[TowerTalk] 10 meter to 11 meter antenna-Super Scanner

[Dinsterdog@aol.com]

The antenna Tom asked about is indeed the Super Scanner-  It is three 
aluminum 1/2 wave dipoles you can either use as a beam, or run omni 
directional.  I used one for years growing up in the late 70's and had a 
blast with it during the CB craze- 

I also used a Moonraker 4, which is a 4 element beam, that incorporated 4 
vertical, and 4 horizontal elements,  that you could run vertical, horizontal 
and/or both. Looked like a mono-band quad-  

Both antennas came with special switches.  The super scanner used a desk top 
box switch that had 3 red LED lights in a triangle pattern.  You just plugged 
it in, and used a knob to switch to the antenna of choice, N, SW or SE, or 
could set it for an omni directional pattern. It controlled relays at the 
antenna.

The moonraker 4 used a desk top mechanical switch to run horizontal, 
vertical, or both and had the need for two feedlines going out to the 
antenna.  Each beam so to say had it's own gamma match as I recall.

Both antennas could be converted to 10 meters. But many freeband radio 
operators around the world use, or did use, these antennas in the so called 
free band radio zone between 10 and 11 meters centered around 27.555USB, with 
no problems- 

I don't know if either antennas are still being made, but I see a lot of 
super scanners on top of truck stop buildings etc.......Most are typically 
missing an element or two- or part of one- leaving a puzzle to many people 
wondering what "it" was up there-

I think you can discover a beat up Super Scanner or Moonraker 4 in just about 
every town hanging up sideways somewhere-  

Anyhow, if you ever want to see just how alive freebanding around the world 
is, just listen in around 27.555USB some day when 10 meters is open- and the 
QSO's taken place all around this frequency, +- 300KHz, and you will be 
amazed- The FCC seems to have allowed this space to be used for a couple 
generations now- as have other countries- The reason I bring up this taboo 
subject is that these types of antennas,  were designed, in part,  with this 
market in mind.  

Most of you already know about this, but just in case you ever get bored 
waiting for 10 meters to open, you can listen here and realize what we gave 
up in trading in 11 meters- I can't tell you how many times this part of the 
band seems open (MUF) when 10 is dead-   

73 Paul N0AH

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