Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

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mickymcd
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Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by mickymcd »

Hi all I use 2m a lot ive been using a radiozing x50 antenna 17' from the floor coax run is around 25' to the shack I get out great from where it is located and I receive well.I fancied another antenna which would be about 15' higher than the x50 mounted aboved my cobwebb antenna I purchased the moonraker SQBM4060P as it was on offer and its sold as a quad band antenna 6/4/2/70cm now I know it aint going to be great on 6/4 but it could be useable if the band is ever open.Here's the thing the moonraker antenna is giving me dire performance I was listening to a station last night on 2m using the moonraker antenna he was 4/3 when I swapped over to the x50 he was 5/9+.
Im thinking is the cobwebb limiting the performance with it being so close to the new antenna ? the swr on the new moonraker antenna is fine thru the bands its advertised to work on but before I start to take it down for some investigation I just cant belive this antenna would be so poor ? ive emailed moonraker yet to have a reply incase they've had returns etc. {bnghd}
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Andy
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by Andy »

Moonraker antennas seem to have a reputation for being 'not the best', but such a massive difference seems a bit strange. I suppose my next move would be to remove the x50 and put the Moonraker in its place to see if it's the siting that's the problem.
In my experience quad-band antennas never work well on all four bands, there are too many compromises.
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Adriano9966
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by Adriano9966 »

If you can get away with it and you have the space you could have seperate antennas for 6 and 4 metres

Here is a design for a home brew dual band colinear, in my view this article has excellent photos diagrams and good explanation throughout

HTH kind regards Adrian http://www.anderschou.dk/oz3qy/ANTENNAS/UHF2.htm
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by mickymcd »

Hi all thanks for the input I tried moving the moonraker quad band also tried diff coax too no avail in the end after contacting moonraker they have give me a refund on the antenna which im pleased about but the poor performance on this particular anteena is woeful for such a price.
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owza
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by owza »

I've had a similar experience with the Mirfeild ME64270. It does gets me on 4 bands though. With some reasonable contacts, well into Europe on 6, Ireland on 4. It doesn't do a good job on 2m, but it works well enough for me to chat with local stations. It's a compromise, because the alternative is for me not to be operating on 4/6, or vice versa.
steepeljack69
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by steepeljack69 »

I bought the 6/4/2/70 version as I can’t have too many antennas up,it replaced a Diamond x-50.Totally useless!i couldn’t work any of the 2m repeaters which I worked easily with the x-50.Also swr was really high on 4m,I couldn’t work anyone.What did I expect from a antenna just over a meter long.I wouldn’t buy one but sum say they work ok.
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by Auldgeek »

steepeljack69 wrote:I bought the 6/4/2/70 version as I can’t have too many antennas up,it replaced a Diamond x-50.Totally useless!i couldn’t work any of the 2m repeaters which I worked easily with the x-50.Also swr was really high on 4m,I couldn’t work anyone.What did I expect from a antenna just over a meter long.I wouldn’t buy one but sum say they work ok.
I've had one up for a few months and it's about to be replaced as it's as much use as a chocolate tea pot. As you say, swr is high on 4m and overall performance is extremely poor. You expect compromise on 6 & 4 due to its physical size but you would think 2m & 70cm would be more or less comparable to an X-50.

I have a replacement waiting to go up in its place at the loss of 4m unfortunately. I have a 4m beam anyway but thought this could be a decent multiband utility type antenna but no such luck.

It's a pile of poo
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by steepeljack69 »

I thought the same but like u say they r crap and people need to keep their money as these are a waste!
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by steepeljack69 »

Sum guy on 70mhz Facebook group reckons there best thing since sliced bread!says swr is ok on 4m and is ok on other bands.He must have a special one,everyone I know that’s had one doesn’t recognise anything he has said.
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by MrWeetabix »

steepeljack69 wrote:Sum guy on 70mhz Facebook group reckons there best thing since sliced bread!says swr is ok on 4m and is ok on other bands.He must have a special one,everyone I know that’s had one doesn’t recognise anything he has said.
I reckon his SWR meter is busted! :lol:
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by Auldgeek »

MrWeetabix wrote:
steepeljack69 wrote:Sum guy on 70mhz Facebook group reckons there best thing since sliced bread!says swr is ok on 4m and is ok on other bands.He must have a special one,everyone I know that’s had one doesn’t recognise anything he has said.
I reckon his SWR meter is busted! :lol:
Perhaps he has used that swr grease again! :)
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Re: Poor performance vhf Moonraker antenna SQBM4060P

Post by MrWeetabix »

Well all I know is that we don;t really have a subjective answer to whether it's any good or not until CH25 has let us know what he thinks........ :lol:
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