| K6TEX |
Rating:   |
2004-05-20 | |
| Not for a truck, No-Way! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
If you want a great radiator for a car or pickup truck, I can highly recommend this antenna. If you run lots of miles in an 18-wheeler, or on rough roads, I wouldn't buy one. The fingerstock will break, the wires will rub flat, the roller inducter will arc or catch fire inside the tube. (note: Bob fixed everything for no charge, and even rewound the wire and gave me a new roller inducter)
Bob stands behind his product 100% and is a stand-up kind of a guy. He has rebuilt my antenna everytime that I beat it up, and welcomed me into his house for a total of about 10 days this last year while my antenna was being repaired on 7 different occassions. He even cooked out and took me to dinner everyday that I was there. (the problem is that a day not driving is money lost, as I am a trucker, and could no longer afford that. Nor was I mooching, I was helping him while I was there by doing soldering...)
I just had an antenna custom made for me by gs-mfg.com, it is a custom design, and will probably never fail. People have been using his antennas for years without a failure. And this has caused problems between me an Bob that I wasn't sure about until today when I got a somewhat nasty call on my phone. (not from Bob, but from his wife.)
Bob has let me know in no uncertain terms that if I beat his antenna at the "shoot-out" that it will cost him too much money? What the heck is that all about? The antenna shootout is supposed to be where friends get together and compare the efficiency and designs of antennas. Hard feelings that I have somebody elses antenna have no place there, nor should it be hinted that I don't show up. I plan to be there on June 9th in Anderson, IN and will test against the Predator if he is willing to use the same test vehicle for the test. (there has never been a good score from an antenna mounted on an 18 wheeler, too many losses?, poor mounting?, distance from ground?, too much loss into metal? etc...) But don't call and tell me that bragging on my new antenna is back-handed, or "chicken-s___",
I am willing to show up and test antennas, head to head, and on the same vehicle so that all perameters are the same. If the GS antenna loses I will concede that the Predator is a better radiator.(it won't, I've already tested them side by side) But after all the days that I have driven without a working antenna, and all the lost income days, you will never convince me to even think of owning another one unless it's flaws are repaired. Nope, I don't even want one then, this new GS-mfg is just too good to let go of, I know of truckers that have had the same antenna for years without a single needed repair.
This review will probably cement a wall between me and Predator Bob, and certainly his wife that called and let me know how terrible I was for using a competitor's antenna and being proud of it. HOW DARE I?
The Predator was probably one of the best antennas on the market. Too bad one of the GS-MFG antennas never competed at any of the shootouts, if they had, he would never be sore at me. There are many antennas that have never been to a shootout, and certainly not being on top will hurt sales of the Predator. But, don't call and make me feel bad for buying a better built, better radiating antenna. And certainly don't get emotional on the phone, I just don't care. If it never broke, I couldn't say that it broke, you always fixed it, but it was always breaking. Don't get mad at me because I said the truth.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K6TEX on 2003-09-22
I drive an 18-wheeler, and my demands are high. My favorite operation is on 75 meters at night with a Mid-West group. I have been able to contact them from either coast at night, and even got a 20 over from Hawaii on 75 meters! I was mobile going thru Albuquerque, New Mexico at the time.
I run about 12,000 miles per month, and need a stout and reliable antenna. I have owned several including Hi-Q-Stealth, Iron Horse, Icom AH4 (might as well be QRP) several Hustlers, and the Texas Bug-Catcher (Bug-Catcher was great, unless you want to change bands, or around inside a band).
Most of the people that speak with me thought that I bought an amplifier when they heard me with this Predator. I really got efficient. These antenna's compete in and win antenna shootouts. A shootout compares efficiencies between different makes of mobile antennas. (I now have an amp, and the antenna can handle full legal power)
I have had big reports from all over the world that I never got with the other antennas. Yes, I did get DX, but now I bust pile-ups, and have even been told that I was lying about being mobile. (I only am mobile, I don't have a base station.)
Check out the shootout results and photos of my truck on www.kj9t.com this is a truly wonderful antenna that will out perform any other mobile. Hands down, the performance on the others just doesn't ad up. While the others may work well, this one literally stomps on them.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the Stealth, but I am more into function than beauty. To me this is the most beautiful antenna in the world because of it's ability to out-perform everything else.
Bob builds them all himself in his shop, and could build more, but he is retired. If you get one, you will be a top performer, and should consider yourself lucky for making the right choice. |
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