150/450 Antenna ?

[ERICMYERS]

New to ham, long in the tooth on scanner...

I've got a nice 150/450 Maxrad antenna (not the Maxscan 1000, the BMAX 150/450) that I use for my mobile scanning. This works nicely for scanning 2 meter and 70 cm Ham. I'm about to get a Yaesu FT 7900 to install in the same car.

I know I can't run both scanner/ ham radio at the same time for risk of burning out the scanner. I am thinking of using a switch instead of mounting a second antenna on the car. Depending on the advice I get, I might go this route or might just install another antenna.

Question is this: I'm pretty sure that the 150/450 will give somewhat compromised performance on the mobile Ham radio vs say buying a Larsen 2/70, but will using this antenna wreck the brand new Yaesu radio being tuned high for both 2/70, or just be sub-optimal?

Thanks in advance,

Eric

[gewecke]

Unless you're a purist,the Larsen 2/70 should work fine for both scanning and dual band tx.
Just a suggestion,but the 2/70 on the center of the roof and the 150/450 on the trunk should work fine with little interaction between the two.
N9ZAS

[IdenLarry]

You can also buy a 144/440MHz duplexer/combiner to operate one antenna with two radios. Works good for me and not expensive. Beats having your car looking like i fishing troller. Mount one dual band antenna in the center of the roof if possible for best results.

Just an idea for you to consider.

[ERICMYERS]

Guys,
thanks for the comments and insight.

Can anyone answer the main question of whether or not using this 150/450 antenna with a 2m/440 dual band radio is either a: suboptimal but marginally acceptable or b: a stupid way to burn out a radio?

Best,
Eric

[gewecke]

The 150/450mhz. antenna is not even needed,unless you're planning on transmitting on those bands?
The larsen or maxrad 2/70 would work fine for scanning and for your mobile. If you're a ham then you need a ham antenna,right?
N9ZAS

[burner50]

Originally Posted by ERICMYERS

: a stupid way to burn out a radio?

It would indeed be a stupid way to burn up the finals...


Receiving is one thing, but when you're putting some fire in the wire... things have to be tuned properly. Get too far away from what an antenna is tuned for and you start running into a High SWR...

Best case scenario? High SWR causes your radio to drop the power back to protect itself...

Worst Case? Magic Smoke...


Get an antenna tuned for what you're gonna be transmitting on.


EDIT: Here is some light reading on the subject: http://www.hamuniverse.com/swr.html

[ERICMYERS]

guys, thanks!
that's what I 'thought' I knew, and appreciate your help.

A new Larsen 2/70 will be implemented.
Best,
Eric