Tram 1499 Mini Base CB Radio Antenna Workman b100
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- Testing a Tram 1499, 39" tall mini base station antenna,
using an old Realistic TRC-474 CB radio.
the antenna is 20' off the ground, and is connected with RG8X coax.
paypal.me/Mowe...
email
www.mowerjunkie@yahoo.com
Now THIS is how you do a radio check for TH-cam! I'm tired of "blah blah blah, this antenna sucks" or whatever. Why does it suck? Why is it good? THIS video proves exactly how to back up a claim. Need more of this. Excellent video MJ.
Thank You so much. Take care Andrew, 73's from 151 SC.
Stuff like this always excites me. I keep info like this at the ready, for when someone asks how they can get into a hobby on the cheap. I see many uses for an antenna without a formal groundpplane, RV/camping or trailer even, apartments. I'm sure there are more. My first base was a cobra 29 with an Amazon power supply and a 102" whip with a small radial. I have since gifted the antenna setup to my nephew, along with his first base. He's pretty excited to get into the hobby
I can remember back in the 70s cb radio was today's cellphone.
I had one of those antennas and it surprised me I even talked skip barefoot. Mr and Mrs mower junkie congrats on the radios and equipment and take care.
You have more chance on skip than talking local, just how things work.
@@mattpace5982 yeah, I was just saying it is two different principles. You could use a knitting needle to talk skip, as long as a signal gets out and into the air you have every chance of getting someone, but not line of sight. Well, not true, but it would need to be very close line of sight!
Well after watching your full video I now consider myself lucky to be able to get five miles on my tram 1499. Thank you for the video mower junky take care and be safe.
Yeah! Mine was garbage too!
I love the range test videos!
Mr. Mower Junkie, I have been watching your videos for a while and you are a man after my heart. I appreciate your testing of all these different antennas that is part of the fun of CBing. Thanks for all of your testing.
I'm working on another antenna today, the video will be out soon. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
I have this up on my garage, probably at 15' from ground. Low SWR and I get over 7 miles every day on this antenna. I have it on 50' of RG-58. I run a stock radio so am getting 3.2 watts out on the antenna side. Hey, all I need is 5 miles for what I'm using it for so I'm good!. Cheap costing antenna, used CB I got for free, and already had an 8 amp power supply unused, can't beat that.
CB at its best, not a bad-performing antenna. Another fellow tried one of these on another video and it stayed SWR-wise rather low up in the 10-meter band. With a piece of metal pipe in a tree high up, it might surprise all of us. I think I have one somewhere? Being small mounting it on a boat masthead who knows it might work well. I am surprised?. I enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing them !!!CB at its best, having fun finding out about things, lots of fun.
That was my first CB base antenna, and when I replaced it with an Antron 99 it went on my son's base station instead. Still on the roof! I had the same exact range experience as you.
terrain and elevation have a tremendous amount to do with mobile operation on CB frequencies. you could be only 2.5 miles away but in a 'bad spot' for transmitting, then drive 15 miles to a very good spot with elevation/line of sight and be strong back to your base.
I recently worked at a place that was phenomenal receive wise.
We're very flat here...no elevation changes...our radios die after 5 miles and pick up 15 miles again. Wierd sweet spot in the town 15 miles away. I'd like to try it on the 84ft silo on the farm here and a 200w kicker on ssb. Great video.
Definitely! You should mount an antenna on Your silo. I'll bet You'll end up with a lot more sweet spots. Thanks for watching.
Great idea to run both sides of the same moments of the conversations. A very effective demonstration. Great job!!
I was interested because I bought one of these when I was first getting into radio but I found a good deal on a antron and never put it up. With that performance I guess I will leave it in the basement lol. Sounding good in the mobile there with just a hint of echo 👍 519 Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
That's a nice station you have in the back ground love the old ham gear.
Nice video too 👍
I always considered them a locals only antenna, like for a trucking terminal for the yard trucks or incoming frieght. What excited me most on your video was the sight of a President Adams(?) Sitting on top of the pile behind you. My base radio is a President Grant DX mobile, and that series of President cb radios is my favorite. Thanks for another good vid!
Thanks Chris. My Adams is currently setup and in use. It will be used in My next video. Thanks for watching, 73's
I have a Workman 1499 , 43’ in the Air , with 50’ of new coax, and a New Cobra 29LTD Classic ( Peak performance tuned ) from Walcott Radios ...! I talk with a couple Guys I met on my New Set Up, That are over 38 Miles Away from me on A regular basis day or night, with a very strong Signal receiving and transmitting.....! I am extremely pleased with my 1499 Workman Base antenna, and my new
( Peak performance tuned ) radio from Walcott....! I truly enjoy your videos Sir Mower junkie....! 🎶🙏🙏🎵
Thanks for sharing, I'm glad to hear yours is working that well. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie ...
