Nice video. I have the Thunderbolt 5/8 and 1/2 wave antenna from Hawkins. Great quality as you say and great performance! I use mine as permanent Homebase antennas in my tree at the bottom of the garden with a 9m pole. Been there now for 2 years without any problems. Only taken down 2x for basic maintenance. Highly recommended!
Thanks for the informative video Steve. I purchased the Thunderbolt SSD58+ for 4m after watching one of your other videos and I'm really pleased with the results. I'm definitely going to get the 10m version now.....want to open that repeater in Switzerland!
Hi Stephen Legg, I would like to use a spiderbeam mast with this antenna for a portable station. How is is possible to attach the top of the antenna with the mast ? Thank you for your answer. Fred from France
Hi, take a look at my spider beam video I did, it will show you a cap I attached to the top so I could hook over the loop on the wire antenna. Or use tape, caution, only use very slightly sticky tape or you may risk damage to the spiderbeam outer layer. I use cheap electrical tape but be careful. I believe spiderbeam are looking into a new tape to use specifically on their product. Keep a check on their Web site. Regards Steve.
Have a look at thunderbolt antennas on their Facebook age, e mail / message them, they will probable post outside UK. I am still using a Thunderbolt 4m antenna for my permanent home base 70mhz ant3, been up almost 2 years with no problems. The 11m one is made just as well. Regards Steve
Hi Steve, is the stub on the antenna RG213. I was reading on a forum that talks about these homebrew gainmaster aerials and using a RG213 stub it will handle more power.
All coax cables have a recommended power rating. So does the antenna, but its more important to get antenna high if doing ground wave work, or if doing skip 8ft off the ground gets me into the USA only using stock 12 watts when conditions are good. Power can be good but you got to double it twice to effectively get one more s point. Low loss coax, good connections, good vswr which the gainmaster does well and it should work extremely well. Rg213 is better than rg58, but if its a very short run it won't make any noticeable difference on that band to signal, just dont over power it.
I re read your question, i presume you meant stub on thunderbolt? Not sure what Hawkins used on the stub, it looks thicker than rg58. I have never pushed it power wise, those repeater contacts into Switzerland were only using 10 watts peak power. If the whole antenna used thicker wire it would increase power handling. I would speak with Hawkings the antenna maker and see if he would make you a thick wire one to handle the power you want to use. His antenna site is on facebook, hawkings antennas. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Hi Steve, yeah the stub looks like RG213 on the photos on ebay. I use a homebrew gainmaster bought from a different ebay seller i have it mounted the same as you on a 12m spiderbeam and there top notch albeit the stub is RG58. Anyway thanks for the info think it's time to upgrade and try the hawkins one. Cheers.
Hello again Steve .1 year on from my original comment. I did a comparison test. With a Thunderpole galaxy 5/8 wave. A Sirio 2016 and the Thunderbolt. Both the Sirio and the Hawkins out performed the thunderpole. And could not split them. However the Sirio just edged it overall. With a better noise floor marginally over the Hawkins thunderbolt.. All that said. The Thunderbolt is way more versatile and portable,than a Sirio 2016.. Hope this was useful info.. 73s HS0ZOU..
Hello again, thank you for the update, i have yet to try a sirio but like you say the hawkins is very handy. Mine is still in use and has been up in all weathers. Thank you for your comments, very appreciated regards Steve
Yes, SR5KPN in Warsaw needs 127.3 tone, HB9HD Switzerland 71.9 tone. Both have been active from UK many times this past year, always worth putting into a memory bank and checking from time to time. More information can be found on these via qrz pages or Facebook. Good luck, thank you for your question. Regards Steve
I have the antenna attached to a fibreglass pole atop a fibreglass 30ft mast. Been up over 9 months, all weather and winter, it works a treat and out performs my sirio I took down.
@@T.M.G2014 I do have the spider beam and have used it on that. But also use a Moonraker telescopic I picked up for under 70 quid at a radio rally. That's my main mast and gets put up and down and antennas on and off very quickly.
I have also been trying to contact them but have had no response. I would have thought someone would continue making them as very good antennas. Regards Steve
@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV I'm usually good at investigating stuff leave it with me and I'll try and find out one idea I'll ring ebay and see whst they can find out
Just used my Hawkins Thunderbolt SSD 58+ , for the 1st time portable in Buri Ram Thailand . It did not disappoint. 5/7 and 5/9 into Taiwan , and The Phillipines used with a CRT9900 and standard power 80w PEP.. Great bit of kit compact portable and great performance.. Very happy with mine.. Cheers and 73s 153AT888 / HS0ZOU. / M7AVM.
Nice video. I have the Thunderbolt 5/8 and 1/2 wave antenna from Hawkins. Great quality as you say and great performance! I use mine as permanent Homebase antennas in my tree at the bottom of the garden with a 9m pole. Been there now for 2 years without any problems. Only taken down 2x for basic maintenance. Highly recommended!
