Jo Gunns "Smokin' Gunn"

[HOUND DOG]

I am still researching beam antennas to replace my old but still working Super Scanner antenna. It will be mounted on a 42ft TV antenna tower. It seems like every other day I change my mind as to what type of antenna I want, so I need some help! I would think that any true beam would out perform a super scanner. I want a great performing beam antenna for talking to my friends 25 miles away as well as for talking skip. There are lots of choices on the market with a wide range of prices. I have looked at SE Quads, Maco's(soon to be gone), Wolfs and now Jo Gunns. All the Jo gunns are to expensive for me except for one the "Smok'in Gunn" @$189.99
I would like to know if anyone on the forum is using a "smokin gunn" and would you recommend it? OR is there another antenna under $300 I should be looking at.....?
My second choice right now would be the "Wolf" 4 element dual feed antenna w/Quad reflector $230.00

[Mr RadioActive]

I've personally never used the Smokin Gunn II, but have sold them, (rare that i haven't tested something myself I sell, but its a base antenna) customer feedback has always been pretty good on the SGII, sometimes on Jo-Gunn however in general feelings differ.

[MudDuck]

Hello HoundDog,
I know quite a few people who have had nothing but trouble with the SmokinGunn and the Son of a Gunn... If anything go with a 4 Element JoGunn or a Maco... Cant beat the price of a Maco, Ive had mine up for quite some time now, and the rejection seems to get better and better as the years go on....

[HOUND DOG]

I was looking at the Smokin Gun because I will be mounting the beam on a stock TV antenna tower that can only take a 1-1/4 in O.D mast without modifications. If I can't find a good "little" beam then I guess I'll have to cut-off the top of the tower and rework it for a 2" mast and larger antenna. Here we go $$$ CB = Constantly Buying

[preacherman]

I have a pdlII in good shape with a new wire kit and some stainless
bolts that would work out well on that tower.
Drop me a note...maybe we can work something out.
preacherman

[trip7downunder]

Hey hound dog. From what i know jo-guns are over-rated and that is my opinion and hope i have not offended any jo gunn lovers out there but the gain claims are bogus. Why not a Maco 3 element or something around that size. Even a 4. I got my 42 footer on 2 inch alloy scaffold tube . What are your intentions as in talking dx or just local. Just my 5 cents worth( Aussie dollars) so 2 cents us lol and im gone.....

[HOUND DOG]

My intent is great DX/skip. I want to use my Super Scanner antenna as a signal locator and then switch over to another 42 ft tower with the beam to do the talking. I am just trying to avoid spending a million dollars by looking at small beams that will work with a stock TV antenna tower and the stock 1-1/4 in mast. I really like the maco 4 element Shooting Star but If I go that route I will need to rework the tower to take a larger mast. (I'm still in the early thinking stages)

[231]

I agree, why not look at a 2 element quad like the PDL-II or Signal Engineering SuperHawk? You can easily turn one with a TV antenna rotor. F/B & F/S ratio is very good, and it should way out perform the SuperScanner (provided it's close to the same height or higher). Another to consider might be the ol' Y-Quad. All of the ones I've mentioned are dual polarity BTW.

Just a couple thoughts.

[KW KID]

Just some Fyi, the superscanner is crap. My friend had one, and he switched to an omni 5/8 ground plane, and it outtalked it and outreceived the superscanner in all directions!

Price, and practicality, go with either the 3 or 4 element beam. The db gain difference of bothering with a 6 to 8 element vs. a 4 element is so little it aint worth the trouble! Don't trust ANY CB antenna manufacturer when it comes to gain, its all BS! Maco, Jo Gunn, all of them are all full of s!!!, no way is any 8 element beam gonna give you anything over 13dbi, especially when the boomlength is barely over only 1 wavelength. That's the truth. A properly designed 3 element is 8dbi MAX! and a 4 element is 10dbi max. When I say max, I mean I don't care if your god, no matter how you design it, it won't give anymore gain than that., and after that, it quickly gets worse and worse, figure you must double your boomlength, and number of elements just to gain 3 more db.

I had a 13 element ham antenna, = 15.8dbi. Talk to me when Jo Gun builds a 72 foot long 13 element beam, and then I might agree it to be 16dbi... Still not near that 20db gain they say with only 40 foot boom and 8 elements!

[Lonesome ONE]

On a budget? Need a big signal for the least amount of cash layout? Need a beam you can put on your TV mast and turn quite easily with a small rotor? Then why not build a close spaced 4 element Cubical Quad. You'll get about 10db gain over a 1/2 wave dipole and about 25-30db F/B ratio and even better side rejection and this CAN be done on a 12 foot boom. Don't let low gain figure discourage you. Most CB antenna manufactures over inflate there numbers anyway. 10DB over a 1/2 wave dipole of REAL gain will get you a nice signal out. Best of all you will have built it yourself! They really are quite simple to construct but still require attention to detail. Here's a quick down and dirty parts list so you can get a rough idea of the cost. These will be a bit heavier than it would be if it were fiberglass and alum...but it's still plenty light enough to meet the needs you stated. The total cost will end up dependent upon how you can scrounge parts...Everything can be bought at a local hardware store and metal/welding shop...Here it goes....

1. 1 ea. 12 foot boom....I use 1 1/2 square alum tubing about 1/8" or 1/16" wall. It's not too expensive and it really makes the rest of the job easier. However you can use just about anything you can come up with.

