This has probably already been covered a bunch, but what does the AmTac Microwave setup gain me over NGC? The principle seems very similar. To add to the question, is there more of an advantage for mono than for braid?

here this should answer all your questions
[rodbuilding.org]

Bill - willierods.com

It won't gain you much if any distance. It might obtain a rod that balances a bit further back towards the butt or even weighs a tad bit less overall. It's probably quicker to set up, although the standard NGC doesn't exactly take a long time. I think overall the two systems are almost a dead even match in terms of practical results, but the MicroWave might be more "automatic" if that makes any sense to you.

...............

There is also a microwave review father down Check it out

Bill - willierods.com

A single reduction train layout that covers a much broader range of reel sizes and line types and diameters.

Joe

Joe

I am understanding that the Set has a 30 butt guide ring and the Castaway has a 20 ??

Bill - willierods.com

Bill,
It's just the opposite. The castaway version is a 30/8 combination where the ATC version has a 20/5 setup.

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Thanks for correcting me Had it backwards
So I can take it the set with 20/5 will work well on a 500 reel with 4 LB braid ???

Bill - willierods.com

Like a funnel, the MicroWave "stripper" guide takes the gyrating line and straightens it before entering the second guide (transition guide), The MicroWave guide does in one guide what it takes the NGC four or more guides to do.

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

Bill....the ATC (20/5) is perfect for your set-up.

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

Thanks Don

It is just that the guides used in the set Got to be heaver then minama 5 or 4's I don't need more guides in my stach It is building up

Bill - willierods.com

Bill.... the 5mm running guides in the ATC MicroWave set are lighter than the 5mm minima

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

As Joe pointed out, "A single reduction train layout that covers a much broader range of reel sizes and line types and diameters. "
This is the key for me, you don't have to dedicate one reel to the micro wave rod. You can be seeking Crappie today with a size 500 reel and Bass tomorrow with a size 2500 and you know that the rod will perform equally as well.

With that 4 LB braid and the same reel I have caught 4 LB bass Just in how ya fish the big ones Carefully

Yet I do understand about the same guide and different reels thing

Bill - willierods.com

Don Morse Wrote:
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> Bill.... the 5mm running guides in the ATC
> MicroWave set are lighter than the 5mm minima


By my weighing I find the standard 5mm Minima to come in at .1 gram, and the 5mm ATC to come in at .23 grams. Is there a lighter ATC 5mm out there now?

I do not have a minima to weigh but PacBay says the XSV4XG05 weighs .156 grams and the XF4XG05 weighs .149 grams...... the nanolite MW runner comes in at .123 grams. That is the stainless steel frame. You can go even lighter by going with the TidalWave set, that 5mm guides weighs only .089 grams according to my scale.

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2014 02:41PM by Don Morse.

Some posters are writing as if the NGC system is critical to reel design. It is optimized relative to reel design, but works well with all practical reels, so well you will have a hard time seeing differences. IMHO, what should be compared to the Microwave is the Fuji KLH system, which in two or at most three reduction guides does the same thing that the Microwave does in two. It is optimized for the reel, but is tolerant of other reels. I think anyone who is looking for systems that are "head and shoulders" above others is going to be looking a long time. I think it is a given that Microwave is the easiest to set up; just follow the specified spacing for the first three guides, then locate the others based on stress test. However, KLH has the advantage of having more options available in guides. It can be set up with Fuji reduction guides, then others for the running guides. If they are done in the same finishes, only you will know that part of the guides are from another source. The final consideration to be considered is whether you want the rods to fit into rod tubes. If you do, you may find Microwave and KLH too high, a disadvantage to both. Then you go back to designing around Y guides, or maybe even V's. And you will be able to do quite well with both. My opinion based on quite a bit of test casting with little difference found between any of the systems. If you are going to use braid of less than 15 pound test just about anything will work very well.

I weighed five of the Minimas and got .5 grams. I'm going to have to stick with .1 gram per. The titanium models would be even lighter.

Michael,
I agree.
I think that one can basically use a middle of the line setup so to speak, and the rod casting and retrieve performance will be very similar; no matter the reel.

I generally use about 5 different spinning rods that I have built.

I will commonly use anywhere from a size 10 reel up to a size 40 reel, depending on what I am doing that day; and each of the rods cast and retrieve line just fine with little difference, if any between the different reels.

I always get a bit better distance by using the larger spools. But I think that the reason for that is simply the larger reel and the fewer loops of line coming off the spool, more so than any difference in guide size or height.

Be safe

Mick You should have stood up at the round up. You could have debated as well as I did.