I appreciate you acknowledging the comment....🙏 I hope you and Mrs. Mower Junkie have a wonderful week....!
Prof. Jeff. ( GoldRush 242 )
Have used this for local traffic and it is on a 20 ft mast and has performed quite well. I use a balun dipole or an end fed vertical, each using RG 8 for any other use.
I use this exact same antenna for my cb in my house. Very low swr would recommend
John the Tram Workman Seiro of Italy the manufacturer of the antenna you have is a double Helix antenna. It will work perfect with 100' RG 8x coax the antenna is balanced to it. The shield is a counter poise so coax cable placement can affect antenna performance. Also coax type. It is very well banded. I have one two. SSB-444, SS-444, CA-444. Thank-you for the video. I plan on mostly using my Antron-99 after watching your video. I will use my B-100 for short distance personal communications. I think the UK made venom silver rod may even get a little more range then that one. That is basically a metal big stick. I personally feel they are more designed for marine use on a boat. Say hello to Barbra for me. She is an old friend. Used to talk a lot on the CA frequency when you were working late at the old lawn mower shop before you both moved down south.
I have one of these antennas I live in a mountainous part of central New Mexico and I remember I could talk to my buddies 5 6 miles away with that antenna with obstructions and the antenna was about 25 foot high
And when I would go to the flatter Parts I could get around 10 to 18 miles with an SWR of 1:2 with 50 feet of RG58 cable. if I remember I bought it off Amazon for 15 bucks.
Overall great antenna to use for starter! And great video Lawnmower Man!
I agree, with it's size and easy setup, it is a great starter antenna. Thanks for watching, Take care.
God bless you both, thanks for the test❤🎉
nice video, I like your videos and your ideas of doing things with your wife Mrs mower junky. I just wish my wife would get into it like I am, but all that aside I just bought the workman B100 today and can't wait till it gets here. can't wait to try to talk some skip with it at 3 watts and at 50 watts and even at 150 watts I'm going to try it out on the 12 -11 and 10-meter bands at different power levels and see how it works. I will keep you posted on the progress of it and how it works. thank you for your helpful information mower junky.
I used this antenna some more after I made this video, with 150 watts I was able to talk as far as 30 miles away. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
I bought one of these, I live in a subdivision with heavy restrictions. I had the same results as you. These antennas are fine for local work, can’t recommend them for anything serious.
Hey mower junkie, I'm from Orangeburg S.c.,I'm about to get a base station setup. I appreciate the video's and info.803 turnout of s.c. with the wave!!!
Great cb radio Show!!👉🍿
G'day Mower Junkie... Hope you and Barbara are well. Great video..... Can't beat large base antennas mate....... But for a kid to talk to his friend a few blocks away would be good! 73. US 2317
Thanks to you both for the test, that's not bad for a small antenna. God bless you guys.
I’m really liking that President radio! I hardly ever talked on side band but if I ever get another radio, I want one with side band. I was really impressed with how it sounded on side band in your installation video.
I got one of those. I used it in the beginning. Also lent it to a buddy to hook up a SDR to it.
What frequencies did your friend receive on sdr?
Thanks for sharing this video my friend!!! Very nice and interesting! You're a lucky man!!! My wife doesn't care about radios and communication so I don't think I'd be very lucky trying to test any radio. hahahaaa !!! About the antenna.... I think I'd get one and give it a try. I live in an apartment where no antennas are allowed on the roof so this one from the 5th floor balcony may work well for me... Thanks again and stay safe!
