Radio Discussion Community

OK, we've all seen the World's Most Common Question, "Which antenna should I get?", but I have a slight variation on it...

I plan to put up a Homebase antenna but my location is on a hilltop and is, quite often, subject to some fairly strong winds. It'd break my heart to buy a halfway decent aerial and then lose it the first time it blows a bit hard. I recently turned down the offer of a used, but good nick, Sirio Vector 4000 as I'd read that they're a bit susceptible to wind damage - but I'm now thinking maybe I should have taken the offer

I'm also a bit wary of paying out a vast sum for an aerial as (based on what I can hear on my rigs via a little Solarcon mag. mount) there doesn't seem to be a lot of traffic around here. We get a few of the “I’ve got a one-channel-Muppet-band-with-a-200w-burner” types enjoying their scintillating Tourettes-inspired conversations on the Muppet one-nine, and they're punctuated by "WunNineForraRoger" calls from time to time, but 19-Mids (27.185) is deadly quiet and, so far, I’ve heard no traffic at all on the “triple five”. So convincing her-indoors that I NEED to splash-out the price of, say, a Sirio 827 wouldn’t be too easy.

So the question is this: can anyone recommend a good DX antenna that can withstand a bit of a blow and, preferably, has a bit of Gain to it? Or do I just get a nice reasonable-price 1/2 wave or 5/8 (Silver Rod type) and simply write it off / replace it if it gets wind damaged?

hi steve well the only antenna for what you say has got to be THE ANTRON 99 ANTENNA its made from fibreglass wich bends with the wind
i live high up and other antennas have snaped in the wind ..but this baby still keeps going wind ..rain ..sun..snow ..frost lol and yes they get
out well to !!!!

yes the antron is very good in winds

So is my kite.

And what db gain do you have on your kite?

I'd reflect what has been said about the 99, I have the big brother to it, the I-max 2000 which is longer and so far it has stood up to a cyclone and summer storms.

Steve,

If you are on top of a hill near Cardiff then you should get out really well using a good homebase install - Bristol, Glos, Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall should be within range.

I know the "Tourettes-inspired conversations" you refer to

It'd be nice to get a net of decent opertors running on an EU block channel during the evening.

Talking of Cardiff - I can see the Wenvoe transmitter out of my window

Regards

i use the antron 99, got 2 one for static mobile and one at the home qth in kent on the sea front so would recommend.

i may look at stashing a wire antenna in the trees out side my building then i will join in your net, if i can nearly get to you on my magic springer then a wire outside should be pretty good lol

as for cardif hmm not sure think there is some big old hills in the way

a99

ive always wanted to try a long wire antenna ..

Must confess that I've toyed with the idea of an original Long Wire Antenna from time to time too, and it’d be pretty much the ultimate safe-from-wind solution for my homebase. But I’m convinced that stringing 27 metres / 90 feet of wire, and making sure there’s appropriate insulation and so forth, is enough of a nightmare to put me off.

I have visions of things coming adrift and finding the Missus or one of the dogs (or the neighbour’s horses/sheep/chickens) roped by co-ax or aerial wire sometime.

Hmmmm, perhaps I could strap on a 400W burner and maybe any trussed chicken could be pre-cooked after a reasonable Sunday of DXing.

hi steve i would love to try the long wire antenna but like you say its just my luck to find the kids swinging of it lol
but i also need a much bigger garden !! so its just the antron 99 for now but i live high up so the antron is very good
in very bad weather ive had fences blown down and roof tiles fly off but my a 99 still stands up to bad weather
and it around 45 ft with t & k brackets ..