CB Net 1-7-24

[Gary Price]

I have had difficulty getting out of "the hole" on CB Channel 3 on several occasions. Last night I not only got out but I could hear most all others reporting too. I have about the best antenna (A-99) that I could find and it seems to be working great when the propagation is good and last night it was superb. Which goes to prove patience and persistence can prevail !!

 

[WS7PB Rick]

That is a good antenna, but there are nuances to installing it - to quote from https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/a99-antenna-feedline-question.223073/
"according to their literature, the Antron 99 is a "half over a quarter wave mutual transductance tuned antenna".
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/892881/Solarcon-A-99.html
the part they don't elaborate on is that the first 9 feet or so of either the coax or mast is used as a "stub" for tuning."

Is your mast metal?
If not a counterpoise might help. Then a 1:1 unun to keep stray currents off the coax. We should be able to communicate by ground wave here in the Valley - very consistently. I had a Solarcon 2000, which is very close to your A-99, and I wish I had not broken it.

At the low power levels CB radios send out, good coax is important too. If you have a short run it might not matter, but if you have a 100 foot cable and maybe part of it wrapped up, you could be losing power.

We should also all be well aware of how wet it gets here. I use tape and petroleum jelly to keep things dry in the winter.

Here close to one another in the valley we shouldn't have to worry much about propagation conditions.

I am posting this as general information too, not just specific to you.

 

[Gary Price]

That is a good antenna, but there are nuances to installing it - to quote from https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/a99-antenna-feedline-question.223073/
"according to their literature, the Antron 99 is a "half over a quarter wave mutual transductance tuned antenna".
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/892881/Solarcon-A-99.html
the part they don't elaborate on is that the first 9 feet or so of either the coax or mast is used as a "stub" for tuning."

Is your mast metal?
If not a counterpoise might help. Then a 1:1 unun to keep stray currents off the coax. We should be able to communicate by ground wave here in the Valley - very consistently. I had a Solarcon 2000, which is very close to your A-99, and I wish I had not broken it.

At the low power levels CB radios send out, good coax is important too. If you have a short run it might not matter, but if you have a 100 foot cable and maybe part of it wrapped up, you could be losing power.

We should also all be well aware of how wet it gets here. I use tape and petroleum jelly to keep things dry in the winter.

Here close to one another in the valley we shouldn't have to worry much about propagation conditions.

I am posting this as general information too, not just specific to you.

Rick,
Thank you for the advise and overview. I very much need an onsite review if you're available. I'm new to this game and open for all guidance available.. I hope you can make the IVARC meeting so we can talk more.
Gary

 

[WS7PB Rick]

Rick,
Thank you for the advise and overview. I very much need an onsite review if you're available. I'm new to this game and open for all guidance available.. I hope you can make the IVARC meeting so we can talk more.
Gary

I am planning to come. We can work something out.