"Harry H" wrote in message
...
Andy,

I "Googled" the antenna and this is what I found:

Solarcon I-max 2000
This antenna tunes from 20 upto 10 Metre, making it perfect for HF
operation

a.. Solarcon 5/8 Wave
a.. Base Station Antenna
a.. End Fed 5/8 wavelength radiator
a.. Extended I-Max (current Maximum) Center Section
a.. Radials are Not Required!
a.. Wide Bandwidth
a.. High Power 5000 Watts.
a.. Outstanding Gain
a.. 24 Feet Long
a.. Wind Rating - 100 MPH

73
HH



"Andy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have a Solarcon I-max 2000 for 10 metes.

My question is about the ground plain legs. Would it work any different
if the ground plain legs were horizontal rather than on a downward angle?

The bracket that came with it is rusted badly and it would be easer for
me to mount them horizontal on a new home made bracket.

Thanks


The Solarcon antenna derives no benefit from using radials. Spare yourself
the drudgery and effort. Some folks were feeding upon the ignorance of CB
users and were trying to create mystical/magical options they could sell for
more profit. The basic antenna is surprisingly the good. The rest of the
junk is unnecessary.

Ed, N2ECW

Thanks all, for your input. I'll stick it up on the mast this weekend and
try it without any ground plain legs to start with. It will look a lot
tidier without legs on and I won't have the problem of having to put up a
longer stub mast to accommodate the ground plain legs.

73


"Ed Cregger" wrote in message
.. .

"Harry H" wrote in message
...
Andy,

I "Googled" the antenna and this is what I found:

Solarcon I-max 2000
This antenna tunes from 20 upto 10 Metre, making it perfect for HF
operation

a.. Solarcon 5/8 Wave
a.. Base Station Antenna
a.. End Fed 5/8 wavelength radiator
a.. Extended I-Max (current Maximum) Center Section
a.. Radials are Not Required!
a.. Wide Bandwidth
a.. High Power 5000 Watts.
a.. Outstanding Gain
a.. 24 Feet Long
a.. Wind Rating - 100 MPH

73
HH



"Andy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have a Solarcon I-max 2000 for 10 metes.

My question is about the ground plain legs. Would it work any different
if the ground plain legs were horizontal rather than on a downward
angle?

The bracket that came with it is rusted badly and it would be easer for
me to mount them horizontal on a new home made bracket.

Thanks


The Solarcon antenna derives no benefit from using radials. Spare yourself
the drudgery and effort. Some folks were feeding upon the ignorance of CB
users and were trying to create mystical/magical options they could sell
for more profit. The basic antenna is surprisingly the good. The rest of
the junk is unnecessary.

Ed, N2ECW

On Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:15:04 +0100, "Andy"
wrote:

Thanks all, for your input. I'll stick it up on the mast this weekend and
try it without any ground plain legs to start with. It will look a lot
tidier without legs on and I won't have the problem of having to put up a
longer stub mast to accommodate the ground plain legs.

73

Hi Andy,

While the question of radials hinged on the match, sloping radials
raising the resistance; what you propose may raise it further yet. The
radials serve a purpose. If you remove them, you need to replace
their function by some other means.

This isn't bad, but it needs to be recognized and anticipated.
Basically you are moving towards a vertical dipole (albeit with one
leg at 5/8ths length). Even more, the lower leg will probably be
driven into ground (not the normal convention for vertical dipoles).
Even more, more, there is the drive line. It will contribute its own
variation to the drivepoint impedance unless you have it properly
choked.

The long and short of it, is that it may take some experimentation for
the right length of the supporting mast if you tie off the drive point
to it (instead of simply using if for support).

If you don't choke the feedpoint, then your coax will become part of
the tuned system. This is not bad (unless it gets back into your
equipment in the shack, or in the house in general), but it will
introduced a hard to control variability.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Andy wrote:
Thanks all, for your input. I'll stick it up on the mast this weekend and
try it without any ground plain legs to start with. It will look a lot
tidier without legs on and I won't have the problem of having to put up a
longer stub mast to accommodate the ground plain legs.


Where are the radials on this antenna? The pix I've seen don't show any,
so it looks as if someone was tricking the antenna out. Probably to no
avail.

As likely as not, the thing was designed without radials, so it doesn't
need them. I'd put it up without them, measure the SWR, and if it checks
okay, you're good to go. The antenna will operate as well as it will
operate.

Bart Bailey wrote:

http://www.video-observer.com/imax/imax2000.htm

I use one for ten twelve fifteen and never installed the radial kit.
Seems to me that the radials are more of a decoupling shield than
anything to do with counterpoise, and in my case the feedline is
spiraled around the mast on the way down to choke any stray RF.

The page says the antenna is a .64 wavelength. But isn't the extra
length just compensating for the change in VF due to being inside the
fiberglass tube? Looks to be made well enough for sure.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

On Mar 30, 2:54*am, "Ed Cregger" wrote:
"Harry H" wrote in message

...



Andy,

I "Googled" the antenna and this is what I found:

Solarcon I-max 2000
This antenna tunes from 20 upto 10 Metre, making it perfect for HF
operation

a.. Solarcon 5/8 Wave
a.. Base Station Antenna
a.. End Fed 5/8 wavelength radiator
a.. Extended I-Max (current Maximum) Center Section
a.. Radials are Not Required!
a.. Wide Bandwidth
a.. High Power 5000 Watts.
a.. Outstanding Gain
a.. 24 Feet Long
a.. Wind Rating - 100 MPH

73
HH

"Andy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have a Solarcon I-max 2000 for 10 metes.

