Hy-Gain Super Penetrator SPT500 10/12M Vertical
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- 10M and 12M are 2 of my most FAVORITE bands on HF and I wanted a super antenna to operate these bands. The SPT500 Super Penetrator goes back to the late 70's as a base station CB antenna, but now marketed as a 10/12m antenna, this really works well on 10 meters this weekend on field day. I made 150+ contacts on 10 meters this field day weekend, but only showed a couple of them for this video. I can't want to try it on 12 meters. Also GREAT for 11 meters.
www.hy-gain.com...
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I bought my SP500 in 1977 and my Robyn radio/ Astatic D-104 were a talkin' package. Great SWR and loud with no linear. Had the radio tweaked for a few more watts and not too many could walk on me. It looks like the newer model has scrimped a bit on the radial arm mounting plate. The original had round mounting surfaces, not the angled ones now. Miss those CB days, met some really nice people that were friends most of my life, some still are.
Ran one of the original penetrators back in the 80s hands down my favorite vertical 5/8 wave.
Wow! I'm 45 and I remember having this second hand when I was 13 years old
I used it on 11 meters in the 70's and 80's. Best antenna I ever had for a omni antenna. Used a pdl-2 for my beam.
Had an Original Hy-gain Super Penetrator 500 up 62ft to the tip in the mid 80s on a Galvanized Steel Rohn tower & a Browning Mark 3 tube type base station radio. I could talk anywhere without an amplifier!
I agree with Mitchel Rosado's post below...about 10 months ago. I too don't see wire #11, the shorting wire, attached to the matching network in your video. Wire #11 is absolutely necessary to complete the matcher design.
Excellent video. That is my favorite antenna. I had several of them but I see that you installed the matching rod (item #10 on manual) a little to the right and it does not have from a positive screw to the bottom part of the radials shorting rod (item #11 on manual). This antenna works in short. I understand that if you install it correctly you will have a bandwidth of 1,200 kHz to 1.5: 1 the SWR without tuner. A small tip, if you separate or approach the matching rod (item #10 on manual) in the part that makes the arc you can adjust the SWR more accuracy for frequent changes in the same band without having to adjust the length of the mast. 73 'KP3L
Looks like an overgrown Hy-Gain 18-V. I used one of these years and years ago, but it used a coil to resonate to each band on the bottom. It was about 16 ft. high, and I still have it.
Thanks for a good video. 73, Harvey KM4JA
Hygain's leading groundplane back in the late 1960s was the CLR-2. It's competitor was the Antenna Specialists' Supermag groundplane. I was a CLR-2 man....
I liked the original Penetrator-500 and the Sigma 5/8 back then. I thought the Sigma was slightly better. But I even like the Starburst 5/8 with the 3 sets of radials (5 each) with each above and below one another having 15 radials looking like the spokes of a wheel when looking up at it. All antennas mentioned pretty much the same for the most part! Back then were some good times all the way around.
Hi Eric,
Had one of those in the 70's during my CB days. Was a great antenna. 73 WB3BJU
The best antenna I ever had, planning on buying another one for 11 Meters
I am so glad to see this come back again.. I still have my penetrator when I bought it in 1983 when cb was still popular .. I think I only paid 60 dollars for it brand new back then
A great antenna. Talked to Australia and Tasmania last week. Even with the copy stick, Operator 200 in Windham said I had an extremely strong and clear signal on 36 or 38LSB.
Best 11m antenna I ever used. Had one up in the late 70’s early 80’s. Now I bought another and it’s going together now! N8XLQ
Hi Eric! great video and thanks for the QSO on DMR. de DV9BNW. 73!
Nice video of the Classic Perpetrator out of the box ...
Looking at putting some aluminum back in the sky... Miss the Ole "Chicken Band" days early 70's-80's out of band 11 meters barefoot to Australia, amazing!
This Ground Plane Antenna
has a v low take-off angle. It is good for dx and vertical polarization is good for local contacts.
I had something like that my dad's friend gave me. Mounted on our garage. Drove it with a TRC-225 handheld.
I had one of these in the 70s and used it on 11 and 10 meters, great antenna. I never realized it was resonant on 20M, thanks for pointing that out. I wonder if it will still be resonant on 20M once you elevate off the ground.
