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| Home base vs mobile? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Thursday, 10. September 2015, 10:08 (435 Views) | |
| martysport | Thursday, 10. September 2015, 10:08 Post #1 |
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I have a Sirio Megawatt 4000 antenna on my car, I'm considering sorting out a home base antenna sometime. I'm pretty sure an average home base antenna (eg 1/2 wave silver rod) would out perform the Sirio I have, but by how much? Basically I'm asking is it worth it? will I pick up more on it? or stick to mobile? I know "size matters" but it's fairly easy to drive up a hill too
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| Northern Crusader | Friday, 11. September 2015, 14:05 Post #2 |
26 Charlie Tango 1760
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The Sirio is close to a 1/4 wave antenna so is actually an efficient antenna with almost unity gain (0dbi) but with any mobile installation, how efficient it works in that installation depends entirely on where its mounted, how its mounted and whether you've done anything like bonding. If we assume that you have a perfect installation then an average monopole vertical homebase antenna is going to give you a few dBi over that, half to a S point or thereabouts depending on the calibration of the S meter of the receiving station. However 1/2 wavelength will send the majority of your signal out at a lower angle than the Sirio. So we're sorted right? Sadly when it comes to antennas, no. As you say you can drive your Sirio to the top of a hill. When it comes to line of sight comms, height is might. Basically with the Sirio, when you get to the top of that hill you should be able to work as far as the eye can see plus a fraction more. If the Sirio on this hill is higher than the homebase on your house, the Sirio will win every single time. When it comes to Skywave DX there's no right or wrong answer because it all depends on where the DX is coming from and the arrival angle of the signals so sometimes the homebase will be better, sometimes the mobile will be but generally for long range >2000 miles DX the homebase will be better and sub 500/600 miles the Sirio will be. Inbetween those two its a crap shoot. Ultimately assuming your house isn't in a hole and you're not surrounded by hills on all sides the question boils down to whether you want to operate from the comfort of your house or up on a hill in your car. Your neighbours to some extent may have an impact on this decision as they may not appreciate a CB antenna going up. If your decision is to go the mobile route then make sure you make the best of your installation. Go to K0BG.com and if nothing else pay notice to the sections on mounting, grounding and bonding. The bonding is of a level of importance that cannot be understated even for someone who has mounted their antenna in the middle of the roof with a fixed mount. A day spent bonding will see your TX improve, your RX improve and the noise level drop. In my Mondeo, in the absence of QRM from elsewhere and from QRN I have a signal level of S0 noise when the car is running and even whacking the pre-amp on on my TS480 sees the S meter barely reaching S1. Edited by Northern Crusader, Friday, 11. September 2015, 14:08.
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| 26CT1760 / M0GVZ | |
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| 26PS001 | Friday, 11. September 2015, 14:15 Post #3 |
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26 Charlie Tango 1523
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Got to say I rarely dx from home these days, Im always mobile because of my job. I have done well with both TBH for DX work, I havent even got an antenna up at home atm but hoping that will change soon but I would say I have got all over the world on both methods If its for dx, stick up a wire dipole they work great and really cheap, best and cheapest way to try thats for sure, if its for local stuff try a t2lt on a pole. I have also used a dipole for local stuff vertical which works very well although I had it on a slight angle so I could run the coax at 90degrees to the antenna, I also briefly tried a t2lt which worked great on a vertical pole as well as an inverted V. Let us know what you do though |
Charlie Tango member 26CT1523 since 12/11/14 Mark (252) thecobraman tribute youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-jDebaO5BGsAjdy3pNiG7Q | |
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| martysport | Saturday, 12. September 2015, 13:04 Post #4 |
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Thanks for the replies Certainly gives me something to think about, will definitely look more into this bonding
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| Northern Crusader | Saturday, 12. September 2015, 14:28 Post #5 |
26 Charlie Tango 1760
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Its definitely worth it. You can make your own up from flattened out RG213 braid and crimp connectors. Here's the ones for the tailgate and bonnet on my Mondeo. There are serrated washers under them to cut through the paint. Doing that retains the rust proofing. Never sand to bare metal. Note in the bottom picture you can see where the negative wire for the radio is. ![]()
Edited by Northern Crusader, Saturday, 12. September 2015, 14:29.
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| 26CT1760 / M0GVZ | |
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