Awesome! I hope it works out for You. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
I messed around with one of these for the heck of it. Guy had bought it and didn't like it so he gave it to me. I got about the same results as you did with the normal set-up. Was using a RCI-2950 Orange face @30 Watts pep. Had the antenna on a 18.5 foot pole. We then bolted a gpk kit from a Proton-99 antenna and redid the test. It doubled the range of the antenna in receive. It seems the antenna does actually transmit better than it hears. I could get back to station at 10 miles out with a 2db signal. My receive of the base station was still about S7. Did notice that the base radio, another 2950 green face doing 35pep Watts that the finals were running a bit hot. It was common mode current from the antenna. Added an MFJ-915 right behind the radio and decided to run the test again. While it didn't receive any better the base transmit signal went up to S9 at 10 miles out. Drove to 15 out and still had base at S5. For our final test we put 4 108" 12ga copper wires on it for ground planes using the bolts and collar from the Proton gpk kit. We ran these at close to 90 degrees as we could. This increased the antennas receive range to our test mobile by 6 miles. It also improved the base signal considerably. Overall we could transmit to the North side of the city to other base stations up to 25 miles with no issues at all. S3 to S5 at 25 miles. Worked a SSB station at 40 miles with this configuration. My IMAX 2000 hits this same station much harder of course but it is 33' to bottom and almost 25 feet longer. So very much higher in elevation. The added ground planes made a difference but so did the current balun. I have messed around with many mobile antennas as base antennas and of course the 102" steel whip is probably the best. However I have found top loaded antennas can and will do better than center or bottom loaded antennas when used in this manner. But we have also found that almost every antenna does have common mode current. Aluminum antennas aren't too bad but any fiberglass antenna is troublesome. Antrons, IMax's, Trams and those B-100's and there clones are horrible. I know many guys use an ugly balun on these antennas and that stops the CMC but on the short antennas it doesn't work proper because the antenna needs a straight run of coax x amount of feet to work proper. For these antennas the current balun behind the radio seems to work best. Adding ground planes to these antennas does cut the CMC down to tolerable levels but it doesn't eliminate it completely. Only the current balun behind the radio eliminates all of the CMC.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Your experience. Your story made Me realize, I'm not the only one obsessed with antennas. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
I have had my wife do that before...I am going to do some vids like this on handhelds. I got 1 handheld that I got out 13 miles with.
This antenna type was originally designed for the UK, that has (had?) some antenna length / height limit (1.0 meter?) and a required attenuation requirements. It's interesting because it is simple and compact, but it may not perform as well as a mobile antenna due to the attenuation requirement. Maybe the size is enough to meet the attenuation requirement, compared to a full size base antenna.
Very good antenna. I guess that you have to remem,ber that all antennas are just extensions of the coax.
I have a TRC465 SSB and love it.
I have an Olson meter just like yours , boy i cried when they went out of business in Pittsburgh
I know what You mean, it's the only meter I have that will give an accurate reading every time. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
You cant beat an A99 ,for price or performance.
Take Care,Be Safe
514 Ontario Canada
Good test but you gotta remember the Jeep has advantage of a 45+ watt output with the radio you put in last show does that road rise in altitude after the 4 mi really increase again
Stay safe and motor pure 398 wis
there was about a 50' rise, But it didn't help. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video I just bought one of those B100 as a backup antenna I get about 5 miles going to get an amplifier I think to see how far I can on it
I believe their wattage limit is 200 wouldn't go much higher the antenna like a fat ",fire stick" the windings could heatup
I'm thinking 50 watts should be okay
I just got a JC Penney pinto ssb 23 channel base mobile new with the plastic still around the radio mint my favorite now.
What a great woman you have.
😅 I bought the Workman B100 version of that antenna. I had it up for about a week. Took it down and donated it to our local Baptist thrift store 😬. 73 Joe
Another good one thanks
it's Like a Rubber Ducky Antenna for a Base. haha.
I was looking at that antenna since I’m in a HOA but I’m going to stick with my homemade dipole based on the one you made. I get at least 10 miles from it on AM.
I would also stay with the dipole. The b100 is ok, but a dipole is a lot better for skip. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
This antenna is currently priced, without a roll of coax, for under $1 an inch, and has very wide, nearly 2 mhz, range of low swr, and a cool paint job!
I have 2 of them.
They work on 12, 11, and 10 meters. It is a nice little Vertical. KG7IRJ Ohio.
Looks like my first base station antenna back in 1996-1997 they where like 50$ it was called super lance on trc492 navaho base station back in hollywood,florida it was 51ft pole back then.
greetings from connecticut I like the content of your videos, I have a suggestion, I should make a video with the Yaesu 101B
the Yaesu 101B video will be coming soon. Take care, 73's from 151 SC.
👍
Tram 1499 is a solid 2 mile CB antenna that fades at 4 miles with low SWR. (Amazing how strong signals fade in short distance increase.) Tram 1498 is a solid 6 mile antenna that can reach mobiles at 10 miles and other bases at 18 miles solid. I Plan to use my 1499 on a bumper hitch to see how it competes with a firestick.
thanks for this video, was thinking about getting one, only states 5 mile would be the maximum distance.
Only good enough for really close locals. but done well all the same.