Enjoy your channel Eric.. I got my licence July 2020. I am a British expat. Living in Thailand. I recently got my reciprocal Thai callsign and licence.. Been using a Sirio 2016.. 5/8 wave vertical on 20m.. Wow the contacts and signal reports have been phenomenal, with a Icom 7300 bare foot.. 5/9 into Northern Europe and Canada ?? Obviously using a tuner..However This antenna is performing better on 20m than 11 and 10m ...Thats just my experience.. MFJ 1836H on the way .. Best regards. 73"s HS0ZOU.. Liked and subbed..
Great Antenna have a few brand new ones in the boxs original ones from the late 70's.......!
If you are interested in selling one let me know thanks.
Excellent video very well put together I'm impressed with your antenna and the video I will be getting one for myself shortly maybe I'll talk to you on the air take care this is KI4TRP
East Tennessee take care 73 for now
Great CB antenna.
Good to have a video of you playing radio 😊
I have one that my dad bought in the 70s and one that i bought and it is the org.. also have a third one that i bought new couple years ago and the matching coil is kinda off a bit.. it dont function as great as the old ones but still not to bad... Love Love my classic ones.. work great on 10 12 and 11 meters
That antenna did a great job bringing them in! I hope you had an awesome Field Day Eric! 73 KG5SDE
I had one on 11, mine had a 5.1 gain, loved it 1.2 swr i had mine of 36 mast have fun
Recently purchased this antenna.
Would someone be able to tell me....If I mount the antenna on a mast connected to the corner of a 20' high steel building with a steel roof, would having the one or two of the counterpoise elements / radials over the metal roof have a negative impact? Also, is there a recommendation as far as height above the roof / distance between the counterpoise elements / radials and the roof?
Thank you in advance for any advice.
Thanks for the review! I just ordered one from Ham Radio Outlet.
What meter are you usingnit for ? If 11 meter start at 23 ft not 19ft and i got mine to 1.3 on the analyzer and when i raised it it went flat
It should work just fine on 12 meters as well, if tuned properly. The only problem with it is it will only accept about 500 watts RMS continually before it burns up. We worked one for years and as long as the power stays down below 500 RMS it will last. We worked ours a little hard though and after a couple of years of high power use at 500-600 and running it up to 800-950 PEP it burned up and lost its SWR stability due to the load waver in the bottom of the antenna not be wire wound with 14 gauge wire minimum for the power that a Ham operator runs.
Only 7 feet off the ground? Wouldn't that be more effective closer to a wavelength up?
He's a ham radio operator.
They're not too bright
I have the original SP500 1972 ! Super, super antenna !
1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KCZ_pL5ByY/UWHH3PZHzXI/AAAAAAAAA4s/ZOVPvDMlRsU/s640/Pose+con+la+SP500+de+fondo.jpg
Parabéns pela antena muito boa
I just took down an original Penetrator 500 that I put up over 35 years ago for 11 meters when CB was still hot. Replaced it with a Diamond for ,2 meters.
want to sell it?
I just built mine yesterday for 11 meters it was like 23.3 ft
Good vid! Describing the whole setup, analysis, and use was very helpful. One question: how did you ground it? I think you buried the mast several feet... was that your ground? Thanks!
I know old video but the top plastic black isolator needs to be flipped the thick side up
What was or is the length you ended up using, I am very interested in getting the 1/4 wave 20 meter use from it or some other adjustable 5/8 cb antenna.
Aluminum antennas were outlawed for Cb in USA thus its now a10/12. Too many people were electrocuted
That is not true. You can buy all kinds of aluminum antennas for cb. Go to amazon and look up sirio and maco antennas.
@@burnstudios it is true, may not be enforced anymore but true. Maybe you are too young to remember.
@@burnstudios And that’s the reason Hy-Gain doesn’t market it as a Cb 11Meter antenna. Duh!
@@miker8379 You said aluminum antennas.. You made a broad generalization. But when I look online, I see a myriad of aluminum antennas. Some are 5/8 wave ground planes, just like the hy gain. Ive been into radio since 1985 and an licensed ham since 94. Maybe Hy gain doesn't make one. But other companies do. Duh? really? How old are you?
@@burnstudios I was first on Cb around 1975 when they were still issuing licenses for Cb. It was actually a consumers product safety standard.
16cfr1204. They must be able to withstand 14.5kv if they contact a power line during installation.
Wow nice set up CQ KMP 2334 from Pa it Cadillac Buddy
Correction, 4 other pieces of not Radiators (3:28).
It's been 2 years, maybe I'll pull one of my old '70s P500s out of the box and go to the mountains with it and play some 10 meters this Field day.
I'm Hank so maybe we'll QSO.
