CB Radio Base Antenna Range test 102 vs Tram 1498

[@ramonortiz5651]

You sir make one of the best cb range test on KZbin so much we learn from these test. You and Mrs mower makes a great team. 73s 127 in Delaware 10-8.

[@bobcatcomms]

I love these videos, 29TM063 Dublin Ireland

[@AJAJ-tg5ym]

Having a good spouse is a wonderful thing. A good spouse only enhances your life Its not talked about enough in todays society. Good marriage priceless!!!!

[@kingduckford]

I highly appreciate these tests. Good to see some real results from the real world!

[@MowerJunkie]

Thank you!

[@darrell320]

I agree Kingduckford it's good to good to see someone doing low watt scale , thanks very much, by the way I'm in Arkansas

[@noisefuljoy]

A 102" (stainless mobile) whip is actually not quite at resonance at 11 meters. Adding a 6" spring, making 108" total, is. You should match better up in 10. At least that's what I found when I attached a 102" whip on the rain gutter of my folks' house as my first base antenna in 1974. You are bringing back what I loved about the radio hobby back then. Your wife sounds like a sweetheart, too. 73 de n9nbl

[@j.kevinhunt147]

Well executed test! FYI, an "S" unit is not equal to one decibel. The "standard" for an "S" unit is 6 db. Doubling output power increases signal strength by 3 db (only 1/2 of an S unit if all is in compliance with the 'official' standards!). So, quadrupling transmitter output power increases signal strength by 6 db, or only one S unit if the radios comply with the official standards! Unfortunately, few radios are calibrated to the "1 S unit = 6 db" standard. Moreover, the S-meter response in most radios is non-linear. For example, the meter may respond by 1 "S" unit per 4 db from S-1 to S-4, then 1 S unit per 4.7 db from S-4 to S-6, then 1 S unit per 6 db from S-6 to S-9, etc. A decibel is a comparative unit that is meaningless unless applied against either a constant or another signal. The usual reference above 30 MHz is signal strength compared to strength of a 1 milliwatt signal. This is expressed as "dbM." At frequencies above 30 MHz, "S9" is defined as a voltage of 5 microvolts (μV) over 50 ohms (Ω) at the receiver antenna connector. At CB frequencies, which are below 30 MHz, "S9" is defined as a voltage of 50 μV over 50 Ω at the receiver antenna connector. This standard is for an unmodulated carrier signal ("dead key"). Your experiment was well done. A point to remember in the future is that the "S" meter readings you reported were not, as stated in the video, "db." We don't know if the two radios' S meters are linear; nor do we know whether they are calibrated for reading of S-9 for a 50 microvolt signal across 50 ohms at the receiver antenna terminals. Nonetheless, because the equipment, output powers and linear distance were identical for each base station antenna measurement, the experiment probably produced valid results, except at the 7 mile point where there was something interfering. Additionally, all three of the 102" measurements could also have been significantly affected by the rain droplets which absorb RF energy. The amount of absorption at 27 MHz CB frequencies is relatively small, however. Nicely done.

[@GKB.official]

I love doing these tests ❤️

[@convergedsheaf7207]

I just bought a tram 1498 because of your videos ... thing works pretty damn good !!! Thank you so much

[@MowerJunkie]

That's great to hear! I hope You get as much use out of Your's.....as I know I'll get out of Mine. Thanks for the comment, I really appreciate it. 73's from 151 SC.

[@dennymagdule4372]

Wow! That was quite a significant difference! The test was well executed! Mrs Mower Junkie sounds great too. All my best from your number one fan and friend! 3922/K3DMM Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

[@therixon]

A great test!! Is it just me, or does Mrs Mower Junkie sound like Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac?!?!?!

[@johnnywood8082]

Your wife sounds so sweet

[@walty28msn]

I already built an antenna in this style around here, it worked well, now I use a rigid dipole,73 my friend !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@charleswhitfield5963]

Jjk

[@BoB4jjjjs]

A test well done and it proves it is better getting a good antenna and not a burner.

[@chriscosby2459]

Thanks Mower Junkie, I think I am going to pick up the Tram 1498 for a cb base station I am setting up. I use a Tram mag mount antenna on my car, which has severd me well.

[@marksandquist4275]

sounds like power line noise or something at 7 miles . it would be nice to see the test with sideband to compare the range and clarity

[@MowerJunkie]

I agree, I heard the buzzing and clicking too. I will be doing another sideband test soon. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@tf7274]

Fun test to watch...my wife "loves" these tests too. I have a 100w rig running an Imax 2k on 50ft tower and a 102 in my truck with a grant xl and 4 pill running 200w...I do 35 miles on ssb. Very flat terrain here.

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks, We had a lot of fun doing this test. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.

[@rondellschuyler7074]

Thanks mower junkie for the testing. The tram 1498 is for me. Especially with it not being made out of fiberglass like the antron 99. Good antennae.

