Another HAM Thread: Antennas

Okay, I finally have a mobile radio, an Alinco DR-635t. Now I need advice on an antenna.

It'll be mounted through my Trooper's roof, and I'd like to have two antennas- a long one that I'll use in the woods, and a short rubber ducky that I'll use around town. I'll be working the 2m and 70cm bands.

First, the main question: NMO or ?. I've seen a few different types of though-the-roof connectors, but my gut says install an NMO mount. Does anyone have a favorite through-the-roof mount?

Next, what antenna? Should I just get the biggest, highest gain antenna that I can find? Is Comet a good brand?

Thanks!

Nice rig. Just got a new NMO mount for the pickup. It will look like this:

I use a dual band shortie antenna and it carries just fine. No need for a big ass antenna especially when you can push 50 watts. You don't need a big whip warping your roof. If you go big, may as well go magnet mount. Looks kind of like this (can't remember the brand):

In fact here it is on the back of the Zx2. I'll get the brand info for you when I get home. It came from HamCity.com

In general, the bigger the antenna, the better. One not "loaded," that is, without a coil adding inductance to get it to behave like a longer antenna is better than one that has a coil to get it to match. A half wave length at 2M is only ~3ft.

In addition to the good doctor's post, half wave length is all you really need. My CB antenna has nearly no reflection at half a wavelength... er a quarter... er berkeley, I cant remember.... Of course in that case, its ten feet.

You're not going to spend a lot of time at high power anyway. Usually you'll get around just fine on five watts, especially with repeaters in the area.

Ah.. Here, I think this is what I use.

I used an Austin 500C with great success on my first Miata. It's a mere 19" long (1/4 wave for 2 meters), but I never had any trouble getting to or hearing the repeaters I wanted to work on 2 meters or 440. In fact, during testing while working the New England Forest Rally one year, I tried both a 1/4 wave and 5/8 wave, and much to my surprise net control told me they could hear me better with the shorter 1/4 wave! Size isn't everything.

The one possible downside of the 500C for you is that it's a fairly rigid antenna, and if you're off-roading the Trooper it may tend to break rather than bend as you drive through branches.

Comet is a very good brand. I currently use a Comet SBB224NMO with my Kenwood TM-621A (144/220 MHz) and it works great. I've traditionally been a Larsen fan, but there are plenty of other good antennas out there, too.

73 de KJ1H

I always used Larsen antennas. But I haven't had one on a vehicle in some time. Around here a handheld with a rubber ducky will get you into some repeater 99% of the time.

I use this one and have had zero problems. It's been on three trucks now and has been knocked off my roof by branches more times than I can remember. I only use the HAM for truck-to-truck communication and my best contact was like 40 miles away into the valley below. In Death Valley, from the camp ground by the Racetrack down into Saline Valley if you're curious.

http://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/M-24M-p231.htm

In reply to thatsnowinnebago:

Got ya beat. Saint Louis, Missouri to White Deer, Texas at 146.940 mHz.

N Sperlo wrote: In reply to thatsnowinnebago: Got ya beat. Saint Louis, Missouri to White Deer, Texas at 146.940 mHz.

Touche