2. 8 ea, 10 ft lengths of 1/2 EMT tubing (conduit)

3. 17 ea, 3 ft lengths of 5/8" wooden dowel rods

4. 1 ea pint of Spar Varnish to protect the dowel rods

5. 16ea, 1/2" conduit couplers (or you can go cheap and use 16 small cotter pins instead)

6. 1 ea, boom to mast plate...alum is best... about 4 or 5 inches by about 8 or 10 inches and 1/4 inch thick

7. 3 or 4 rolls of good quality electrical tape

8. 1 small bottle of PVC cement

9. 160 ft of #14 or #12 solid copper wire. Stranded will work, but it's harder to work with when tuning.

10. U-Bolts for the Boom to mast mount (2 square if you use the square tubing for a boom)

11. SWR/ Field Strength meter for tuning and adjustment of all 4 elements. (I use a cheap radio shack one and it works great)

I think that's close to a complete parts list for a simple quad that can be fed directly with out any type of matching device (gamma match). The boom would probably be the most expensive part. If you build it, I know you wont be disappointed. It wont look as glamorous as some of the store bought antennas, but it you take your time, it will look very nice. It will exceed the performance of most 4 or 5 element yagis like the M-104 or M-105. If you want to know more, let me know. I'll try to tell you how to put it together....it can easily be done on a weekend.


Take care and good luck!


Lonesome One, AZ-453
Globe, Arizona

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[HOUND DOG]

Hey KW Kid,
A little FYI, Your friend probably didn't have his super scanner wired correctly if it was crap! I started out with a 5/8 wave ground plane before getting the super scanner and have been using it for the past 25+ years. The super scanner out talks any omni, any day when wired correctly. I have mine on a tower at over 55ft and have no problem getting out even barefoot. I've even talked to southern California & Washington state from new jersey which I could never do with my 5/8 GP. No its not the best beam, and its not the best Omni but it is the best electrically switched Omni/directional antenna there is:-) I just thought it would be fun to put up another tower and try out a beam antenna while keeping my super scanner as a awesome directional-omni.

[bookie]

i agree about making your own beem. its one thing if you do it once you'll be doing it the rest of your life.

the PDL II is a very nice beam that worked for me for more than 10 years. when i upgraded to the laser 7 it was a huge diff, until the first BIG storm. then i wished i had my PDL II back.

preacherman, you still got that PDL II? if this guy doesn't want it drop me a pm. i could use it at work.

nate

[BtyMONSTER]

I was looking at the Smokin Gun because I will be mounting the beam on a stock TV antenna tower that can only take a 1-1/4 in O.D mast without modifications. If I can't find a good "little" beam then I guess I'll have to cut-off the top of the tower and rework it for a 2" mast and larger antenna. Here we go $$$ CB = Constantly Buying

your beam wont mount to the top of your tower . it will mount to the mast that is mounted to your rotor that is mounter to your tower . need a rotor ? check out sparkys .
http://www.sparkyscbshack.com/rotators.html

i dont have a base anymore but signal engineering used to make some very nice antennas . they pro bally wouldn't still be in business if they weren't .

[tonyhatchetman]

for the price you cant beet the maco

[HOUND DOG]

I was looking at the Smokin Gun because I will be mounting the beam on a stock TV antenna tower that can only take a 1-1/4 in O.D mast without modifications. If I can't find a good "little" beam then I guess I'll have to cut-off the top of the tower and rework it for a 2" mast and larger antenna. Here we go $$$ CB = Constantly Buying

your beam wont mount to the top of your tower . it will mount to the mast that is mounted to your rotor that is mounter to your tower . need a rotor ? check out sparkys .
http://www.sparkyscbshack.com/rotators.html

i don't have a base anymore but signal engineering used to make some very nice antennas . they pro bally wouldn't still be in business if they weren't .

Hey Bootymonster, Yea I just meant that the mast opening at the top of my tower is not large enough for a 2"mast or for installing a thrust bearing for an inside the tower rotor. I was looking at the SE antennas but I have heard from some people that the quality is not the best for the Cost. Now about Sparky's, I did email sparkys about getting a rotor 2 weeks ago and also have emailed them for other things before that, but I never got a response. I had heard he was sick a while ago so I've been waiting for him to get back to work.

[KW KID]

Hey KW Kid,
A little FYI, Your friend probably didn't have his super scanner wired correctly if it was crap! I started out with a 5/8 wave ground plane before getting the super scanner and have been using it for the past 25+ years. The super scanner out talks any omni, any day when wired correctly. I have mine on a tower at over 55ft and have no problem getting out even barefoot. I've even talked to southern California & Washington state from new jersey which I could never do with my 5/8 GP. No its not the best beam, and its not the best Omni but it is the best electrically switched Omni/directional antenna there is:-) I just thought it would be fun to put up another tower and try out a beam antenna while keeping my super scanner as a awesome directional-omni.

It is possible the SS he had was having problems, but I do recall it being able to be switched and working. But remember, we did a direct comparison, literally, testing signal before and immediately after, rather than using indirect comparisons. I contend a 5/8 @ 55 feet will do just as good if not better locally, and in regards to skip, that is completely conditional. The time you had the 5/8, conditions may not of been favorable. Right now, I talk skip in my mobile, with a Wilson 5000. Far worse than both antennas, conditions permitting. I still want to say "never say never", and I still won't rule out for you, your results may have been different.

Good luck in finding your beam, did you decide yet? Are you gonna build that one yourself??

Dan.