I finally got around to placing up a solarcon 2000 last weekend, and truthfully, the height on your own is pretty daunting once you see it fully assembled on the ground. If you've already been loitering CB or even ham radio circles for a while, you know this antenna is usually basically a story, often referred to as the Imax 2000. It's already been the go-to selection for people who else want a severe vertical base place setup without spending a lot of money on the complex beam or a massive tower.
When the particular box arrived, I actually was reminded simply how long this particular thing is. This comes in three sections that screw together to achieve about 24 ft. That's a lot of fiberglass. I've used the smaller Antron 99 within the past, and while that's a great entry-level stick, the particular solarcon 2000 seems like a significant step up in terms of both physical existence and build high quality. It's thicker, weightier, and feels such as it can manage a lot more abuse from your elements.
Putting the particular Pieces Together
Assembling the antenna is pretty straightforward, but you've got to be careful along with the threads. Considering that it's a three-section design, you're basically just screwing the very best and middle areas into the base. One tip I've learned the difficult way over the years: don't overtighten the joints . You want all of them snug, but in the event that you crank down on associated with most your might, you're going to possess a nightmare of a time should you ever need to get it down or move it.
The fiberglass has a nice finish off to it, even though you should still probably wear mitts. Even the greatest fiberglass antennas can have those tiny "itchy" fibers that get into your skin when you slide your bare hands along the length of them. Once I had it all screwed together, the pure length was impressive. At 24 feet, it's a genuine 5/8 wave antenna for the 11-meter music group, which is precisely why it works so much better than the shorter 1/2 wave alternatives.
Why Choose the particular 2000 Over the particular A99?
This is the issue everyone asks. Will be it worth the particular extra money? For me personally, it comes down to two issues: power handling and the "take-off angle" for your indication. The solarcon 2000 is scored for 2000 watts, which is complete overkill for most of us running legal power, but this provides a wide range of of headroom. It indicates typically the components inside aren't even breaking a sweat when you're chatting locally or even trying to catch a skip.
Performance-wise, that extra length makes a difference. A 5/8 wave design is likely to concentrate the particular signal closer in order to the horizon. Rather of wasting your signal by beaming it up in to the clouds, it pushes it out more along the surface. This is exactly what you would like for local talk, and it's furthermore fantastic for long DXing because it hits the ionosphere at a better position to bounce back again down countless kilometers away.
Getting the SWR Dialed In
Fine-tuning this thing is really pretty easy due to two large bands at the bottom. These are tuning fleshlight sleeves that you simply move up or right down to adapt the SWR (Standing Wave Ratio). When I first place mine up, the SWR was sitting down around 1. 7: 1 on route 20, which isn't terrible, but We knew I could learn better.
I actually spent about twenty minutes moving these rings in little increments. A little bit goes a long way here. After a few tries, We got it straight down to a 1. 2: 1 across the entire CB band , and this stayed well under 1. 5: one even to the 10-meter ham band. That's the beauty associated with this antenna—it's wide-banded. If you're the ham operator, you can usually get this to function on 10, 12, and occasionally 15 or 17 meters with a decent tuner, making it the really versatile piece of gear.
Dealing With the Wind
Living in a location that will gets hit by the occasional thunderstorm, I was a bit worried about the particular "whip" factor. Due to the fact the solarcon 2000 is so tall and made of fiberglass, it's designed to bend. In a high wind, you'll discover this thing twisting over like a fishing rod. It's a bit nerve-wracking to watch from the particular window, but that flexibility is really the secret weapon.
While aluminum antennas might bend or even snap under severe pressure, the fiber glass just moves with the wind then pops back into place once the gust passes. I've seen these items survive 80 mph wind gusts that would have shredded a metal Yagi. Just create sure your installation point is solid. If you're installing this to some chimney or a rod, that mount will probably take a lot of torque whenever the antenna starts swaying.
The Optional Ground Plane Kit
I decided to set up mine with the particular GPK-1 ground plane kit, which provides four radial arms to the foundation. Does it create a night-and-day difference? Probably not with regards to raw signal strength on the meter, however it does seem to lower the sound floor .
Static is definitely the enemy of any radio operator, and anything that helps quiet down the "hiss" so you can listen to a weak station is worth it within my book. The particular radials also alter the appearance from the antenna, making it look a great deal more professional plus substantial. If a person have the space and a few additional bucks, I'd say go for it.
Installation and Cable Options
One issue I can't stress enough is definitely high-quality coax. There's simply no point in ordering the high-performance antenna such as the solarcon 2000 and after that plugging it directly into some cheap, slim RG-58 cable a person present in a bargain bin. I utilized LMR-400 for our run because I actually wanted the least expensive loss possible.
Since the antenna is "DC Grounded, " this helps bleed off static buildup through the air, which can protect your radio's front end. However, a person still need to floor your mast properly. A lightning hit doesn't care just how well-made your antenna is; it'll discover a way in order to your gear when you haven't used basic safety safety measures.
Real Globe Performance
After getting everything hooked up, I invested the evening checking the bands. The particular first thing I discovered was the clarity. Channels that used in order to be buried in the noise on my old wire dipole were being released in crystal clear. We were in a position to have got a conversation with a guy about thirty-five miles away through some pretty hilly terrain, and he offered me a "loud and proud" indication report.
Whenever the skip began rolling in from the coast, the particular solarcon 2000 really showed away. I was hearing providers from three claims away as when they were browsing my driveway. The particular gain on this antenna is reliable. It's not just marketing hype; that will 5/8 wave design really does outperform the standard 1/2 wave sticks simply by a noticeable perimeter.
Final Thoughts upon the Setup
If you're looking for a "set it and forget it" antenna, this is probably it. It doesn't require a lot associated with maintenance once it's up. Maybe check out the SWR once a year to make sure the weather hasn't messed with your connections, but various other than that, it's built to final.
It's not really the least expensive antenna on the market, but in this hobby, a person generally get that which you pay for. The solarcon 2000 offers a great balance of durability, ease of tuning, plus raw performance. Whether or not you're trying to control the local CB-FUNK channel or you need reliable straight for that 10-meter pig band, this point delivers. Just create sure you possess a friend in order to help you walk it up when you're mounting it—24 feet of fiberglass is usually a lot associated with weight to manage on a ladder simply by yourself!