"The Great Antenna Test of 2025"

[niceguy71]

Wow, I wonder what brand revision I got last year 😳

my brand new K-40 antenna out of the box had a break in the coax.... lets hope it was not a K-40 knee or hip... but with that said.... RoadPro the people that make K-40 sent me a new one, and I didn't even have to mail the old one in

 

[Davidbt]

my brand new K-40 antenna out of the box had a break in the coax.... lets hope it was not a K-40 knee or hip... but with that said.... RoadPro the people that make K-40 sent me a new one, and I didn't even have to mail the old one in

I meant the hip revision. It was funny that Stryker makes hip and knee parts also.

 

[prcguy]

I meant the hip revision. It was funny that Stryker makes hip and knee parts also.

Two different companies.

 

[niceguy71]

Two different companies.

Thank God.... wish you had told me that last night, I would have slept a whole lot better.... I was afraid if I got my knee replaced it was going to throw off my SWR when driving in my F-150

 

[niceguy71]

still working on the video

I shared the lil wil video.... under 5 miles transmitting..... but that's really stretching it...... was terrible on the transmit... but it could hear that big Stryker SR-A10 that WX2 had on his roof more than 5 miles away

I shared the Larsen video.... under 5 miles and could not receive anything with that antenna terrible all around

I made the K-40 video... but the coax was broken.. I tried to do a test on it with some tape holding the broken coax still.....but my little SWR alert meter in my F-150 kept beeping every time I tried talking... so before damaging my QT-60 I turned around.... sad too as I think the K-40 would have been fantastic and will share some of that video here tonight....

the Tram 3500 did a clear 9.13 miles talking to WX2's Stryker SR-A10
the next test was the Tram 3500 .... I know you will all think I tipped the scales.. but we did the same for all 7 antennas and I feel this antenna did the best... here is that video.
enjoy

 

[niceguy71]

here is the K-40 video

we got 7.10 miles but I stopped the test before the broken coax could damage my radio.

we had to abandon the test because of the broken coax on the brand spanking new K-40... they bend the devil out of it when it's in the box.. and you have to even bend it further to get it onto the magnetic mag mount... and that breaks the coax many times.
RoadPro sent me a replacement ( good company) but it did not arrive before the big antenna test day.
I had taped it and gotten a good SWR... but when it transmitted my SWR alert meter was screaming.. so we took it for 7.10 miles... it sounded good.
I think it would have been good if not broken.

 

[KB4MSZ]

I think I'll get the Stryker Knee

Highly recommended. I had them modded at a local truck stop, tall buildings are no problem at all.

 

[prcguy]

Thank God.... wish you had told me that last night, I would have slept a whole lot better.... I was afraid if I got my knee replaced it was going to throw off my SWR when driving in my F-150

Not a problem if they pack the knee with ferrite. Also less of a problem if you trade that Ford in for a Chevy, or RAM, or Tundra or.....

 

[slowmover]

You’ll want a sufficient ground plane. Heel irons, tap & hobnails should do the trick.



Just run 1” wide tinned-copper woven-braid as the outside trouser seam for the RF bond.

SWR still off? The Mike Jackson Moonwalk knob adjustment.

.

 

[niceguy71]

You’ll want a sufficient ground plane. Heel irons, tap & hobnails should do the trick.

View attachment 189860

Just run 1” wide tinned-copper woven-braid as the outside trouser seam for the RF bond.

SWR still off? The Mike Jackson Moonwalk knob adjustment.

.

you young wipper snappers just wait until you need new knees and hips.... you'll be lucky to get them made by Stryker...

Joint replacement

Our joint replacement solutions offer you the combination of market-leading implants for the hip and knee along with Mako SmartRobotics™ for the orthopaedic service line.

www.stryker.com

 

[slowmover]

Gramps,

You’ll just have to get the Stryker

Orange Man Bad Edition

run it thru a Donkey Stomper Amp

and, after unfolding a 7’ PREDATOR 10K on a roof-mount Breedlove CB Ball,

tell everyone in the circle ranging Manchester, Springfield, Hartford, Long Island Sound and the approaches to Boston Harbor aaaallll about it from the steakhouse parking lot after dinner and having ordered three drinks made the old-fashioned way.

(Hope it goes well. Forgettably so).

.