My question is about the ground plain legs. Would it work any different
if the ground plain legs were horizontal rather than on a downward angle?

The bracket that came with it is rusted badly and it would be easer for
me to mount them horizontal on a new home made bracket.

Thanks

The Solarcon antenna derives no benefit from using radials. Spare yourself
the drudgery and effort. Some folks were feeding upon the ignorance of CB
users and were trying to create mystical/magical options they could sell for
more profit. The basic antenna is surprisingly the good. The rest of the
junk is unnecessary.

Ed, N2ECW
Hmm
How do you know for sure that the arms are not part of the radiator ?
The specs say no "ground" plane required which suggests no buried
wires
as artificial ground is supplied

I'll put the I-max 2000 up without the ground plain kit for now and see how
that works.

I have made a ugly balun up to put into the deed line.

Where do I put it to, just below the Ariel or at the bottom of the main
mast?

Also is it best to isolate the I-max from the stub mast or connect it
direct?

Thanks


"Art Unwin" wrote in message
...
On Mar 30, 2:54 am, "Ed Cregger" wrote:
"Harry H" wrote in message

...



Andy,

I "Googled" the antenna and this is what I found:

Solarcon I-max 2000
This antenna tunes from 20 upto 10 Metre, making it perfect for HF
operation

a.. Solarcon 5/8 Wave
a.. Base Station Antenna
a.. End Fed 5/8 wavelength radiator
a.. Extended I-Max (current Maximum) Center Section
a.. Radials are Not Required!
a.. Wide Bandwidth
a.. High Power 5000 Watts.
a.. Outstanding Gain
a.. 24 Feet Long
a.. Wind Rating - 100 MPH

73
HH

"Andy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have a Solarcon I-max 2000 for 10 metes.

My question is about the ground plain legs. Would it work any different
if the ground plain legs were horizontal rather than on a downward
angle?

The bracket that came with it is rusted badly and it would be easer for
me to mount them horizontal on a new home made bracket.

Thanks

The Solarcon antenna derives no benefit from using radials. Spare yourself
the drudgery and effort. Some folks were feeding upon the ignorance of CB
users and were trying to create mystical/magical options they could sell
for
more profit. The basic antenna is surprisingly the good. The rest of the
junk is unnecessary.

Ed, N2ECW
Hmm
How do you know for sure that the arms are not part of the radiator ?
The specs say no "ground" plane required which suggests no buried
wires
as artificial ground is supplied

"Andy" wrote in message
...
I'll put the I-max 2000 up without the ground plain kit for now and see
how that works.

I have made a ugly balun up to put into the deed line.

Where do I put it to, just below the Ariel or at the bottom of the main
mast?

Also is it best to isolate the I-max from the stub mast or connect it
direct?

Thanks


"Art Unwin" wrote in message
...
On Mar 30, 2:54 am, "Ed Cregger" wrote:
"Harry H" wrote in message

...



Andy,

I "Googled" the antenna and this is what I found:

Solarcon I-max 2000
This antenna tunes from 20 upto 10 Metre, making it perfect for HF
operation

a.. Solarcon 5/8 Wave
a.. Base Station Antenna
a.. End Fed 5/8 wavelength radiator
a.. Extended I-Max (current Maximum) Center Section
a.. Radials are Not Required!
a.. Wide Bandwidth
a.. High Power 5000 Watts.
a.. Outstanding Gain
a.. 24 Feet Long
a.. Wind Rating - 100 MPH

73
HH

"Andy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have a Solarcon I-max 2000 for 10 metes.

My question is about the ground plain legs. Would it work any
different
if the ground plain legs were horizontal rather than on a downward
angle?

The bracket that came with it is rusted badly and it would be easer
for
me to mount them horizontal on a new home made bracket.

Thanks

The Solarcon antenna derives no benefit from using radials. Spare
yourself
the drudgery and effort. Some folks were feeding upon the ignorance of CB
users and were trying to create mystical/magical options they could sell
for
more profit. The basic antenna is surprisingly the good. The rest of the
junk is unnecessary.

Ed, N2ECW
Hmm
How do you know for sure that the arms are not part of the radiator ?
The specs say no "ground" plane required which suggests no buried
wires
as artificial ground is supplied



I know it the same way that you and I know that the Sun will not explode
tomorrow or the that the Moon will not crash into the Earth the day after.

Come on, let's get real here. I have been studying antenna theory since the
Sixties and I've been building my own and buying my own antennas for just as
long. I've been at it long enough to know what works and what is glorified
garbage. Don't believe me? Fine, you go through all of the steps that I've
been through. I'll tell you now that you'll end up in the same place. Who
knows, you might even enjoy the trip.

Ed, N2ECW

On Apr 4, 6:57*pm, Bart Bailey wrote:
In posted on
Sat, 4 Apr 2009 11:33:56 -0400, Ed Cregger wrote: Begin *



I know it the same way that you and I know that the Sun will not explode
tomorrow or the that the Moon will not crash into the Earth the day after.

On Apr 4, 8:56*pm, Bart Bailey wrote:
In

posted on Sat, 4 Apr 2009 17:21:08 -0700 (PDT), JIMMIE wrote: Begin *



I had one and it got into my phone line until I choked the feed line.

What type of choke arrangement worked for you?

The antenna was on a PVC mast, I wraped a few turns of RG58 using the
mast for a coil form. Its been a few years since I had the antenna up
but I think I had the choke 1/4wl or 1/2wl from the feed point.

Jimmie