Used the 500 for a month, too much noise causing contacts to disappear into the S6 noise floor.. switched back to my Gainmaster 5/8th wave with its flat swr and almost zero noise floor .. which incidentally blows this antenna away on receive, the only downfall with the Gainmaster is the 500 watt transmit maximum load..
I have the solarcon imax 2000. just worked a bunch of 10m field day stations on it yesterday and today. I like the 2000 but have used the super penetrator. They both have there points. extra on the imax2000 is good 15 meter performance.
Aren't the 5/8 antennas with large open coils better? or what is the difference?
im thinking of buying one Tommrow nice vid 73
I think the shorting rod goes to center conductor stud
I'm up in the mountains. Wondering how this holds up to the snow and ice
great Antenna!
I want to use one on 11 meters (I know it's illegal). What length would you recommend starting at?
Why is it illegal?? Don't think it is...
The FCC says that it’s illegal because it’s aluminum. Apparently because so many idiots electrocuted themselves back in the CB craze days . Google SPT 500. When you see them for sale it wil say in the ad that it’s illegal for 11 meters but I doubt very seriously that anyone has been charged with putting up an aluminum antenna on 11 meters
@@rocklickranch2804 I certainly don't understand that. What the heck are beams made of??
@@imken2392 I hear ya Ken, but it is a government agency and they come up with some stupid stuff. But check it out for yourself. go to the MFJ website punch in SPT-500 scroll down and click on description. It starts of saying how it's a "fantastic true full size 5/8 Wave 10/12 meter vertical antenna" then at the bottom of the description it states "this antenna is illegal for 11 meters use".
@@rocklickranch2804 Yeah, I saw that. It has to do with the antenna not being insulated from it's support pipe or tower. People getting electrocuted from their towers.
I use mine for 10 thur. 40 tune it with yt450 running ft450d making great DX contacts for years. The cap. hat make a great bird perches ,had to strengthen the rod.73sssAF5GP
I know it's a slim chance but...anyone know where one could obtain parts for this antenna?
Not the new ones but this version.
Specifically, the 4 radials. I moved out of state and somehow my radials got lost in transit.
I'm working on getting aluminum tubing to build new ones but the cost is prohibitive.
I operate on 11 meter and ssb. Im not a tech. How must I assemble this antenna to enable it to function properly on those bands and achive low swr? Measurements to assemble by...
Great Antenna
Expensive for what it does! That high VSWR isn't good, to be honest. If you can get a cheaper aluminium 5/8th CB antenna, you'll probably have a better and more satisfying experience.
Do you think a Maco V58 would be a better option?
@@miguelsalami I'm not familiar with that model, as I live in the UK. I've heard of Mako, but really don't know much about it.
The European models sell well over here in the UK. I use a cheap UK version from Sigma Eurocomm that does me well. 😉
did you make the 27MHz side. if so, whats the link. need length for 11 metres
LIKE YOUR VIDEOS WONDERING IF YOUR STILL GOING TO DO A VIDEO ON THIS FOR 11METERS 73
You have the top insulator upside down.
10 & 15 were dead as a door nail for me during FD.
I noticed the beta rod was missing. Was there a design change?
sad that DX engineering uses this video on their website, when you buy one of these the matching rod is completely different and does not fit in the standoff insulators properly, in fact, they even give you one less to make you think you are missing parts. where is your shorting rod?
It's more sad DXengineering uses this on their website when they once told me "we dont need any videos from amateurs like yourself, we produce our own professional videos in house"
19 feet?? 28.4MHz is only about 4.5% shorter than 27MHz where it was originally designed as a ⁵/⁸ from Hy-gain circa 1973 - so when the maths are done,
the true SPT-500 for 28.4MHz should be 20' 8.35" from the radials up, plus the 4 x 9.5" top hat. Ground Radials should be shortened to 100".
You're close to what I get, 20' 7.15"
Can you still use it for cb or do you have to change anything
Just need to tune it for 11 meters it will work fine.
I noticed you left out the "shorting rod" on the assembly. is that a actually needed?. I just started putting on together. , and the instructions are unclear about the shorting rod. thanks! and were you able to tune to 12 meters? and im having no luck on 11.
Should be 22' 6" from coax connector to top radial screw, plus the 9.5" top radials should be bent down 45° as per the original Hy-gain P500. Hy-gain added the top radials for looks, it does nothing for static mitigation, nor was it meant to be a "Capacity Hat" which would add unwanted electrical length. I also had an Avanti Sigma-II 5/8 with no top hat and it received no more static than the P500 on the other side of the garage.