Thanks for the informative video Steve. I purchased the Thunderbolt SSD58+ for 4m after watching one of your other videos and I'm really pleased with the results. I'm definitely going to get the 10m version now.....want to open that repeater in Switzerland!
I’ve had the same radio for 2 years and still cannot get the ctcss tones to work correctly
Hi Stephen Legg, I would like to use a spiderbeam mast with this antenna for a portable station. How is is possible to attach the top of the antenna with the mast ? Thank you for your answer.
Fred from France
Hi, take a look at my spider beam video I did, it will show you a cap I attached to the top so I could hook over the loop on the wire antenna. Or use tape, caution, only use very slightly sticky tape or you may risk damage to the spiderbeam outer layer. I use cheap electrical tape but be careful. I believe spiderbeam are looking into a new tape to use specifically on their product. Keep a check on their Web site. Regards Steve.
That Thunderbolt looks like one of those TL2T antennas?, probably only available to folks in the U.K.?
Have a look at thunderbolt antennas on their Facebook age, e mail / message them, they will probable post outside UK. I am still using a Thunderbolt 4m antenna for my permanent home base 70mhz ant3, been up almost 2 years with no problems. The 11m one is made just as well. Regards Steve
Hi Steve, is the stub on the antenna RG213. I was reading on a forum that talks about these homebrew gainmaster aerials and using a RG213 stub it will handle more power.
All coax cables have a recommended power rating. So does the antenna, but its more important to get antenna high if doing ground wave work, or if doing skip 8ft off the ground gets me into the USA only using stock 12 watts when conditions are good. Power can be good but you got to double it twice to effectively get one more s point. Low loss coax, good connections, good vswr which the gainmaster does well and it should work extremely well. Rg213 is better than rg58, but if its a very short run it won't make any noticeable difference on that band to signal, just dont over power it.
I re read your question, i presume you meant stub on thunderbolt? Not sure what Hawkins used on the stub, it looks thicker than rg58. I have never pushed it power wise, those repeater contacts into Switzerland were only using 10 watts peak power. If the whole antenna used thicker wire it would increase power handling. I would speak with Hawkings the antenna maker and see if he would make you a thick wire one to handle the power you want to use. His antenna site is on facebook, hawkings antennas. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Hi Steve, yeah the stub looks like RG213 on the photos on ebay. I use a homebrew gainmaster bought from a different ebay seller i have it mounted the same as you on a 12m spiderbeam and there top notch albeit the stub is RG58. Anyway thanks for the info think it's time to upgrade and try the hawkins one. Cheers.
Hello again Steve .1 year on from my original comment. I did a comparison test. With a Thunderpole galaxy 5/8 wave. A Sirio 2016 and the Thunderbolt. Both the Sirio and the Hawkins out performed the thunderpole. And could not split them. However the Sirio just edged it overall. With a better noise floor marginally over the Hawkins thunderbolt.. All that said. The Thunderbolt is way more versatile and portable,than a Sirio 2016..
Hope this was useful info..
73s HS0ZOU..
Hello again, thank you for the update, i have yet to try a sirio but like you say the hawkins is very handy. Mine is still in use and has been up in all weathers. Thank you for your comments, very appreciated regards Steve
would the Hawkins-Radio Thunderbolt SSD58+ 5/8th Wave work on ssb?
Yes most definitely, the mode, am, fm or ssb will all leave the antenna the same and give you good dx. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Thanks for replying Stephen
Hi Steve - do those repeaters need an access tone?
Yes, SR5KPN in Warsaw needs 127.3 tone, HB9HD Switzerland 71.9 tone. Both have been active from UK many times this past year, always worth putting into a memory bank and checking from time to time. More information can be found on these via qrz pages or Facebook. Good luck, thank you for your question. Regards Steve
You said it's going to be your home base how will it be permanently mounted outside thanks
I have the antenna attached to a fibreglass pole atop a fibreglass 30ft mast. Been up over 9 months, all weather and winter, it works a treat and out performs my sirio I took down.
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV what fibre glass pole do you prefer to use thanks
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV is it the spider beam
@@T.M.G2014 I do have the spider beam and have used it on that. But also use a Moonraker telescopic I picked up for under 70 quid at a radio rally. That's my main mast and gets put up and down and antennas on and off very quickly.
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV thanks for the reply I've ordered the same antenna for 11m so wondering what pole to purchase to leave it up 😀
Thunderbolt seem to stop trading
I have also been trying to contact them but have had no response. I would have thought someone would continue making them as very good antennas. Regards Steve
@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV I have 1 the 58 plus top notch ill try and find out what's happening
@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV I'm usually good at investigating stuff leave it with me and I'll try and find out one idea I'll ring ebay and see whst they can find out
Just used my Hawkins Thunderbolt SSD 58+ , for the 1st time portable in Buri Ram Thailand . It did not disappoint. 5/7 and 5/9 into Taiwan , and The Phillipines used with a CRT9900 and standard
power 80w PEP.. Great bit of kit compact portable and great performance.. Very happy with mine.. Cheers and 73s 153AT888 / HS0ZOU. / M7AVM.