Solarcon / Antroin A99 Base CB Antenna. 20 Year review.
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- Опубліковано 15 тра 2018
- Well, its almost time to take down my good old Antron A99 CB antenna to make way for the new "tower" and the new Solarcon Max 2000.
I figured it was a good time to show just how well this antenna has held up to the years and the elements. - Навчання та стиль
I had my A99 up for about 24 years. I just installed a new one and added the Ground Plane Kit. I put some varnish on the fiberglass parts to shield it from the UV light. Antenna works GREAT!
What does the ground plain kit do? Thank you
@@Fox250R when adding the ground plane kit. It basically makes the antenna waves/RF. Think they went all the way to the ground level. Basically It changes your wave pattern & fools the antenna into thinkng the antenna went all the way to actual ground. But, way up in the air. Radials are usually directly under mount of antenna. So it will let you have better Dx or skip. You can also make your own radials. Look it up on utube.
Good luck to you.
I have one for over 15 years I use it for hamradio 10meter 15Meters and 17meters and it still perform 100% i love it
Nice....you have inspired me to put up my old 27mhz base station antenna that is 31 years old. I reconditioned it last year, it has been sitting in the shed awaiting for the perfect moment to rise again. I think now is the time :)
Hope to hear you on the air someday!
Farpoint Farms you never know! Skip might just need to be pretty awesome from the States to Australia :)
@@FarpointFarms l'll be listening for you .. 163 Mobile Mud Duck Radio.
Gday mate i have had my a99 up for about 20 years now up about the same height as yours and it still gets me out well both on groundwave and the skip and there the type of antenna you can put em up and just leave em up and swr always stays low even when it rains....I got the gpk on mine and i also have an imax 2000 with the gpk which i have had that about 16 yrs and that gets out well to and a good antenna and i run a Super Bengal mk 3 pearce simpson base with a leson tw 232 mic and i have a icom 736 and a Galaxy Saturn turbo with a turner plus 3b.....i have been on cb since 1985....i love your videos mate and im over here in Victoria Australia....WR 824 wayne said that...73s cheers mate.
As always I thoroughly enjoy your videos sir. Sometimes I come back and watch them multiple times not just for entertainment value but to reference stuff. I recently picked up a second-hand A99 for my 11 year old. I know the ins and outs of antenna set up and whatnot but wanted to see if one of my favorite UA-camrs had any further insight. So that being said 73s friend.
That is cool that you got one for your 11 year old. We need to be getting the younger generations into this hobby
@@FarpointFarms for sure. I got my 10yr old nephew going too. He'll end up running a 23ch sideband cobra with a super penetrator. I pick up as much stuff as I can and clean it up, some to sell others I donate to new enthusiasts.
i just got back into cb having a blast.my son picked one up he loves it also!
You're doing great at 20 years, my I-Max turned all 'hairy' as the fiberglass broke down from UV somewhere around 15 years old.
Sir...
If I were a neighbour of yours, I'd have bought it just for the privilege of having YOUR antenna!
I have learned a lot from all your videos....
Glad to hear my videos have helped!
The A-99 are great antennas. I know of at least 6 homes where I live that have up on their roofs.
I went to Lowes and bought 3, 10 foot sections of pipe that is used as the top horizontal section for chain link fencing. The pipes are tapered on one end to allow the pipe to fit snugly together. This for a GMRS base station antenna which was supposed to go up a week or two ago but time and the incredibly hot weather has put that project on hold. I also have an A99 at 10 foot from the ground on a slope behind the house for cb as well. Great video as always.
Recap: I finally found time to raise that gmrs antenna into the air but was not able to use all three poles. In my haste to find some place local to buy some kind of mast for this project, i failed to check for bending in the chain link fence poles.
Sure enough after attaching all three poles and the 2 lbs antenna, i started to raise the whole thing into air when the middle section started to bow,UGH!
So that's not going to work, the whole 30 feet of chainlink fencing poles would flop around in the wind like a tall weed in the grass, nevermind the storms we get here in Central Kentucky that almost always have strong wind with them.
I reduce the length by taking one 10 ft section out and the bowing went away.