 

[niceguy71]

here is the Wilson 1000 part of my "Great Antenna Test of 2025

WX2 had a EcoFlow battery back-up in his truck.... but his radio was crystal clear..... it could be his Stryker SR-A10 ... but in my trucks video I had engine noise.. road noise..... wind noise... tire noise .... and I had a problem with the 2 foot coax... but watching WX2's video he could hear multiple conversations of people all over the country... I could only hear static

I still liked that Wilson 1000..... going to be really interesting when I see the footage of the Stryker to the Stryker.

 

[ind224]

I saw the pic of the bases and the center bolt exposed but Windows update has changed all my backgrounds to white and making reading anything here on RR dreadful. If it was not already metioned Wilson has (or did sell at one time) a proper foil replacement that when installed properly makes contact w the braid /sheild and makes the non metal to metal (magnet to vehicle) coupling work. Part number on the bag is 880-500127 it has the foil and a 3M adhesive pad to seal the bottom like new. I have used this to repair RS 20-032 as well have to grind down the rivet and replace with a short bolt.

 

[prcguy]

here is the Wilson 1000 part of my "Great Antenna Test of 2025

WX2 had a EcoFlow battery back-up in his truck.... but his radio was crystal clear..... it could be his Stryker SR-A10 ... but in my trucks video I had engine noise.. road noise..... wind noise... tire noise .... and I had a problem with the 2 foot coax... but watching WX2's video he could hear multiple conversations of people all over the country... I could only hear static

I still liked that Wilson 1000..... going to be really interesting when I see the footage of the Stryker to the Stryker.

The video shows a bunch of antennas on the roof at the same time, did you do any SWR or range testing like that?

 

[slowmover]

I saw the pic of the bases and the center bolt exposed but Windows update has changed all my backgrounds to white and making reading anything here on RR dreadful. If it was not already metioned Wilson has (or did sell at one time) a proper foil replacement that when installed properly makes contact w the braid /sheild and makes the non metal to metal (magnet to vehicle) coupling work. Part number on the bag is 880-500127 it has the foil and a 3M adhesive pad to seal the bottom like new. I have used this to repair RS 20-032 as well have to grind down the rivet and replace with a short bolt.

NLA most places

https://www.bellscb.com/products/antennas/wilson/Wilson_1000_parts.htm

.

 

[niceguy71]

The video shows a bunch of antennas on the roof at the same time, did you do any SWR or range testing like that?

all the antennas on the roof were just to show all the antennas we tested.... it makes for good YouTube excitement

I had 6 of the 7 antennas laying in the bed of the pick-up truck... all the whips on the rubber mat floor of the bed.......the magnets were stuck on the front of the bed... and the one antenna I was testing on the roof.... one at a time.
I would swap out an antenna, sit in the cab with all the windows up ...show the SWR on my Rig-Expert... then after showing the SWR I would hook the antenna up to the system and head out onto the test.

 

[niceguy71]

here is the Wilson 1000 part of my "Great Antenna Test of 2025

WX2 had a EcoFlow battery back-up in his truck.... but his radio was crystal clear..... it could be his Stryker SR-A10 ... but in my trucks video I had engine noise.. road noise..... wind noise... tire noise .... and I had a problem with the 2 foot coax... but watching WX2's video he could hear multiple conversations of people all over the country... I could only hear static

I still liked that Wilson 1000..... going to be really interesting when I see the footage of the Stryker to the Stryker.

I can't remember if I said I need to buy that DX901 speaker that SlowMover recommends or not at 14:10 in the video here or if it's in another video.... but you were talked about SlowMover

 

[slowmover]

Yeah, . . I heard my name being taken in vain.

I’d say that just as a quarter-wave antenna is a necessary test reference item, so, too, should be a hi-fi speaker.

UNIDEN BC20
DRX-901
KES-5

Etc.

The 901 is the best of those for 11M AM and not appreciably different in price.

Same radio & speaker in both vehicles — with similar speaker mount location — and quarter-wave to get it kicked off, ideally.

.

 

[niceguy71]

Yeah, . . I heard my name being taken in vain.

I’d say that just as a quarter-wave antenna is a necessary test reference item, so, too, should be a hi-fi speaker.

UNIDEN BC20
DRX-901
KES-5

Etc.

The 901 is the best of those for 11M AM and not appreciably different in price.

Same radio & speaker in both vehicles — with similar speaker mount location — and quarter-wave to get it kicked off, ideally.

.

SlowMover you're name was never used in vain. Only with kindness, fondness, and great gratitude

I really could hear my old Grant quite clearly.... and I can hear my qt60 / 5555 N II in my base pretty good
But that QT-60 in my truck totally needs a better speaker in a better location

 

[slowmover]