And no, you can't leave off the ground shunt (shorting rod)
I don't get it, the antenna was designed for 10 to 12 meters, then how was he using it on 20 meters??
It's 5/8 wave on 10 meters, and that is a 1/4 wave on 20..
@@HamRadioConcepts Actually it's a 3/8 on 20m if set to the original 1978 27.185MHz spec length
Thats what she said
I have one and just put it together to use on cb band 11 meters just a question how do you adjust the swr ?
Thanks
Sean
You move the top element longer or shorter to tune where the antenna is resonant. You make the antenna shorter to go up in frequency, and longer to go down in frequency. It covers a very large range - from 24.8 to 30 MHz. 11 meters is 26.965 (1) to 27.405 MHz (40), so extending it half way out might be a good starting place.
Altho I never work 10 or 12 interesting video...tks
I googled super penetrator, but this is NOT what I expected to see :-(
Qualcuno può aiurarmi a trovare pezzi di ricambio per qust'anntenna? Grazie
How far locally have u talked
Saluti a tutti, qualcuno potrebbe aiutarmi a trovare pezzi di ricambio per quest' antenna anni 80.
73 da Napoli Nello
19 feet? Oh geez
the top part is good for birds to sit on and break it I'm from Australia little town of Lithgow New South Wales we have a lot of cockatoos in this area they have break my radio antenna 8 times I have a Sirio GPS 27 1/2 Wave CB/10m 750W Base Station Antenna cockatoos they breed like rabbits I would love to get one but I cannot have it because the while cockatoos 😢😭
Greater than 2:1 at its best on 10M? Something isn't right. You shouldn't need a tuner on a resonant antenna.
I have it flat on 10 meters now....
@@HamRadioConcepts Do you remember what you had to do to it? What the total length was when you were done? I just put one together and have it set to the initial 19'. I'll be tuning it tomorrow.
Erroneous results when testing that low to the ground
@@M70ACARRY not really
Do you think this will work on a CB radio?
Hassan Alnajjar - A65AP this was a antenna designed for CB radio but it's now marketed as a amateur antenna
Gigaparts notes that it is illegal to use this antenna for the 11-meter band. I googled why it was illegal and apparently an antenna sold for the CB bands has to have better protection against electrocution if it falls on a power line. Does anyone know if this is really true or is there another reason it is illegal? Does the government consider licensed amateurs more intelligent or just less valuable? : )
Stuart Hall good point, but who cares, in the end CB users Wana have a better receiving & sending signals, you won't get big CB antennas these days, safety precautions are a must, but this is our beloved hobby 😊
I thought it was because of the increased gain on CB...not really sure about why it would be illegal
@@stuarthall3874 CB antennas have to be fiberglass or other non-conducting material. Ham antennas can still be bare aluminum.
Someone else has probably said this but the CPSC wont allow the sale of US made 11 meter metal antennas because of electrocution hazard. Either they think hams are smart enough to not drop one on a power line, they don't care if we do or there are so few of us it is not worth messing with.
Could this be used on 10 and 12 meters without an antenna tuner?
I have my General licence and am looking at one of these: www.amazon.com/President-Lincoln-II-Plus-Meter/dp/B06XY72BQ3/
I know it is not a "real" ham radio but 10 and 12 would be enough HF for me.
Everyone says just get a used ham transceiver but all I can find are boat anchor "for parts only" sets for more money. It would take about $600 to get a used transistorized HF rig many of those also marked "for parts only" so there is no warranty.
I'd like to get by without a tuner since it would be at least half the price of the radio.
BTW I hope the power lines in your back yard were farther away than they looked.
Well, there was a guy 30 years ago tried to moved a fully assembled penetrator across a 4 lane highway and got caught in the power lines.....
@@bro.weaver1282 Was his name, "Einstein"?
The old one were good the new one ARE Flemish just won't last long zero five build one like a tank
Really good antenna compared to what? Compared to wire dipole? Compared to small yagi? What are you saying here?
go back to your big rig ham radio, we are talking about CB.
Yea BigRig can of Spam were talking CB HERE NOT SPHAM 🤓
@@gerardogonzalez1430 No, in the video he's on Amateur bands, are you a little slow? Back of the bus? Not able to study, concentrate & understand basic math so no license?
Terrible swr... should be able to get 1.3 or better
anti storm
What a ball ache this antenna is.. old antenna diagram schematics supplied with the NEW antenna no way reflect the new design even supplying only one insulator whereas the old one shows 2.The manufacturer should get their shit together as I even got the supplier to send me another insulator when in fact it wasn't required..FAIL!!