• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Antron 99 still going strong

Status
Not open for further replies.

Retroradio

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
386
Location
Ontario
I put up a new aluminum antenna last year. I checked it this spring and it had cracked near one at one of the screw joints. Summer was busy so waitied till now to put a new one up.

I dug out my old Antron 99 that hasnt been in fhe air in about 3 decades and has bounced around through numerous moves. SWR 1.4 to 1.7 across the band.
I now remember why I Loved this antenna back in the day. It Replaced my RS 5/8 back then and is still working today. Cant beat that IMHO.

Anyone else have an old Antron story? Please share.

Cheers from snowy Canada
 

TheSpaceMann

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
1,333
I put up a new aluminum antenna last year. I checked it this spring and it had cracked near one at one of the screw joints. Summer was busy so waitied till now to put a new one up.

I dug out my old Antron 99 that hasnt been in fhe air in about 3 decades and has bounced around through numerous moves. SWR 1.4 to 1.7 across the band.
I now remember why I Loved this antenna back in the day. It Replaced my RS 5/8 back then and is still working today. Cant beat that IMHO.

Anyone else have an old Antron story? Please share.

Cheers from snowy Canada
Friend had one up for over 20 years with no issues. Not bad for an antenna that goes for only $65 at www.Copper.com
 

Dude111

An Awesome Dude
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
Messages
446
Retroradio said:
I dug out my old Antron 99 that hasnt been in fhe air in about 3 decades and has bounced around through numerous moves. SWR 1.4 to 1.7 across the band.
I now remember why I Loved this antenna back in the day. It Replaced my RS 5/8 back then and is still working today. Cant beat that IMHO.
Excellent!!!

That was my first antenna and the only one I had ground plains on....... My next was an IMAX and i got out just as good locally w/o them.....
 

Retroradio

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
386
Location
Ontario
I am looking fiorward to seeing how it lerforms over the winter months. I see the newer style versions have ground plane kits but think I will pass on that.
I seear my GE SuperBase smiled when I hooked it up.. :)
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
I am looking fiorward to seeing how it lerforms over the winter months. I see the newer style versions have ground plane kits but think I will pass on that.

Bad choice. Except for 1/2-wave dipoles, not having a ground plane is always bad for antenna performance. You're using the mast and/or coax as a crappy substitute for an actual ground plane, which will give you poor radiation patterns, radiate RF down the coax, and other bad things.
 

k3fs

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Messages
275
Location
Western PA
Should do well. Antron 99 without ground plane was my first antenna for HF. I started on 10m only. I worked and confirmed over 100 DXCC on 10, 12, 15, and 17, before I put up a 43 ft vertical a few years ago. The Antron is still up, but only gets used for 10. 12, and at times 15. The Antron is better on 10, and 12. 15 meters can be a toss up between the two. I'm sure the radial kit would help a little, but I was working what I wanted to work, so I didn't bother. That antenna has probably been up for 10 years now. No reason to take it down. It's a good cheap, easy to install antenna.
 

Retroradio

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
386
Location
Ontario
Interesting replies so far. IIRC when I first got the Antron years agonthere were no ground plane kits. It Was in the last couple of years I Have seen them for the Solarcon on etc.,,
Many went up in the day with no ground planes and worked very well, I hear what a poster is saying about ground planes and get it, however the Antron works great without it.
There are debates out there in forums on this and that was not my point. I am just amazed at the durability and how well my old beast works.
Thanks all for the feedback.
 

TheSpaceMann

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
1,333
You can make your own ground planes for the A-99 and the IMAX, by just adding radial wires to the base!
 

Dude111

An Awesome Dude
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
Messages
446
jonwienke said:
Bad choice. Except for 1/2-wave dipoles, not having a ground plane is always bad for antenna performance.
Hmmmmmm I didnt he them on my IMAX and I seemed to do OK.....

Even better with them jon?
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,228
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
A 1/4 wave monopole yes but others not so much. Take an end fed half wave for example, its no different than a dipole and fed on the end instead of the center. The fact that its fed on the end has nothing to do with needing a ground plane and It works the same as a center fed 1/2 wave dipole. The only problems to look out for is the method of feeding it so you don't have common mode currents on the feed line.

