How good are the phantom antennas for the vhf 137-174mHz. Reception, power, ect....
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Last edited:
Phantom antenna
- Thread starter dixie729
- Start date
- Status
You can only miniaturize an antenna 'so much' before performance suffers. Squishing something like 19 inches (typical 2 meter 1/4 wave length) into 2 - 4 inches only works if you are dealing with fairly strong signals. They tend to be for a sort of 'stealthy' mobile antenna. They are the equivalent of a mobile version of a 'rubberduck'. If you are close to the transmitting station, no really 'big' obstructions between you, it'd probably work okay.
- 'Doc
- 'Doc
W2NJS
Member
If your application involves transmitting, be sure to check the usable bandwidth of this type antenna from the manufacturer's specifications. In my experience a typical usable bandwidth for such a VHF antenna is only about 1 mHz. UHF and 800 mHz designs of the same type may have a wider bandwidth.
prcguy
Member
I bought a few Laird/Antennex VHF versions and they are noticeably worse than a 1/4 wave whip on the same mount. They are also very narrow band and I tuned one for 147MHz and its about 2:1 match at 146 and 148MHz and really bad on some 144 and 145MHz freqs I use.
prcguy
prcguy
The only useable application that I have found for them is as the antenna for a vehicular cross band repeater and only because we had them lying around unused already.
We use them with midland and GE Exec II low band radios that include the VHF mobile extender and since the coverage range needed was less than 1 mile we found that the 300 milliwatts output of the VHF mobile extender with the phantom antenna on a single frequency works fine but for anything else forget it.
For anything else I found that less than 15 watts with no more than a 750 KHz bandwidth was all they could handle.
We use them with midland and GE Exec II low band radios that include the VHF mobile extender and since the coverage range needed was less than 1 mile we found that the 300 milliwatts output of the VHF mobile extender with the phantom antenna on a single frequency works fine but for anything else forget it.
For anything else I found that less than 15 watts with no more than a 750 KHz bandwidth was all they could handle.
It will be used on 154-155
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
The frequency won't make much of a difference to how well it works. You either buy them with a tuning adjustment on the side, or you buy them pre-tuned.
I've never used one because EVERYONE I know that has used one has been disappointed. There are very specific cases where they would make sense to try one. I've heard they make a bit more sense up around 800MHz, but they are still a "compromise" antenna. The installations where I have seen them used is usually on someones vehicle that is more concerned with the looks rather than performance.
I've never used one because EVERYONE I know that has used one has been disappointed. There are very specific cases where they would make sense to try one. I've heard they make a bit more sense up around 800MHz, but they are still a "compromise" antenna. The installations where I have seen them used is usually on someones vehicle that is more concerned with the looks rather than performance.
The reason they work better on 800MHz is because a quarter wave is only 3 inches which would make them a quarter wave whip inside a "radome". On VHF they'd be essentially a rubber duck in there and you know what we call rubber ducks... dummy loads.
More concerned with looks than performance? That bump on the roof looks like something that doesn't belong there. (;->)
More concerned with looks than performance? That bump on the roof looks like something that doesn't belong there. (;->)
They suck.. Use a 1/4 wave ..If you get the black one it is hardly noticable
- Status