Oh well, I guess you live and learn. 73 from WQYY664
@@StormsRadiosCats Use two grade 8 bolts that are 1/4 inch in diameter by 1.75 inches long, and drill holes all the way through, and then use grade 8 lock nuts to pin the swedge together. It won't move or wiggle after they are pinned. Two rails is all I would use. I would still use one set of guys for two top rails for peace of mind.
@@snippits75 I'll try that, not a bad plan actually. Currently the GMRS antenna is holding it's own with just two sections of 10 ' pipe and we have had some strong winds roar through our valley here lately. Thanks
I just bought one with the ground plane kit. I'm new to base stations but I'm gonna have a good ground to so I hope I have the same luck as you
Hey man believe it or not I have an old Shakespeare that I installed on a tripod on my old shack next to our home(which is about to be taken down within the next year) in 1991. I was watching your video's and it brought my attention to it. So i went in there over the weekend and hooked up my old walkie-T to the antenna and it still works. I am shocked that the coax was still able to send out a signal too, good ol RG8/U from radio shack LOL!
I had my "Big Stick" from Radio Shack with some Radio Shack RG8 up from 1987 to 2000. It finally bit the dust after a hurricane rolled though, but It was a good antenna.
I might be the only guy that misses Radio Shack, but I used to love going there to see what they had.
You are not the only one I LOVED Radio Shack , I was even a member of their lame "battery club" LOL
@@FarpointFarms : Erik, trust me,
you ain't the only one to miss the
Rad-Shack!! I'm sure every CBer,
doo-dad & Gizmo guy out there
from back in the day misses
Radio Shack!! I used to spend
HOURS just staring at all the CB's
they had on display waiting for the
guy to demonstrate them all,
especially the SSB radios!!!!
Good times....good times.
Norman "The Birdman" XM52-62718
Your awesome man. My family is stationed in new mexico. I want to talk to my friends back near fayetteville.
Thanks! That range is a bit of a long shot even for the best setups. Good luck!
Enjoy your channel, especially your radio episodes.
Well thank you man!
Glad I watched your video. Some call this a cheap antenna while others call it a great antenna. So I would call it a cheap, good antenna. Going to use it for 10 and 11 meter radio use after a long hiatus from radio. Budget is tight so this will be the one.
Nice video. I especially like seeing the don't tread on me flag. Thanks for all the videos.
I have had mine up for about 15 years. still works good. the other day I got the ground plane kit. before installing, I was thinking the top section looked kinda odd. got it down, and lo and behold, it has lichen growing on it. Said the heck with it, put the ground plane kit on, and stuck her back up. I use mine for ten and eleven meters. have talked far across the big pond with it.
Did you notice a improvement with the ground plane kit? I considered adding one to mine before I decied to get the Max 2000.
+Farpoint Farms (Erik) honestly, I can't tell any difference.
My Antron A99 lasted almost 30 years. I loves it.
Tough little antenna!
I love this channel ❤️
Thanks man!
I just mounted my A-99. It was scary as all get out as I don’t like heights. My LMR 400 cable will be here tomorrow, and then I hope I hear someone. I used some RG6u that AT&T left up in my attic as a ground wire and used the copper plumbing of my 1970’s North County San Diego house as a ground. I think that should work. We don’t get many electrical storms here so I don’t have to worry much about a strike.
Enjoy it, it's a great antenna!~
I got a 99 with the ground plain, but I'm sinking some rod too.
Great vid, Erik! These bad boys look pretty sweet and surprisingly affordable. I bought all the stuff I need to make a homemade antenna, PVC pipe, copper wire, some PLC259 connectors, and some other random stuff to put it all together. Was gonna use my buddy's barn metal roof as a groundplane, hoping it all works. It's been difficult to get reception out there, although the higher it goes, the better it gets. Just curious if you've ever made a homemade antenna, or if the hassle isn't worth it? Might snag one of these Antroins for the heck of it as I see them on sales for about $65 brand new!
Its been a bucket list item for me to make an antenna someday. I have plans to make a directional beam type antenna, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
If the new "Tower" I'm building works OK, I might give it a try.
On another note, there isn't a day that goes by at work that someone doesn't sing a line or two from your song, and I always manage to slip in a "I mean there is ALWAYS something that needs a little fixing at Farpoint farm..."
