Dedicated 39.000Mhz

[digitalanalog]

I have mentioned before i live in a very rural area of Ohio.

My local SO and nearest PD both run on 39.00 MHz (SO=39.640 & PD=39.400)

I need an antenna just for the 39.000MHz band.

I have other antennas for other bands, but i need a low ban dedicated antenna
I would like to here what your ideas and suggestions are for this.

I would rather Buy then Build, So keeping that in mind......Suggestions Please.
Thanks..................

 

[moonies]

dedicated 39.00mhtz

I suggest 2 types of low band antennas which have worked well for me. one is from comtelco,which can custom make any band-width you like. I have a mobile magnet one cut for 33.00-46.900. I also use a portable handheld antenna from durham radio which works great for travelling. I also suggest the austin spectra mobile which really brings in low band signals but also does great on all bands.

 

[digitalanalog]

I suggest 2 types of low band antennas which have worked well for me. one is from comtelco,which can custom make any band-width you like. I have a mobile magnet one cut for 33.00-46.900. I also use a portable handheld antenna from durham radio which works great for travelling. I also suggest the austin spectra mobile which really brings in low band signals but also does great on all bands.

Appreciate the suggestions for sure.

But i am looking more for a base mount antenna, but then again, i am using a Valor Mobile Mag antenna on a pole outside with good results, so maybe a simple Mobile antenna will work.........never really thought about that......
Thanks again.

 

[trooperdude]

Appreciate the suggestions for sure.

But i am looking more for a base mount antenna, but then again, i am using a Valor Mobile Mag antenna on a pole outside with good results, so maybe a simple Mobile antenna will work.........never really thought about that......
Thanks again.

Cushcraft CRS-3 Rugged Ringo

http://www.randl.com/cgi-local/cart/cart.cgi?cart=Search&Category=CUSHCRAFT&sb=1&nh=3

 

[zz0468]

Cut down a cb groundplane.

 

[ScanDaBands]

Cut down a cb groundplane.

:lol: Ha ha ha (actually it wouldn't be that good of an antenna for his specific frequency)

Larsen NMO 34 Coil would probably do you justice for that lowband area (34-40 mhz) if you're going to stick with the mobile antenna.

 

[DiGiTaLD]

Along the lines of cutting down a CB antenna, IIRC, the Solarcon A99 can probably be trimmed (way) down to the 39 MHz band. I think, when I used to have one way back in the day, it came with a cutting chart that went all the way up into the 30 MHz range at least, not sure about all the way up to 39 MHz.

Probably your best bet would be something from Laird Technologies (Antenex and Cushcraft) that you don't need to do a lot of modification on. I hope the agencies you listen to use CTCSS or DCS (most likely CTCSS) or you're probably going to hear a lot of distant traffic when the band conditions are good!

 

[zz0468]

:lol: Ha ha ha (actually it wouldn't be that good of an antenna for his specific frequency)

Larsen NMO 34 Coil would probably do you justice for that lowband area (34-40 mhz) if you're going to stick with the mobile antenna.

He's asking about a BASE antenna, not a mobile antenna. A cb ground plane cut for 39 MHz would work fabulous.

 

[N1BHH]

I've used old CB antennas just as they are with decent results. Cut an old quarter-wave ground plane to a quarter-wave at 39 Megahertz and you'll have great results. Just leaving it as it is would give you some gain at 39, because it's a 3/8 wave. I'd just leave it that way. I used one many years ago when our state police were on 42 and 44 and it pulled in mobiles within about a 20-30 mile radius without problems.

A quarter wave at 39 is 6 feet, at CB it's 9 feet.

Formula: 234/f=MHz.=quarter wave. 468/f=MHz.= half wave, split the difference and it's 3/8 wave. Gives you length in feet.

 

[kc8gpd]

build a coaxial antenna. an old steel CB whip and a couple copper pipes with end caps

see this for more info...
http://scannerbuff.net/lowband/index.html

 

[jakegday]

http://www.wpsantennas.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=365

i purchased one of these and it works great

 

[ScanDaBands]

He's asking about a BASE antenna, not a mobile antenna. A cb ground plane cut for 39 MHz would work fabulous.

oops my bad

 

[prcguy]

You can make a nice coaxial antenna from a hunk of coax by exposing 1/4 wavelength of center conductor and peeling the braid back over the coax for another 1/4 wavelength. The entire antenna would be about 12ft long for 39MHz and can hang inside a length of PVC pipe.
prcguy

build a coaxial antenna. an old steel CB whip and a couple copper pipes with end caps

see this for more info...
http://scannerbuff.net/lowband/index.html

 

[trooperdude]

You can make a nice coaxial antenna from a hunk of coax by exposing 1/4 wavelength of center conductor and peeling the braid back over the coax for another 1/4 wavelength. The entire antenna would be about 12ft long for 39MHz and can hang inside a length of PVC pipe.
prcguy

Which is probably a LOT cheaper these days than building a coaxial sleeve out of
copper pipe. YIKES.

The commercial CRS antenna was cheaper than building one out of copper when I
was looking.

 

[kc8gpd]

oh yes. i keep forgeting about the cost of copper. i know a guy who builds cell sites. he often brings home copper scrap and gives me some.

plus i watch freecycle and garbage piles for copper, so i have a nice little stock on hand.

 

[Kfred]

best antenna for low band

I have used 100 watt low band radio's on 47 MHZ for over 25 years, nearly 5 days a week, we origanally used a whip antenna almost 6 feet long with a large spring base. the radio techs started installing NMO base loaded antenna's telling us that they were better at launching the signal for better coverage. This seems to have been a story they made up so they would not have to drill all those holes to mount the larger antenna. The signal coverage got less with the antenna change. They are kind of expensive but has anyone tried one of the military antenna's with the adjustable band switch on the base, they do not require a ground, I beleive they are a coaxial sleeve antenna. kfred.

 

[W4KRR]

Some good suggestions here for a base antenna!

I used to use a Butternut SC3000 base scanner antenna. It was the best antenna I ever used for VHF low band, but they are long discontinued. I doubt you could still fine one. Just FWIW.

 

[prcguy]

Sounds like your referring to the military AS-1729 two piece fiberglass vehicular whip with MX-6707 matching base rated for 30 to 76MHz in 10 bands. Certain military radios will automatically select the band, otherwise you have to change with a knob in the base of the antenna. The antenna is supposed to be ground independent, but it works better with a ground plane (or vehicle) attached. These are not so hot at 30MHz but improve somewhere about mid band. The gain is rated at -6 to +1dB gain over a 1/4 wave radiator over a 10 X 10 X 10' ground plane. They do work better than the broad band AS-3900 series that replaced them for frequency hopping radios. These antennas have a lossy matching section (attenuator) in the base to help meet VSWR specs. The AS-1729 goes for about $75 and up on the surplus market. Bottom line, make a simple coax dipole for 39MHz, you can spend a lot of money on a commercial antenna and not get any better performance unless you get a Cellwave low band stacked collinear or similar. Good luck finding one of those cheap.
prcguy

They are kind of expensive but has anyone tried one of the military antenna's with the adjustable band switch on the base, they do not require a ground, I believe they are a coaxial sleeve antenna. kfred.

 

[N2YQQ]

I used to use a Butternut SC3000 base scanner antenna. It was the best antenna I ever used for VHF low band, but they are long discontinued. I doubt you could still fine one. Just FWIW.

I would love to find a SC-3000, they are awsome for VHF low band.Back in the day I used one on my parent cottage until someone decided they needed more than I did.

Carmen