Pa0rdt Mini-Whip Active Antenna

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Turbo68

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Hi everyone this is a Youtube Video that i made testing my new avtive whip have to say that when i recieved it few weeks ago i thought its going straight in the bin its only 10cm in length started putting 1.5 metres of the groung picked up a few ndb stations and amateurs talking on 20/40 metres now its 4 metres high and picked up lots of aero traffic and volmet stations with in the next few weeks it will be around 8 metres high and it seems the higher it goes the results get better its giving the wellbrook active loops a good run..

Pa0rdt Mini-Whip Active Antenna - YouTube

Regards Lino..
 

Turbo68

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Hi it took by surprise with its excellent performance for its size and it seems the higher you put it and further from the house you get better reception so far the furthest picked up so far honk kong volmet S5/shannon volmet S3/trenton volmet S5 seen a photo where a guy in europe hooked one up to his vechile with a small pvc pipe will definetley be buying another in the future..

Regards Lino..
 
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ka3jjz

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The problem is these short voltage probe antennas are very prone to picking up lots of noise sources along with the signal (in fact I saw more than a few comments along this line while checking this antenna out myself). You're best off getting it away from the building if you can - not easy with a HOA or apartment managers wondering what the heck that PVC pipe is sitting out there for...but as a few have already found out, once you do that, they certainly can work

Mike
 

Turbo68

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Hi Mike i did the same test at my house im in a double storey and it does get interference when its close to the back wall atm its almost 5 metres away from the house snr is as good as my wellbrook loops..

Regards Lino..
 

E-Man

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ka3jjz

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What's confusing about that statement? The fact that the poster says the antenna needs a good ground, or the mounting description? Mike
 

E-Man

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What's confusing about that statement? The fact that the poster says the antenna needs a good ground, or the mounting description? Mike

I think it could confuse folks thinking in order for it to work well it must be grounded.
 

ridgescan

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I think it could confuse folks thinking in order for it to work well it must be grounded.
What's up Eman:)
anyways I think the deal was the school brass wouldn't allow them to mount the antenna unless it had proper safety grounding for lightning.
Like Lino has experienced with his, there's likely no need for RF ground.
 

E-Man

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They really detailed their struggles with the 1.5 year install. :)

Best of Signals 2014 Ridge
 

ka3jjz

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While the antenna probably doesn't need a good ground, you can bet that if it's on some sort of mast or pole, it would have to have one...Mike
 

ka3jjz

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No I'm thinking a good electrical ground on that mast or pole. You've got a nice lightning rod there, with the antenna element at the end - good chance of fried antenna if you're not careful.

Mike
 

Wotsup

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Great stuff Lino,

thanks for posting - great to hear a booming in sample locally as I'm SE ish 'burbs too. Fine praise also as I've read & tubed how keen you are on those loops! Might now finally have to have a crack at a home brew of it that I'd put off :)
 

CanadaKen

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Hey Lino-one of those online swl SDR sites run by a college in the Netherlands runs that antenna on top of the roof of one of their buildings and it really pulls in stuff pretty good for what it is.
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/qrt.html
I spoke with the (professor?) running that system and he told me he had made some modifications to the basic
PA0RDT Mini-Whip. If my memory serves he added a choke between the antenna and the input of the amp. I
have also seen many other people suggest this mod. I bought a kit and it is an interesting antenna but mine
does not perform as well as Utwente mini-whip. Also note his feedline at Utwente is inside a metal cage style
ladder to the roof. That alone may provide some type of shielding. Never did ask if he graouded the coax shield.

Also note Bonito could not get a reliable supply from PA0RDT so they have now designed their own with
quite a few modifications. I have one on order (out of stock) and will let you guys know what I think of it.

Bonito Boni-Whip - active Antenna

I also have a Wellbrook ALA330S and it really is a workhorse!!!

Ken
 

ridgescan

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Good info Ken and +1 on the Wellbrook-powerful antenna!
I for one look forward to your opinions on the new one on order. I guess Lino's still working his-right Lino? How's it doing for you nowadays?
 

imapper

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Also note Bonito could not get a reliable supply from PA0RDT so they have now designed their own with
quite a few modifications. I have one on order (out of stock) and will let you guys know what I think of it.

Bonito Boni-Whip - active Antenna

I also have a Wellbrook ALA330S and it really is a workhorse!!!

Ken

Hi Ken!
I wonder if you have received your order from Bonito. Do you like it?
I've just ordered my Bonito-whip, and also I am user of Wellbrook 330S. I like it very much, it is my main antenna inside home.
But for field and camping I'd like to have portable active antenna. Wellbrook has current draw 130 mA at 12 volts, I expect that the whip has several times less. I'm thinking of battery box - 10 AA accu or maybe modern Li-Ion rechargeable acc.
 
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