, and it was easy enough to replace it with something sturdier.

va3hub · #13 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highlander_821

Good choice on the A99. Affordable, easy to install, looks nice, works great, will work throughout 11 and 10 meters, and will last a long time.

Good luck on your ham upgrade.

Thanks,I just got the antenna today,and if all goes well i will be trying it out this weekend.

DirtyLarry · #14 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 11:12 PM

A99 is a good antenna. It works well on 10/11 meters. With a tuner I have used mine on 12, 15, 17, 20 and 6 meters. I worked the South pacific on 20 meters and all points in the middle when my wire got knocked down in a storm. For the price its a good antenna.

BNSFrailfan · #15 (**permalink**) 06-25-2009, 10:38 PM

Is there a link to this A99 Antenna?

va3hub · #16 (**permalink**) 06-26-2009, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BNSFrailfan

Is there a link to this A99 Antenna?

YouTube - solarcon a99 base station antenna

va3hub · #17 (**permalink**) 07-12-2009, 11:23 PM

YouTube - Antron 99 in the wind... again

cqcqcq · #18 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 05:31 PM

If you in the near future change antennas get a SORIO 2016..built with heavy duty material, flat swr from 26 to 28 mhz, a very good antenna.

cqcqcq

hockeyshrink · #19 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 10:13 PM

Back in the day (circa 1976), the Starduster was the rage, and it was a great performer. I found one on eBay a wihle ago, and it is waiting in my garage for the day I will actually hook up a cb base station again.

I have heard fantastic things about the A99, for 11m cb as well as a number of hf bands. One word about it...you will see a groundplane radial kit advertised. I have been told NOT to use that kit by a guy who runs a ham shop (and I trust!) who knows of some direct testing of the A99 with and without the kit. He says in the tests the groundplane severely reduced Rx distance. No idea why, but it did.He used to carry the kit but now refuses to sell it.

catch ya on the flip side

n9emz · #20 (**permalink**) 07-26-2009, 09:04 AM

The GPK is a waste of money and time if the A99 is mounted a wavelength or less above terrain. However, the performance is significantly better with the GPK at 60'+ than without it. My own personal results from running A99s over the past 12 years in all configurations.