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| Reviews Summary for Solarcon I-MAX 2000 |
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Reviews: 74
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Average rating: 4.5/5
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MSRP: $80 SHIPPED
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Description: 3 piece, over 21 foot tall fiberglass 10 meter base antenna
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://
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write your own review of the Solarcon I-MAX 2000.
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KD0KZJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 10, 2012 20:36
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Great for working 10m & 11m, monitoring 12m-40m
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Tried homemade verticals while working CB, just didn't get far (2-3 miles at most with poor Rx & Tx). Invested in Imax-2000 (24 feet in height), and 25 feet of mast (from ground to bottom of antenna), and the difference was amazing. 7-8 miles is do-able on 11m, unassisted, w/unmodified Galaxy 959, under low QRM conditions. Got my Amateur License (Technician) and working 10m with a Ranger RCI-2970N2, at approx. 100 watts, I have worked stations in the Czech Republic, U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain, Morocco, and northern South America, as well as many points in North America, with 5 by 5 reports or better on Tx (Rx is great, depending on conditions). Many of the stations I worked were using beams or Yagis on towers. The Imax 2000 basically made radio possible for me, at a very affordable price, with minimal adjustment (tuning rings turned all the way toward the top gives me lowest SWR in both 10m radio and CB radio), and minimal investment in additional materials for set-up (2 10-foot masts, 2 additional pipes (galvanized steel) and some rebar for additional internal support, and rope). No, it's not pretty, but it works just fine, thank you. Thank you, Solarcon.
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VA3MLV
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 25, 2011 21:27
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works really well
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Have had mine out in the country up here in Ontario Canada on my tower at the top and its been a pretty good performer on 10m 12m 15m 17m with a tuner. Also can hold up on power if you wanted to run a little, its a 5|8 wave antenna so basically works really well for a 10m vertical. 73
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WC3O
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 11, 2011 20:54
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Very good
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Have had for a short while, acting on the recommendation of friends that have had them for years. Works great on 10/12/15. You need to cut about 8 inches off the top to get it to tune correctly in the ham band (10 meters). (It tells you this in the instructions) Very happy with the antenna and works better on 10 for ground wave than anything else I have ever used.
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M3SKF
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 11, 2011 13:33
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GREAT VERTICAL
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Have been active on 10/12m bands with no ATU for a couple of years with this antenna.I have been very pleased with the results on these bands,have also used the antenna on 20/17/15m bands with a tuner and the results are ok.Very well made and tough takes alot of abuse to damage this aerial.Recomended and reliable sells at a fair price new & used.
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KD8GTP
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Rating: 4/5
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Dec 11, 2011 08:28
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VERY GOOD
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I am using mine for 10m and it is working very well. I wouldn't suggest it for anything else but 10/12m, even with a tuner. A few friends use it with good results for 11m and above and below 11m and say it's great. Overall if you have space restrictions give it a try, again 10/12m only :)
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N0FPE
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Rating: 3/5
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Dec 11, 2011 07:29
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OK
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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As long as one remembers just how it works and ignores the silly gain figures. It is just a vertical longwire antenna! I got mine used and it does what I want it to do. Do I try to use it on 3-4 bands ..no..but for local 10 meter use that I wanted and the odd DX contact it works ok.
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KC5CQD
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Rating: 4/5
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Dec 10, 2011 23:14
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No better than an Antron 99
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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For the first time, I got to try an Antron 99, with the ground plane kit, side-by-side with an Imax 2000, with a ground plane kit. Same height, same radios and both with SWRs of less than 2 to 1. And I noticed hardly any difference. Same with my transmitted signal. The receiving stations noticed no difference. Dont' get me wrong. The Imax 2K is a really great antenna that works well. But its performance hardly justifies the additional money, weight and wind drag. In my opinion you should save yourself some money and purchase the Antron 99. It's a tried and true antenna design that works VERY well. My Imax 2K WILL be coming down this week to be replaced by my A99. Besides....with the lighter weight and lower wind drag of the A99, you can put it higher with less structural support! I gave the Imax a rating of "4" because it is a good antenna. I give the Antron 99 a "5" because it's a better antenna.
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K5AAT
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 8, 2011 08:41
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works great
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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replaced an A99 with it, seems more quiet, less noise. Also works DX well. 70 countries on 10 meters in 5 weeks. The LDG tuner I use tunes it 10-40 meters. It is low against the back of the house, this weekend I am getting it up a little higher.
Thanks,
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N6ETO
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 4, 2011 17:35
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Good antenna
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This past weekend was CQ WW SSB contest and my A3S was not working properly and I use my I-MAX 2000 on 10m, 15m and 20m. Using it on 15m direct no tuner 1:2:1 swr and was putting out 1500 watts out of my ETO 91B, 10m and 20m with the tuner also doing 1500 watts I work all over the world with this antenna no ground plane kit and 22 ft of the ground. Next contest I'll put it up on top of my tower.
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N4DOV
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 29, 2011 16:04
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Cheap and effective.
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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My trusty other antenna suffered storm damage and I put up the Imax. At only 15 foot above the ground just above the roof gutter, I have been able to work Europe, Africa and Pacific on 12 and 17 meters. Have also made 20m contacts locally. SWR on 10 and 15m is <1.5:1 and on 12 and 17m is <3:1, (on 20 is high) which my Ten-Tec internal tuner easily handles. It hears the same as my rotatable dipole but is a bit noisier on the similar bands. Adding radials detuned my antenna very significantly, so I would not recommend. Tuning rings were adjusted to the bottom. Most of my contacts have been with 100 watts, but I have used up to 800 watts without any problems.It does sway in the wind but has held up so far to a few storms. The white color of the antenna blends in well with surroundings. The antenna takes a few minutes to screw together and attach to a pole., so it could not be easier. For $95 (from Cheapham.com), I think it is a bargain especially if one is space restricted.
Forgot to mention that I incorporated a 6 turn 4.5 inch diameter ugly balun below feedoint to my setup with the aforementioned results.Radials made things much worse for me.
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