Why aren't you a millionaire already? And why haven't you moved out here too! This is the life my friend, this really is the life.
Nice organization in the barn/shop...What's the figure 8 wire and screen just under the A99?
Let me just say, you have some gorgeous property! What a view, I'm in Buffalo N.Y. we have to travel a half an hour to get views like that!
I had, back in the day, a Super Penatrator with the ground plane kit, it was 5/8 wave and kicked butt! Pair that with a peaked radio and a D-104 lollipop Mic, and you had an u beatable set up. I have talked skip from N.Y. to San Diego, Austin Texas, and Huston. It seemed that all my skip went southwest. I'm just getting back into CB, and was wondering what your thoughts for the best base antennas available are these days? I was leaning towards th Antron with the ground plane kit, mostly because of the surrounding buildings. My buddy is into ham radio, 2 meter and 10 meter, as well as CB, mostly sideband as am has too much static and bozos. Also with sideband we can push more power and the skip goes further, in all directions. He likes the Antron too, but isn't sold on the ground plane kit, he says it's just and added expense and not needed. I'm not sure I agree, but thought I'd get your opinion, as I have been following your channel for awhile now and respect what u have to say. So, any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your hard work with the channel, I really enjoy it, maybe some time we can talk some skip!?
I'd say for the money a good old Antron A99 is hard to beat. Its it the best? No. But its a durable and good quality talker. I've never had the ground plane kit on mine so Its hard to say if it really helps, but from what I've read on the various internet forums, I'd have to say its a small boost if any.
Thanks for the kind words not only on my property, but my channel. They are both a labor of love and I hope to continue to grow both in the coming years.
I've made contact with many folks from upstate NY over the last few years, so who knows. Maybe we'll get a moment of DX chat in when you new setup is done.
I really enjoy your Channel. When attaching a ground, where do you attach it on the antenna?
Those 99s last forever. I have one 25 years old still kickin!! Cant kill copper wire to easy lol :)
You're place reminds me of the homestead in the book "One Second After"
I've got to tell you, I read that book in 2012 and it played a very large part in my wife and I making this move and starting this new homesteading lifestyle. As they say, pray for the best, prepare for the worst.
Oh man hard read give me WWZ any day. Also that why I like old tec.
I here you just a thought enjoy the videos keep them coming thanks
I talk on a old set of Wilson shooting star themes that I have had since 82 I believe
I like the hill in back with the tall trees ? #HighSpot. interested to know what you are getting out of your Rangmaster for distance ?
I wish I could run it up one of those trees, but I can't afford that much coax! It would be a 300 foot run or even more.
Back in Raleigh I had great (for a part15) range with the range master. just shy of 2 miles in most directions. But here I highly doubt my signal makes it very far off my property. I can hear it at 1 mile, but its pretty faint.
I had one up for 3 years when I decide to relocate it I had tuns of fiberglass in my hand the antenna was like melting fiberglass
Hmm.. What part of the country are you in? I wonder if high or low humidity makes a difference.
NW Connecticut
Keep it painted or clear coated
They shed and splinter. They don’t do well closer to the equator where the temperature is much hotter and the suns rays are stronger as compared to say in Canada but they still splinter. The other things that I noticed is that they are splatter sticks and tear up the neighbors over 50 watts...
Beautiful country
Have had couple of these .never a prob. Work perfectly. What to use a 102" whip w\ a riser and build a ground plane ...
Great antnnas!
Mine is 27 years old.painted it a few times. Still good. Tested against other antenna’s including 5/8 wave metal. Antron is better some times. Especially skip.
Love my old A99.
What paint did you use for it?
Good video as always and I hate getting on the roof also! I am planning on upgrading my antenna and was looking at the new A99's. I live down in a dip and have been told I need to go with a silver rod antenna and not fiberglass to get out better. What is your opinion?
I think the stock A99 without mods or a ground plane kit will work just fine.
Hi, nice vid, nice view too. Can I ask, what type coax do you have or did have with this A99..? I am planning to buy another, (first one was stolen), and I've moved to to a 3rd floor of a building with 5 stories. I plan on putting it on roof top level.
J P he said in another video he was running RG213 coax. I just recently switch to it because of Erik and it’s well worth the extra money.