Dont think i will bother and keep to the 5.8 wave full home base antenna.
antenna cb workman b 100 how many distance in the city second floor bacon sorry to disturb thank you very much dear
The coax becomes the radiator this why they suggested 50ft min
But high RF into other devices and
loss of signal 1/2 mi down road to a Mobil. Talked zero DX on this antenna also on Sideband RF goes back into radio distorting audio .
But it's ok for am test antenna .
I've got one. With the 50 ft coax or longer great match . But mine dont seem to receive or transmit that well.
I have one of these there ok. I love in Daytona beach FL. On upper lower bands I can talk to DeLand FL a good 30 miles or so on am about 20 miles so it's a good antenna.
Hi from Belarus sorry short antenna not antenna hi to Barbara
Hi, most of your early radio checks were with the motor running and in most cases the cars engine drowned out your audio. 4 miles is not very far for AM on 27mhz CB Radio. I'm using a 9 foot (102 inch) stainless steel antenna on my car and i easily get 20 miles on 4 watts carrier power. With AM, audio power is so important that I can not state that strong enough.
In my country AM is not efficient enough for our purposes here, even FM is not good enough. SSB is all we use in my city of Perth Western Australia.
Then we have freak conditions and will have channel 6 am at 60+ db in the early hours of the morning. So Northern USA your making it 14,000 miles with skip conditions just right.
Thanks for the video. 73
i believe it is your end (from car) that is the weak point. She was transmitting loud and clear at 4 miles, but it was at your end that it was transmitting poorly. Could be antenna, but more likely that radio in your car is failing on transmit mode....as you said.... old, and also Mrs Mower Junky sounded terrible compared to other radios you have used. Try another radio, she was coming in strong at all distances, you weren't. Good vid. Have a nice holiday.
Greetings. Install one equal to 15 meters from the ground, on a roof and I do not receive more than 1 mile, the range is very poor and also the reception, it gnaws at 1.3. It seems that this antenna works better if it is close to the earth.
Still interested in that President radio...
hello please i want information for sirio thunder 96 cm cb antenna okay second floor balcony thanks 🙏
Is that a siltronix 1011 radio on your left? I grew up with one of those, sold it on eBay a decade or so ago.
no, I've never owned a 1011. it might have been my FT-101 Yaesu that you saw.
I've looked at getting one of these several times. They are more expensive now than what you paid for that one Mower Junkie.
Which antenna did you guys get out 12 miles on? If I remember correctly you had 12 watts and got out 12 miles?
I think it was the Tram 1498 or maybe the SS Whip ground plane, can't remember.
I did do a radio test at 12 miles away. It's a test spot I use a lot. Thanks for watching, 73's
I connected a handheld telescopic whip to the rear of my transmitter with a pl259 to bnc right angle and made a 9 foot tiger tale to drop out the window of the second floor and it has better range for half the price than a tram 1499.
It is truely over hyped snake oil and i love tram . There maybe a use but i cant figure it out..
Is that a Drake tr4 on the bench l see ?
UDX358🎉
Great test video as always. I wish you had left the passenger side sun visor up so I could see if I recognized any landmarks or scenery as you were riding down the road.
I was in the Black River road area, Near Pisgah Church. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
@@MowerJunkie
Oh okay! Sounds good! I do enjoy your videos when I get the chance to watch them!
Now Mower Junkie, does it use the coax as a ground or does it have a match coil inside that is tapped to give a match for 50 ohms? Not good if it is using the coax to give a ground!
it does use the coax as a ground plane.
@@MowerJunkie Bad design, they should have used a transformer coil. 4 miles is all you got? I could almost shout that far! lol :-P
@@MowerJunkie not a true ground plain it is counterpoise in other words an off center vertical dipole the increase in shield length create open ended coil 50ft must be the harmonic length
@@MowerJunkie you could try like 6 windings choke in feedline at different distances from the antenna ( hand wound about the size of two liter bottle circumference) most antennas like that choke at 3 to 5 ft below connector but in the stylei moving it possibly out 10 ft may bring set changes
What kind of antenna do you have on your vehicle?
There is much better options for balcony antennas for y’all asking Sirio makes one called a Boomerang and Maco makes the BA-1 Balcony Antenna both great options and much better antennas the Maco is even 1000 watt rated I think...
I tried that antenna it doesn't work for me swr could not get down....I give up
Have you tried shooting skip on this antenna? Anyone know if it would work for something like that?
can you home brew a ground plane to this antenna
Hola.. saludos...No hablo inglés,pero si comprendo tu explicación, muy buena. Sera posible ponerle a esa antena un flanger con tres o cuatro radiales flotantes y cuanto medirá cada uno. Si puedes explicarme, te lo agradeceria mucho....Gracias.
