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Reviews For: Wilson 500 Magnetic Mount Antenna (10m)

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Wilson 500 Magnetic Mount Antenna (10m)
Reviews: 3MSRP: 64.95
Description:
The Wilson 500’s higher gain performance for an economical antenna is the result of several design modifications to the famous Wilson 1000. Using the basic design of the W-1000, Wilson is able to produce a mid priced magnetic antenna with great performance characteristics. This produced the most powerful CB base loaded antenna available in its price range.

A large portion of the power that goes into a typical base loaded CB antenna is lost as heat in the coil and as dielectric heat loss in the plastic inside the coil form. Many CB antennas lose more than 50% of the power put into them. The power is wasted as heat loss and not radiated as radio waves. Another weak link in other CB antennas is the capacitor used to match the coax to the antenna, which is a cheap and easy way to make the SWR look good, but has lots of power loss, plus blows out when high power is applied to it.

Wilson’s first priority was to reduce the dielectric loss by removing as much of the plastic inside the coil as possible. This was accomplished by suspending the coil in air, supported only at four small points, 90 degrees apart, in effect removing 95% of the plastic from the inside surface of the coil. This reduced the dielectric loss to a negligible amount.

The second priority was to get rid of the resistive heat losses in the coil. Since most of the RF energy at 27 MHz travels on the surface of the wire, it was decided to increase the surface area by making the diameter of the wire 12 gauge copper.

Finally, to get rid of the losses in the matching between the coax and the loading coil, the lossy capacitor was eliminated and a more difficult but more efficient means of coupling the antenna was used. A Scalar Network Analyzer was used to determine the very precise point to direct match the coil with the coax and obtain the best match with maximum power transfer. The combination of all these accumulated design points allows the W-500 to have a 2,000 watt power rating with a 20-25% increase in performance over the Little Wil.

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.wilsonantenna.com/w500.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
1432.7
KV4IS Rating: 2023-03-07
Easy way to get on 10m Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Picked up this Wilson 500 CB antenna at a Goodwill for a few dollars. I cut the 54" whip down to 51.5" to tune 1:1 SWR at 28.700. I used it in an ARRL contest and got a dozen 59 contacts out of Europe at 100W. It is an cheap and easy way to get on 10m stealthily.
N4LI Rating: 2011-12-14
Adequate. It works. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
10 meters is back. Sunspots are breaking out, making the face of the Sun look like an unfortunate 9th grader without his Clearasil. So, I thought I might put together a down & dirty mobile station just for fun.

I had an old HTX-10 that I bought used for $50 years ago, but I needed an antenna. I couldn’t find a designated 10m mag mount, so I chanced buying a CB antenna that claimed it works from 26-30 MHz (really?). It also makes the laughable claim to handle 2 kW (huh?), but at least it seemingly should take 25W safely. It appeared a manageable size and the price was right – just over $40. Unlike the previous poster, my antenna arrived intact and seemed reasonably well-constructed. Well, for CB stuff, anyway.

Tuning wasn’t hard at all. I was surprised to find that in its stock configuration, SWR was WAY off – it resonated at 25.2 MHz (useless for everyone) and was over 3:1, even in the CB band. But with trimming via the analyzer and a bolt cutter, I got it to 1.1:1 @ 28.27 MHz and very acceptable through the SSB section of 10m.

Does it work? Heck, yeah. Within 60 seconds of hooking it up, I was working the West Coast to another mobile. Report: 5/8. This morning, I got into Europe on a day that the band is pretty light (SFI dropped to ~130). I’m pleasantly surprised. It ought to do well when sporadic-E kicks in, too.

No. I won’t be the baddest boy on the block, but it will be a fun toy. And, considering I have less than $100 in the whole station, I really shouldn’t complain.

If you’re looking for something to get you on the air on 10m, this isn’t a bad choice. Sure, a full ¼ wave whip would be better, but for most, that’s impractical. I am sure other CB antennas would work, too. But at least I know this one will tune into the band without too much trouble.

I guess this is why no one seems to make a 10 meter mag mount.

Peter, N4LI
Memphis
KV4AN Rating: 2010-07-22
POORLY CONSTRUCTED Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered a Wilson 500 from an popular Internet dealer for mobile 10 meter use. Received the first one, which had a crack in the housing where the coax enters the magnetic mount. Sent it back to the dealer, who returned the same antenna back to me (and told me it wouldn't affect the performance), only after three trips through the mail the crack had gone around the base too and there were small chunks of broken plastic in the box. Sent it back again and they sent me a new one. Took it out of the box and the magnetic and guts fell out the bottom. Take my advice and stay away.