Have you ever considered running with a ground plane? I am waiting on my order to get in and they were out of stock at Walcott for the Ground Plane kit but I do have the New Solarcon IMAX Antenna in route. I am going up at the peak of a 50' x 30' Metal Roof. Any thoughts about using the roof as the ground plane. Thanks.
Hi !! :) I'm going to have the same question, what is the size of the biggest elements please
I like my A99.
It's a compromise over a good 5/8 wave with full radials but I also didn't pay $170 for it.
Bang for the buck and being good in the wind storms, ( I live west of Chicago ) I think I got my money's worth.
After reading reviews the radial kit does not seem to help much.
It's an end fed, so technically radials are not needed.
The A99 has been around for ever for a reason. It just works! Seriously a great antenna.
@@FarpointFarms I just got my solarcon 99 for my cb base station , with ground plane kit, I want to put guy wires to stabilize it , I heard I should use bare copper wire at 45 degree angle and make them 104 in. long, is that correct and will I gain anything in performance by doing so , if not , I could use any wire to do the job instead of bare copper wire . SK
Finally understands no Ground plain needed
@@thomasguitarman9025 That would be like putting two ground planes under it. Even the first one is not necessary. Use any type wire that is strong. Copper makes very weak guy wires so they are not safe.
Had mine up on USA Canada border. Today I am installing it on USA Mexico border hurrah.
That is a big move- I hope the weather there is better for you
Wow would I go about cophaseing 2 of them for east-west direction to avoid mexican skip and get better skip from your direction? 818NE Utah asking and waving a hand!
My A99 is 30 years old and has put up with some severe storms. I've had copies all over the world from 20 to 10 meters on this 'cheap' antenna. It's a great ariel that can take some abuse. Can't fault it.
I agree. It's perhaps the best overall antenna out there for CB.
I have 20 year old a 99 and just got a new radio . Is there a way to test the antenna first ?
Man if you could get that up on them trees on that Ridge you'd be right
I wish! The cost of coax would kill me though. Its at least a 300 foot run.
Hi, picked up what was left of a A-99 antenna. However the bottom was cut off leaving the copper wire inside the fibeglass. Any idea where I can get a replacement end where I can solder the wire to and be able to screw a new cable ? I have been looking for the end cap but cannot find any, Thanks Howard
I am not sure, but maybe you could rig up a plain connector to it so that it could at least be used.
I got my a99 mocked up I bought 3 10ft 1in conduits and when I was trying to lift it the conduit bent. So I'm down to 1 ten foot piece. As it sits the antenna base is 16ft off the ground and the the tip is like 33ftish should this be good enough or do I need to do some more work. I know higher the better but... this is where I'm at until I can figure out more height.. i cemented a 4x4 post and mounted the conduit with u bolts to the post then the antenna to the top of the 10ft conduit
Sounds like a nice setup!
Nice property
Thanks. It's in the middle of nowhere, but I love it and have worked hard to turn it into my dream. Gardens, fields, orchards, gated areas for the critters and one heck of a shop to work from...Oh, and I guess there is a house here too!
Love your show man Wh6flq Vic !
What kinda distance were you getting on that antron ?
That mountain needs a CB repeater ;)
Gee I just bought one, but with the ground plain array as I am at 40 feet. If you are going to tower use these for true ground plain pattern and enhanced gain . Less energy to the sky, wider, lower pattern to the horizon. Orient radials magnetic north south east west for best skip.
I want to mount the solarcon to a piece of braced conduit.
My question is, will the antenna stay in place without too much whipping around, or does it have to have wire supporters.
Mine uses no guy wires and stays put.
😂 nice, thanks.
I’m looking at the A99 for my house. I live in a subdivision in Memphis Tennessee so if I put a antenna up it has to be something straight up like this or a 102” whip. Just to be sure, I don’t need ground radials for this antenna right?
The A99 does not need radials. Just a light colored skinny pole hanging out up there. Most won't even notice it.
That sounds exactly like what I’m looking for. Why do I see videos of some people using ground plane radials? What’s the purpose of them?
@@christophercatalano8541 To get your money. If you want a real ground plane, cut three wires, each about 8 ft 6 in long and slope them down to resemble an inverted V and you'll have a good ground system.
