Broke down and got the IMAX

[Red Ranger]

I've been tryin to get a base antenna purchased locally and finally got my hands on an IMAX 2000. Got the thing installed this evening and out of the box was 1.1-1 flat across the band, I couldn't be happier. I am runnin my old cobra 29 LTD Classic on a 10A filtered power supply and it works great. I still have to guy wire the pole so I can’t leave it up for long. I will guy the pole this weekend and snap a few pics. Not like y'all haven't seen an IMAX before, but I just wana show it off.

[Nick440]

Hello Red

Congrats on getting the IMAX, I've read a lot about them and I have one on order, it should be on its way to my place in the next few days.

You're going to really enjoy that antenna from all the positive reviews I have read about it. I've got my Ham ticket, and I plan on using my IMAX on 10, 11, 12, 15, and 17 meters, because its so broadbanded, plus I have an auto tuner on my Kenwood TS 940s rig so it will match dead flat.

From all the reviews I've read on Eham.net, the ham forum I belong to, it whips around a little in the wind so you'll want to have that mast guyed fairly well. I have had 3 Antron 99's and they were all great antennas, but the IMAX 2000 is a full 5/8 wave, and from what I was told it blows the A 99 away, you should get great reports on your signal with it.

Also I dont know if you got the radial kit for yours, it can make a difference when the skip is going on because it gives you a lower angle of radiation, also sloped radials at 45 degrees, increases the impedance at the coax feedpoint making it closer to a 50 ohm load. If you're SWR is 1:1: on most of the band I'd leave well enough alone and just secure that mast.


Overall its a great antenna, and I'd like to see the photos when you get them up.

Congrats,


Nicholas,

[linx]

Shoot yeah, I love my IMax. I like it so much that I had the cash to buy a beam, and kept the vertical. Heck, it does what I want it to do, and if it'll tune with an antenna tuner like the other fellow said, then it's even better.

[MOONSHINER]

no complaints about my IMAX. ez to tune and hangs tuff in the conditions.

[209 first class]

hi, if your going to guy it, go one better than the groundplane kit. i have had a 3 element maco guyed on regular 1 1/2 mast with that army paracord since 2001.(about as thick as a pencil) its uv resistant (sun wont harden it). guy with that, then take 3 pieces of solid copper wire(does not have to be really thick),8'6" zip tie those to the guys,clip off the extra zip tie, put a ring terminal on each copper piece(solder of course) and ground them to the mount at the bottom u clamp. with a full size ground plane, even if its only 3, will outperform the other factory one that costs almost as much as the antenna itself. i think this would cost less than the grounplane kit and guy wire set too.. 209

[mullet]

Have two. One at home(164 ft.). One at the shop(80 ft.). I think you will be happy with them. Good performance for the money. Live in hurricane country. So far so good. Made it through 3 seasons. LIGHTHOUSE

[Mr RadioActive]

Good choice!

[Mississippifrog]

Shoot yeah, I love my IMax. I like it so much that I had the cash to buy a beam, and kept the vertical.

I like my Imax2000 to...but not that much

[Nick440]

I have to agree with what 209 said about adding those radials to your guy ropes. You can get dacron rope which is what all the hams use for guying, and for hanging dipole antennas etc, because the dacron rope is UV resistant and wont break down in the weather like nylon or polypropeline ropes will do. I have some I got on Ebay, its 3/16 inch thick, sort of like a clothesline thickness and I have my telescopic 40 ft mast pole guyed with it in 4 directions.

Im going to use 209's suggestion and cut some c.o.p.p.e.r wire and zip tie it to each guy line just below the antenna and wire it to the mast clamp and see how that affects the angle of radiation and the swr. Im sure its going to improve it..and its a cheap easy way to add a radial kit without spending that $50 just for 4 pieces of wire for the IMAX.

Now get those photos of your IMAX up wer'e all waiting !!! :D

Nicholas,

[80 meter man]

Good choice!! Here is a shot of mine---
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[Red Ranger]

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OK This is the pic I took after first installing. I will get more pics after I push up the pole and guy it. Not sure if I wana make a GP kit or buy one.

[frogman]

some of the locals had problems with the top section breaking off....they talk like a son of a gun though

[209 first class]

i dont think any ground plane kit will lower the swr, not sure. i think it affects the angle of radiation,effiency,and ground losses. . also, the higher above ground the antenna is, the less it is dependant on the groundplane. so if it is up 3 wavelengths, you wont see as much improvement as if it is up 20 feet. ham antennas, have as many as 25 radials if they are ground mounted to work properly. remember the groundplane kit you buy adds wind load, and it wont be as efficient as 3 full size ones.(4 would be even better) i think the ones in the kit are 4 feet or so (1/8 wave). also, the radials droop at a 45 degree angle on most gound radials, the angle of the radials affects the impedance of the vertical element. the 45 degree slope brings it close to 50 ohms. 209

[Nick440]

209 first class brought up a good point, the radial kit is going to really add some wind load to the antenna. I have had 3 antron 99's with radials up in the air, and when its windy those fiberglass radials really dance around. I ended up taking the radial kit off on mine .

I have a telescopic mast 36 ft tall, and an IMAX 2000 , it's guyed with 4 dacron ropes. Im going to just zip tie 4 sections of wire to the dacron rope since its angled about 45 degrees and ground them to the base of the antenna.
This will change the take off angle on the antenna and make it more suitable for long distances.

I've read about some of the Imax top sections breaking off but I thought that Solarcon had fixed that problem.

Anybody hear about this? Seems like it would take one heck of a wind to break that top off, it bends in the wind like a palm tree. I had thought about slipping a long piece of shrink tube over the top section to stiffen it a little but that might be more harmful, I think it was designed to bend in the breeze.

[samskip]

I was at a candy shop in the twin cities and saw they had 2 IMAX's laying there, I almost couldn't resist. I was there buying an HT and some coax and I wanted the bill to read $300 and not $400.. I know I will buy an Imax soon, just not that second I wanted to feel good about myself reisting the urge ...lol

But Imax's are solid performers.....you'll be happy.

[Red Ranger]

I finally felt good enough today to guy it down.
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[209 first class]

nice job ! are those guys electrically connected to the antenna mount? you got a free ground plane. glad u are feeling better. 209

[Red Ranger]

209 first class,
They do have continuity to the mounting plate, but I didn't connect them to the plate.

bytor,
Yes.

[Evan]

Great job,