[@ericdee6802]

The Tram is made from fiberglass except for the radiating element. The Tram is a "Capacitave loaded half wave end fed antenna", Within the Trams fiberglass body, will be three different capacitors which are made from copper circuit board and are measuring within the "Picofarad" (puff) range. There are two capacitors at the base connecting the two opposing loading coils, then there will be a third "Coupling capacitor" connecting the base of the radiator to the final length "Top" radiating element. There are two basic reasons these antennas are fiberglass, One to make a EFHW (end fed halfwave dipole) polarized in the vertical position, the "Dipole" needs a supporting structure, reason #2 The fiberglass keeps spuradic radiation from coupling to the antennas radiator. If you loased the 102" steel whip with capacitance and have an inductive load on either the base, center or top, it will perform just like the Tram.

[@brianveitenheimer4492]

WR 2356 in BC Canada. Keep the awesome comparisons coming.

[@BenWorrell]

Great video. Your wife - she’s a keeper!!! I have a great wife too but when it comes to anything with radios I’d be on my own. I noticed you changed channels between the tests. Is your SWR same on both channels on both antennas? Maybe tram a little broader banded? You sold me on putting my 102” whip up for CB. I own it just need to make some ground radials and mount it. Getting a tram means spending money. 73

[@sleeve8651]

The beauty of a Half Wave antenna, is they are self resonating, and they don't need radials ! Just Say'n !

[@1teddy1979]

Awesome video! Thank you! 519 Ontario Canada with the wave

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks for watching!

[@k9wlwradio309]

That was a well conducted test. Clear winner the Tram. The highest gain omni base antennas are known as the .64 wave. The vertical element is about 22 feet long. If you switched both those radios over to SSB, you would come in much clearer on the fringe. SSB has better signal to noise ratio since the bandwidth is half as wide as the the AM signal, plus you get about triple the wattage! I'd love to see an AM vs SSB test at those same checkpoints on the Tram.

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks, I will be doing a few more tests with the Tram soon, SSB testing will definitely be one of them. Thanks for watching, 73's

[@sutitigi]

Great video, Mr & Mrs working the radio, great team work & good info, thanks for the video. 56CT004 Glenn

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks Glenn, We both had fun doing this test. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.

[@641northwestgeorgia]

Great test video, John! I like Tram mobile antennas, and am using a 3500 in the truck right now. I had a little too much fire in the wire for the antenna I was using, as the coax was too small to handle it. The Tram 3500 coax is holding up well so far. Your 1498 base antenna is definitely a keeper! By the way, the President Washington is back home with me now, and I let my father in law use the Galaxy base for a while. :)

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks Josh. I'm hoping I'll get the chance to try some of the Tram mobile antenna's. they get great reviews, and I've heard the 3500 is a very good one. It would be cool to get some ground waves into GA., I'd like to talk to You and Your Washington again! 73's, Be safe.

[@641northwestgeorgia]

@@MowerJunkie Yes, I'd like to talk to you again as well! I'm going to try to email you a video of my John Deere D100. I swapped pulleys on it a couple of weeks back, and now it does 13mph in 5th gear instead of 5. :)

[@MowerJunkie]

@@641northwestgeorgia That's fantastic! I can't wait to see it.

[@nelsonrojasjr4158]

Thanks for sharing real world testing ! That's great mobil to base communication all barefoot! 73's from The Lone Star State 2234 Delivery Man👋

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks for watching! 73's 2234, from 151 SC.

[@arlenewolf5260]

Oh well. I hope to bump into you someday, I do like the hobby.

[@MowerJunkie]

That would be cool! 73's from 151 SC.

[@richb.4374]

Try the Sirio Vector 4000 vertical. It's a copy of the old Avanti Sigma 4 design. This is a monster vertical, it will beat any CB vertical made.

[@chadtrahan3262]

Mower Junkie, I Love the Channel and what you do! What would you say is the best base cb vertical antenna for transmit and recieve?

[@MowerJunkie]

I haven't owned one yet, But I think the best vertical made, is the Colossal 10k made by 05 antennas in Chicago IL.

[@chadtrahan3262]

@@MowerJunkie Thank You! I've never heard of this one. I'll look it up! Keep up the good work! Much appreciated! Batman 371 from the Bayou. 73's

[@Puma25528]

Thanks for these comparison videos. What’s the truck running for an antenna - I might have missed that video.

[@MowerJunkie]

I have a hard mounted, Antenna Specialist Big Momma on the roof of My Jeep. It's a base loaded 54" antenna that was made in 1972.

[@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee]

Good video ,, 👍 I also noticed the clarity of the modulation was a lot more clear on the Tram , at further distances , despite the minor signal difference on the meter . But they both work for sure . The price of 102 inch steel whips has gotten ridiculous 😡😡. I’d like to run a set of dual 102’s on my truck , but I’m not sure if the price would be worth the little difference in performance.