The A99 is such an antenna but their feed method is apparently compromised and they are known for feed line and mast radiation. Other end fed half wave types like those fed with a ferrite 64:1 transformer work great and do not need ground radials. I use versions of that antenna nearly every day.

You can make a very effective end fed half wave 64:1 transformer very cheap that will handle a lot of power and attach it to 1/2 wavelength of aluminum tubing or a wire inside a fiberglass mast that will work like an A99 but give no common mode current problems. Not sure why more people aren't doing this.
prcguy




Yes. A monopole antenna without a ground plane is always performance compromised.
 

TheSpaceMann

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
1,333
A 1/4 wave monopole yes but others not so much. Take an end fed half wave for example, its no different than a dipole and fed on the end instead of the center. The fact that its fed on the end has nothing to do with needing a ground plane and It works the same as a center fed 1/2 wave dipole. The only problems to look out for is the method of feeding it so you don't have common mode currents on the feed line.

The A99 is such an antenna but their feed method is apparently compromised and they are known for feed line and mast radiation. Other end fed half wave types like those fed with a ferrite 64:1 transformer work great and do not need ground radials. I use versions of that antenna nearly every day.

You can make a very effective end fed half wave 64:1 transformer very cheap that will handle a lot of power and attach it to 1/2 wavelength of aluminum tubing or a wire inside a fiberglass mast that will work like an A99 but give no common mode current problems. Not sure why more people aren't doing this.
prcguy
Many people also make end fed half waves with 49:1 transformers!
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,228
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
That also works and I have a commercially made version that is closer to 49:1. The reason for all this is the theoretical impedance of an end fed half wavelength of wire in free space is around 3,200 ohms, so a 64:1 impedance transformer gets you that. In practical use most hamsters use the end fed half wave antennas horizontal and fairly close to the ground with respect to wavelength. That will pull the end fed impedance down some where a slightly lower impedance transformation is ok.

For CB use the end fed wire would be up on a roof vertical and about 18ft long and you would have little influence from the ground, so I think a 64:1 would be my first choice. For about $10 you can buy a ferrite core and make one that will handle up to about 400W and it should work at least as good or better than an A99 and have virtually no common mode current (hot coax) problems.
prcguy



Many people also make end fed half waves with 49:1 transformers!
 

K5MPH

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
1,622
Location
Brownsville Texas,On The Border By The Sea.
A 1/4 wave monopole yes but others not so much. Take an end fed half wave for example, its no different than a dipole and fed on the end instead of the center. The fact that its fed on the end has nothing to do with needing a ground plane and It works the same as a center fed 1/2 wave dipole. The only problems to look out for is the method of feeding it so you don't have common mode currents on the feed line.

The A99 is such an antenna but their feed method is apparently compromised and they are known for feed line and mast radiation. Other end fed half wave types like those fed with a ferrite 64:1 transformer work great and do not need ground radials. I use versions of that antenna nearly every day.

You can make a very effective end fed half wave 64:1 transformer very cheap that will handle a lot of power and attach it to 1/2 wavelength of aluminum tubing or a wire inside a fiberglass mast that will work like an A99 but give no common mode current problems. Not sure why more people aren't doing this.
prcguy
The type of antenna you are talking about,would that be the same as a Fuchs end fed half wave antenna after the (Josef fuchs) he also used a 64:1 transformer to feed the antenna.....
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,228
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
The Fuchs end fed's I've seen use a different method of matching using tunable high Q LC circuits, but there are many ways to excite a half wavelength of wire from the end. The design I've been using is related to the PAR multi band end fed types with lots of research done by some guys in the Netherlands. It uses a very simple auto transformer wound on a ferrite toroid and is very broad band requiring no adjustments.

The typical end fed antenna of this type will use a half wavelength of wire at its lowest design frequency and will also operate on higher harmonically related bands. These are generally used horizontal where you will have a bi directional pattern on the lowest design freq just like a 1/2 wave dipole, then there will be corresponding gain lobes and nulls on higher bands.

For CB use you would simply use 1/2 wavelength of wire hanging vertical and forget about higher bands because they don't fall anywhere useful. You will have the equivalent of a vertical half wave dipole with good radiation at the horizon without the problem of where to run the coax from the middle of the antenna.
prcguy


The type of antenna you are talking about,would that be the same as a Fuchs end fed half wave antenna after the (Josef fuchs) he also used a 64:1 transformer to feed the antenna.....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top