How well would it work if I were to rig up my 5.5Ft Francis pretuned antenna as a base station antenna?
Unless its an antenna that doesn't require a ground plane, I don't think it would work at all. Most mobile antennas require the car they are attached to to act as a ground plane and will not work with out them.
@@FarpointFarms : How about
putting the mobile magnetic mount on to a metal plate and
then running some grounding wires into the ground? I've heard
of people using a 102" whip
as a base antenna with grounding
wires....they said it worked well. Would the mag-mount
work like this?!
Norman
Do you have to ground your base station in 10 a if it is directly in the dirt like mine is mine is on a 30 foot Pole that is down into the ground.
Mine is a solarcon a99
I would have the antenna grounded, we get some crazy storms here and it is not worth the risk
Good morning
Ahhhhhh an antron 99, rg 6 coax, cobra 2000, and a 500 watt kicker talk skip all day long!
75 ohm coax? What up with that?
@@richardcallihan9746good lord this was 5 years ago! I wonder how that Antron 99 is doing now. Mines fiberglass dust unfortunately 😢
I got 6yr max 2000 I bought it brand new n never got it work SWR stays 2.4 n 3.1 I try every to get it work. It came with ground plane tried 4 different swr meters 3 different coax swr never come down. got 25ft pole w/ground rod 6ft down, don't know what the problem.
My max 2000 is also having issues now. I wish I had just bought a new A99.
I'll be listening for you .. 163 Mobile Mud Duck Radio.
Where are you at?
Here in Florida the lightning would’ve blown that thing off the roof by now.
what do you recommend for Florida?
Farpoint Farms I found the tampa sweets cheroot them ate hard to find
Farpoint farms as in more than one farm?
Animals and crops.
I've heard of people clear coating the antenna. On a separate note, that board is going to fall off the house in 3.. 2.. 1..
It stayed up until the crazy tower build of last year.
I have you beat my a99 is 25 yrs old and still going I had two but one got snapped off in a tornado
They sure are great antennas!
Guess you never noticed in the title you spelled it "Antroin" :)
Sadly, the quality isn't what it used to be.
My dads got one of these that he used, the. I used it and took it down every night so it wouldn’t tip over (didn’t have any knowledge of antenna rigging at the time) but one day my dumbass “friend” was waving the thin portion?top portion) around and snapped it, yesterday I wrapped it in electrical tape and it works still, I hide it and don’t use it so my dad doesn’t get pissed off at me even though he doesn’t do cb angmore
He also bought me a new cobra 25ltd classic
Tried to play this video but it consistently locks-up about halfway through. 🤷♂️
I will have to look into that- I might have to try an re upload it
ssb?
Mississippi Gulf Coast to Reunion Island twice, 10,150 mi to my east. East side of Australia, and Tasmania is 9000 miles, and New Zealand is 7-8 K miles to my west. S/East to San Paulo Brazil,
4600 Miles. Ireland, the UK, and most of western Europe, 4-5k mi. A-99 30ft up about 80 watts.
Halfway around the globe is approx 12,440 miles. Still hoping for Western Australia about 11,000 miles🤪 My Near radius first hop is between 1100-2000 miles. With occasional short hops of 200 to 500 mi. The local, is not so good, 20-30 mi. Maybe 80-100 mi. Lots of factors, like opposite polarization, will cut the signal, by half. Mountain Tops Rule! But you will be accused of ghost-taking, just saying.🤣
What do u want for that antenna lol?
How about... $40? I can box it up and ship it in the same box my new antenna came with.
@@FarpointFarms Still for sale? Lol 😆 I just ran across this video and I'm thinking about getting one my self. I've got a mobile set up right now and a base at home just need a base antenna
Did you see that
The flag was the best part lol
Cool!
C R A P
Really? I had my first one for over 20 years and it always worked well.
@@FarpointFarms Compared to what? They are a 1/4 wave over a 1/2 wave antenna. For the money they cost new much better performing all aluminum antennas are available.
Gainmaster all the way.
Ok.
Actually falling off the roof would be hilarious just don’t do it LOL.
Nice flag brother 🇺🇸👍🏻✌🏻🙏🏻
Right on