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks Dallas. I noticed the same thing, The Tram was louder on both transmit and receive. I know what You mean, the price of anything CB related is getting ridiculous.

[@2penny417]

I have 102 inch steel whip for $26 for sale plus shipping

[@tf7274]

Running dual antennas is always nominal improvement over running 1...with more chance of trouble with coax and mounts...which is why truckers swear by them. They have been sold a lie in order to spend more at the radio shop and spend more often...

[@Hawgfrog]

Skip has been quiet lately for sure. I've been looking into one of those tram antennas myself. Can't wait for your ex test video. 355 pa saying 73s

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks 355. Skip has been very quiet here too, But it does give Me more time for testing. Take care, 73's

[@josephkopeczy2678]

Get aluminum tubing build a 11 meter j pole it's a foot longer then a 10 meter j pole type in j pole calicator you love it

[@goozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

So a clean channels, whis i had those overhere.

[@bobcatcomms]

Home made all the way,,, great video buddy 73's 29TM063 Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪🇺🇸

[@MowerJunkie]

Glad you enjoyed it, Be safe, 73's

[@nayshilaartika6066]

Video bagus, saya suka radio pemancar vhf pakai antena G7...

[@hydrocrab74]

Anyone know if it matters what coax works with the 1498? Since its a NGP... is rg213 ok to use with it? Thanks . great video love watching them..

[@markhill9912]

I typically use Belden 9913f and dx engineering 400 max coax. You can use any 50 ohm coax you like but, I stay away from rg58u small diameter coax and use the larger .405" base type coax since it has lower loss in dB and can handle higher wattage. Right now, I use 9913f for all my short patch cables between my radios and accessories since it's flexible, easy to bend around. From my radio room out to the antennas, I use the dx engineering 400 max coax which is a bit more rigid and is direct burial coax. I have it buried 24" in a trench from my house out to the antenna site. Burying my coax has helped lower the interference noise levels quite substantially from an s7-9 signal down to an s1-3 noise level because it's not picking up powerline, cable and other utility interference due to not being exposed to the air, it's all buried in the ground.

[@hydrocrab74]

@@markhill9912 appreciate the reply .yes going with the 400 because I have a 100 ft run. Ended up with the maco v58. Thanks again.

[@andybibby342]

Hi pal. Thanks for the video. I’m about to construct a double tank whip 102” vertical dipole. You video is the nearest to it I’ve seen. Did you get a good swr on the dipole?

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks Andy. Yes, I had a very good SWR on My homemade antenna. and it worked very well. Thanks for watching, Take care.

[@artdodd2932]

Great Test

[@arlenewolf5260]

Hi What state are you in. I know some areas of the country CB's just do not work well espically by large cities. I am in the Foothills ot the Great Smokey Mountains (Eastern Tn). CB's usually work well around here. I have a steel building shed with a K40 mag mount on the roof that does well there with a Uniden pro520 radio on a power supply. Some day I hope to get a HyGain super penetrator base antenna.

[@MowerJunkie]

I'm in South Carolina, CB's work very well here. From My base, I talk 50 miles in every direction using just a 2 pill box. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@arlenewolf5260]

@@MowerJunkie I am near Knoxville RCI 2970N4 in the truck also have a Super Star GR and a President Grant export model for when I set up a base.

[@arlenewolf5260]

Hi Mower Junkie, I am excited and lucky to own the NIB (New In Box) Super Star GR and a President Grant export model radios. These are basically 120 channel radios from the factory, 1-40 in the normal mid band position 41-80 in the High channel position and fourty channels below chanel one in the Low position. The reason these radios are so perfect is there are not many antennas that will handle a wide band width that is much broader that 120 channels. Also these radios will all work in the FM mode in addition to AM and SSB. I highly recomend these export radios that will work in the FM Mode. It is the same as changing your car stereo from FM to AM. As we all know am is noisy and FM is real clean (if you are fortunite to get to talk to another CB'er that has FM capabilities you will appreciate it). It is like talking and listening on Ham or a Govt (like PD or FD) radio just super clean audio. I like the possibility of these radios being able to be used locally for emergency prepairdness. I forgot I also have a President Bill Export CB 80 CH CB/FM radio (about the size of a 25 count pack of Marlboro cigaretts) You can Google the President Bill CB's, both CB(AM) and FM. Also you state you are using a Big Momma from the 70's. That is a good choice (they do not make that quality any more). I also have some older antennas that are still in use like the Lafayette Rangemaster ll. The Bill model is not much bigger than a pack of cigaretts. I hope to one day bump into you. 73 Cliff

[@MowerJunkie]

@@arlenewolf5260 I'm very familiar with the Grant export, I hope to have one in My collection someday. That's some cool equipment You have there Cliff. Take care, and enjoy the hobby. 73's from 151 SC.

