Channel Master Stereo Probe 9

The Channel Master Stereo Probe 9, model number 3025 (previously 4408), is an outdoor receiving antenna for the FM broadcast band. It is a Log-Yagi array with nine elements on a 138″ boom. Four folded elements are driven.

I modeled the antenna with the AO-Pro 8.50 Antenna Optimizer program. This image shows the antenna geometry.

This shows segmentation detail for the phasing lines. Blue dots indicate analysis segments. The red dot is the feedpoint. The phasing line is bowed inward to avoid the mast.

Ken Wetzel uses this Probe 9 at Ridgecrest, California.

Modeling Results

Below are calculated performance figures for a segmentation density of 40 segments per halfwave. Mismatch loss is due to SWR. Wire loss is due to conductor resistance. Mismatched gain is forward gain including wire and mismatch losses. F/R is the ratio of forward power to that of the worst backlobe in the rear half-plane. The SWR reference impedance is 300Ω.

88.000 MHz:   Impedance         124 - j148 ohms
              SWR                 3.10
              Mismatch Loss       1.32 dB
              Wire Loss           0.05 dB
              Mismatched Gain     6.87 dBd
              F/R                15.94 dB

93.000 MHz:   Impedance         354 + j78 ohms
              SWR                 1.34
              Mismatch Loss       0.09 dB
              Wire Loss           0.02 dB
              Mismatched Gain     8.67 dBd
              F/R                18.47 dB

98.000 MHz:   Impedance         398 - j42 ohms
              SWR                 1.36
              Mismatch Loss       0.10 dB
              Wire Loss           0.01 dB
              Mismatched Gain     8.77 dBd
              F/R                20.57 dB

103.000 MHz:  Impedance         266 + j111 ohms
              SWR                 1.50
              Mismatch Loss       0.18 dB
              Wire Loss           0.02 dB
              Mismatched Gain     9.03 dBd
              F/R                16.75 dB

108.000 MHz:  Impedance         577 + j148 ohms
              SWR                 2.09
              Mismatch Loss       0.58 dB
              Wire Loss           0.03 dB
              Mismatched Gain     8.07 dBd
              F/R                12.84 dB

Patterns

Antenna File

Probe 9
Free Space
98 MHz
77 6063-T832 wires, inches
p1 = 0			; element positions
p2 = 20
p23 = 30
p3 = 40
p34 = 50
p4 = 60
p4f = 61.375		; feedpoint
p5 = 75
p6 = 90
p7 = 105
p8 = 120
p9 = 135
a1 = 27.25		; DE1 overall length
a2 = a1 - 1		; start of end curve
a3 = a1 - 3		; end of 0.5"-diameter tubing
b1 = 31.75		; DE2
b2 = b1 - 1
b3 = b1 - 3
c1 = 34.25		; DE3
c2 = c1 - 1
c3 = c1 - 3
d1 = 37.25		; DE4
d2 = d1 - 1
d3 = d1 - 3
d = .375		; element diameter
c = .5			; folded dipole end diameter
m = 1.75		; director mounting bracket halfwidth
b = 1			; equivalent diameter of mounting brackets
s = 1.125		; phasing-line spacing
t = .375		; phasing-line spacing near mast
h = 1.25		; folded dipole halfheight
j = h + .5		; rise at adjustable phasing-line joint between DE2 & DE3
shift x -67.5

1  p1     -d1  0    p1    -d2  h    c
1  p1     -d2  h    p1    -d3  h    c
1  p1     -d3  h    p1     -2  h    d
1  p1      -2  h    p1      2  h    b
1  p1       2  h    p1     d3  h    d
1  p1      d3  h    p1     d2  h    c
1  p1      d2  h    p1     d1  0    c
1  p1     -d1  0    p1    -d2 -h    c
1  p1     -d2 -h    p1    -d3 -h    c
1  p1     -d3 -h    p1     -s -h    d
1  p1       s -h    p1     d3 -h    d
1  p1      d3 -h    p1     d2 -h    c
1  p1      d2 -h    p1     d1  0    c

1  p2     -c1  0    p2    -c2  h    c
1  p2     -c2  h    p2    -c3  h    c
1  p2     -c3  h    p2     -s  h    d
1  p2       s  h    p2     c3  h    d
1  p2      c3  h    p2     c2  h    c
1  p2      c2  h    p2     c1  0    c
1  p2     -c1  0    p2    -c2 -h    c
1  p2     -c2 -h    p2    -c3 -h    c
1  p2     -c3 -h    p2     -s -h    d
1  p2       s -h    p2     c3 -h    d
1  p2      c3 -h    p2     c2 -h    c
1  p2      c2 -h    p2     c1  0    c

1  p3     -b1  0    p3    -b2  h    c
1  p3     -b2  h    p3    -b3  h    c
1  p3     -b3  h    p3     -s  h    d
1  p3       s  h    p3     b3  h    d
1  p3      b3  h    p3     b2  h    c
1  p3      b2  h    p3     b1  0    c
1  p3     -b1  0    p3    -b2 -h    c
1  p3     -b2 -h    p3    -b3 -h    c
1  p3     -b3 -h    p3     -s -h    d
1  p3       s -h    p3     b3 -h    d
1  p3      b3 -h    p3     b2 -h    c
1  p3      b2 -h    p3     b1  0    c

1  p4     -a1  0    p4    -a2  h    c
1  p4     -a2  h    p4    -a3  h    c
1  p4     -a3  h    p4     -s  h    d
1  p4      -s  h    p4f    -s  h    .5                  ; equiv diam = half the plate width
1  p4f     -s  h    p4f     s  h    #22 copper          ; feedpoint
1  p4       s  h    p4f     s  h    .5                  ; equiv diam = half the plate width
1  p4       s  h    p4     a3  h    d
1  p4      a3  h    p4     a2  h    c
1  p4      a2  h    p4     a1  0    c
1  p4     -a1  0    p4    -a2 -h    c
1  p4     -a2 -h    p4    -a3 -h    c
1  p4     -a3 -h    p4     -s -h    d
1  p4       s -h    p4     a3 -h    d
1  p4      a3 -h    p4     a2 -h    c
1  p4      a2 -h    p4     a1  0    c

1  p4       s -h    p34     t -h    d
1  p34      t -h    p3      s -h    d
1  p4      -s -h    p34    -t -h    d
1  p34     -t -h    p3     -s -h    d

1  p3       s  h    p23     s  j    d
1  p23      s  j    p2      s  h    d
1  p3      -s  h    p23    -s  j    d
1  p23     -s  j    p2     -s  h    d

1  p2       s -h    p1      s -h   .25
1  p2      -s -h    p1     -s -h   .25

1  p5  -25    0    p5   -m    0    d
1  p5   -m    0    p5    m    0    b
1  p5    m    0    p5   25    0    d

1  p6  -24.5  0    p6   -m    0    d
1  p6   -m    0    p6    m    0    b
1  p6    m    0    p6   24.5  0    d

1  p7  -24.5  0    p7   -m    0    d
1  p7   -m    0    p7    m    0    b
1  p7    m    0    p7   24.5  0    d

1  p8  -24.5  0    p8   -m    0    d
1  p8   -m    0    p8    m    0    b
1  p8    m    0    p8   24.5  0    d

1  p9  -24    0    p9   -m    0    d
1  p9   -m    0    p9    m    0    b
1  p9    m    0    p9   24    0    d

1 source
Wire 42, center

Mounting bracket equivalent diameter calculated with the YO 7.66 Yagi Optimizer.

Disable bent-wire correction.

January 21, 201088–108 MHz