Nice test, have you ever heard of a magnamount mobile ant. Call " K-40", if so what's your thoughts? Still have mine, got it new back in 198?
The K-40 is still a good antenna.Don't let it's age scare You. The antenna I have on My car was made in 1972, and it still works great! Thanks for watching, Take care.
I got one swr are low not to bad for the money
That's the exact same antenna I am currently using on my base stations in my home here in Russellville Arkansas. I kind of live out of town way out in the country lot of Tall Pine trees around me I have it mounted about 30 foot up using the exact amount the coax it calls for 50 foot and I barely get out I don't know if it's because I'm below the tree line I'm up on a hill which I assume that might help but apparently not I've tried it on six different base station radios I have in my house and they all do just about the same it'll broadcast about halfway through town which is approximately 5 miles from where I live and then the signal just Fades from that point I try to talk to the trucker's out here on I-40 and apparently not one of them here's a thing I'm saying or they just totally ignore me one or the other I'm not sure. But I think it's a good antenna I'm just not sure perhaps if I didn't live around all these tall pine trees the signal might broadcast a little further but in my opinion it's probably not the best antenna for a base station.
I bought one and I couldn't get it to pick up that good. Its sitting in my garage now
Send to me !! I'm in nem mexico !👍
I got one in my tool shed , been there about 10 years..
Can you make a cb reapter out that tram 1499 if anybody does it please video out there..
Woohoo my Tram 1499 came today
Is the rg8x the best coax to use or does it matter as long as its 50’?
rg8x will work very well with Your new antenna. Thanks for watching, Take care.
@@MowerJunkie ok thanks
Should've tested how far you can hear her :)
ok thanks yes because I live in the center I think it's not good thanks 🙏
I'm waiting for reply thank you very much sorry for disturbing 👍
I hope You can get it all figured out. Take care, Thanks for watching.
Is the Tram 1499 the same antenna as the Workman B100?
Yup, They are the same antenna.
Maybe not the best antenna But heck It's FREE. :)
What about a Slim-Jim antenna designed for 26-28MHZ.
I owned one of those. It was just as I found with mine. I used a similar set-up (50' RG8X, 20' up). It works like a 3 foot dummy load. It seems to transmit OK but is effectively deaf. the worst base antenna I've EVER used.
4 to 6 miles is what I get out that antenna
What kind of 50ft coax are you using?
I use RG8X on all of My antennas. Thanks for watching, 73's from 151 SC.
I bought one of these cant even get good swr 50 feet cable still doesn't work
What kind of distance can a person actually expect from a good CB setup?
My base setup will reach about 30 miles with only 12 watts. with 100 watts I've reached up to 50 miles, and 60 miles with 200 watts.
Good evening sorry I want information for antenna cb workman b 100 is good for balcony second floor thank you very much
it should be good for balcony, If you mount it away from the building.
I purchased this antenna and find it to be completely worthless. Mounted 25 feet in the air, with the optimum 50 foot of RG8x coax, this pile of garbage is out performed by my Little Wil style Tram mobile magnet mount on the trunk of my Honda. No joke. Even with an SWR of around 1.3 to 1, this antenna cannot even perform on par with a mobile antenna that's a couple feet of the ground. How the hell can they sell this with a straight face?
Workman Saturn B-100 No
ok for second floor stage thanks
I had/have that one and another just like it by another mfg. and neither of 'em did that great (a mag mount antenna on an overturned cake pan did better), but they were something to compare and review, but that was a few years back - now, the grand kids use them as star wars light sabers... so it wasn't a total wash... 😉
LOL, That's the best use for these antennas I've heard yet! I'll bet Your Grand Kids have a lot of fun with them. Take care, Thanks for watching.
I got one, Doesn't work good at all. It's good for a dummy load and thats about all
These are only local antennas. 5-7 miles distance when mounted outside and 4-5 when in the attic.
It does what it says on the box! Get something else if you you want to get out further. It works well for me as I just talk to the people in my town!! Stay safe!❤️
How many watts will it take?
it's rated for 500 watts, but I don't think I would try that.
Does that joker actually work???
only for short communication.
Now john thats not a fair comparison. Not everyone is riding around with the audio and recieve of that president. You need a little modulator for that jeep. If ya need one and still have my number give me a text. I lost all my contacts. 127 up in Gville. Operator John. I have the snapper with the 102 whip.....
I know it, the President was not the radio I wanted to use, But after I pulled out of My driveway I realized I didn't have a mic for the Realistic. So I just did the test with the George. Take care 127. Thanks for watching.