[@mikebolton5577]

I love your videos. I knew that Tram would out perform the 102" whip. Your base mic sounds over modulated with to much background noise.

[@arlenewolf5260]

They are on my desk, in their original boxes.

[@robertjeffery3237]

Proof that the radio is only as good as the antenna it is attached to.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

Exactly, best thing anyone can do is improve the antenna and not the power. That way you can transmit to what you can hear.

[@pooroldgreyhaireddaddy]

Thanks. Big help

[@pizzaguy9806]

Great video love these videos 73s from SNAPPER!!

[@MowerJunkie]

Thanks Snapper! 73's

[@thestonerguy5276]

Good stuff, thanks 👍

[@z3r0c00l2]

How do they operate on DX ? Can they DX ?

[@chrisbennett8538]

12 miles on 102 yes that's great

[@charlessalard4636]

Hey man know you got tram 1498.i got black one.can you please check and see you have connectivity.where you connect coax on antenna...I do..but swr 1.1...is that normal?? My other antennas don't have connectivity.on connection...weird.

[@travelinjavelin]

Hey mower junkie just checking in with you ever try a double 102in whip vertical what would your thoughts be of something like that?

[@MowerJunkie]

it will work well, but it's difficult to mount it. because it needs to be 4' or more from the mast.

[@michaelroot6064]

I have a wilson 1000 on my apartment balcony hooked up to a midland 75-785 how nerdy is that ?

[@MowerJunkie]

If it gets You on the air, That's all that matters! Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@tf7274]

I know a radio member that has a mag mount at 140ft...he reaches me 42 miles with stock power. He can't run more than 12watt because of tvi in his apartment.

[@michaelroot6064]

@@tf7274 I'm actually excited I'm moving to a new apt that's 2 stories higher

[@tf7274]

@@michaelroot6064 I found the 1499 at 40 feet could hear very well. But I had swr issues with new coax. Mine was only resonant at 25 mhz

[@michaelroot6064]

@@tf7274 thats to technical for me lol I stick my magnet mount wilson antenna onto a little metal table I have and put it on my balcony and I'm on the air I can talk to the truck stop that is about 10 miles away from me and I had contacts in towns 25 miles from me and that with just 4 watts of power

[@DynoDieselWagon]

It isn't marked in stone bc of " conditions "

[@arlenewolf5260]

I forgot to ask, how far are you from the Dragon (US129) Deals Gap that goes from SC to TN?

[@MowerJunkie]

Several hours or more. I'm not very close to the Dragon

[@planca3430]

someone needs a new windshield

[@RC-Heli835]

Tram is king! Thanks! 13:15

[@MowerJunkie]

It certainly is! Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@rudymoccia5110]

Your tram ant has 4 radials and it seems higher. Is this the case?

[@MowerJunkie]

The Tram does have 4 radials, but is about the same height to the base of each antenna. Thanks for watching.

[@marcelopu2mal247]

Theses antennas have different radiating angles. The goundplane antenna is good to DX but poor to local comunications. 73!

[@MowerJunkie]

They both have the ground planes on them. but one is directional and one is omni. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@ChristiannTyler]

How do you mount a 102” whip to a a mast or vent pipe ? I’m new to this an can’t wait to give it a try

[@MowerJunkie]

I used a mirror mount bracket. Make sure You have at least 2 ground radials, more is better, but 2 is the minimum. Good luck with Your antenna. Thanks for watching.

[@ChristiannTyler]

@@MowerJunkie guess I’ll be doin some research into ground radials it’ll be ontop of a 3 story apartment building so that should help me get out just trying to choose coax is it bad to have extra coax? I don’t know how to properly install a pl259 connector so I’m trying to buy it as close to the length I need

[@ChristiannTyler]

@@MowerJunkie I don’t see how the mirror mount works? It would go on the mast and then point the antenna horizontally

[@MowerJunkie]

@@ChristiannTyler extra coax is ok, just don't coil up the excess, spread it out and it will work fine.

[@MowerJunkie]

@@ChristiannTyler the pipe does not have to be in both grooves, rotate the bolt on plate 90 degrees, then that groove will hold it up straight.

[@michaelhowell8489]

Two different channels, two different results. Changing channels invalidates the test as the SWR will be different.

[@MowerJunkie]

I had to change channels for the 2nd half of the test. when We went to do the test, channel 35 was in use. Both antennas are tuned very well, and have no difference in SWR on those channels. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.

[@mrcleanisin]

A friend told me CBs are now digital. Does anyone know?

[@gmeister03]

Fm

[@mrcleanisin]

Is that a yes or no?

[@gmeister03]

@@mrcleanisin no.

[@unclequack5445]

3 watt base radio? Right........

[@mediamike693]

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