Need help with 144/430 antenna

Hi folks,
Did a search on the forum but I'm getting "Database error" codes... tried google but it wasn't enough help.

I bought a Yaesu FT60R handheld radio and I'd like to upgrade the antenna.

I actually need recommendations for two antenna's.
1) An appropriate antenna for the radio itself that is hand held in nature.
2) A compatible base station antenna I can hook up to the FT60R but later hook the same antenna up to a more powerful 144/430 (50w to 80w) mobile rig for use as a base station.

I don't plan to purchase the mobile rig for several more months but when I do, I'd like to be able to use the same permanently mounted base antenna.

My budget is around $100 to $150 or so for the base antenna. I really don't want to spend $300.

I would also like to keep the antenna as stealthy as possible. I'm not suggesting I need an invisible antenna like my dipole, but I don't want some big honking spaceship television antenna either. Just something that doesn't immediately stand out which draws eyes to it like a giant pink elephant.

I have a large maple tree just about 30 feet from the house or I have the option of installing a stand alone structure if needed.

I use the base antenna from ED Fong. See https://edsantennas.weebly.com/. I used an aluminum extendable flag pole from Harbor Freight (about $25 on sale) and didn't come near your price limit. It has been up about 5 years with one change of coax and gives very good performance with several 50 to 60 watt radios I have and on DMR using a HT.

Been using a Diamond x-50 mounted in my attic(bottom is approx 25ft above ground level) for 4+ years now. It hears very well and I can work most stations that I can hear. Being in the attic it is both very stealthy and weather proof. Kept it in operation even after putting up a tower and bigger antenna. It'a approx 5 foot long fiberglass and is of "one piece" design. 75 ft og LMR400 type coax helps keep loses to a minimum.

KK4YTM

Just a point here - I'm unsure of where the OP is from (are you from the UK?), but in the US, 430-440 Mhz is generally used for SSB, CW and some satellite work. The FM repeaters are in the 440-450 area. The folks that shoot DX on 430 Mhz often use horizontal (or circular, in some cases using satellites) polarization, while FM is strictly vertical. There are also some ATV repeaters in the 430 Mhz area; I'm not quite sure what they use for antennas here, as I've never been involved with it myself.


Mike

I would recommend a Comet GP-6 at a cost of around $159, it will outperform any that have been recommended so far without breaking the budget too much. You will be happy going a little bigger when you get a base station later. Another that is similar is the Comet X300A of similar size but around $139.
prcguy

prcguy said:

Another that is similar is the Comet X300A of similar size but around $139.

Click to expand...

Do you mean "Diamond X300A"?

It all depends on your location.

A beam antenna is always the best way to go due to better gain, much wider vertical beamwidth, and the ability to turn it away from
interference and multipath.

A small dual band beam like the hygain DB-2345 can be turned with a cheap rotor and it will provide much better performance than any fiberglass dual bander.

Omni gain antennas achieve gain by shrinking the vertical beamwidth
which works against you on vhf and uhf especially when using repeaters that are thousands of feet higher than your antenna.

High gain fiberglass ham antennas also quickly become quite useless in the wind because their flexing causes massive pattern distortion
that will cause signal drop outs on windy days again due to their narrow vertical beamwidth.

I hear this happening every time some ham repeater brings up a weather net during a storm.

Since most use large flimsy gain antennas, these repeaters become
unusable to HT users any time it is windy.

If you MUST use a dual band fiberglass antenna, stick with a ONE piece antenna like a X50 design or the Hustler G6-270 since they won't flail around in the wind causing these drop outs.

For HT antennas since they lack counterpoise, a 1\2 wave design is the best.

Great Antenna

"I would also like to keep the antenna as stealthy as possible. I'm not suggesting I need an invisible antenna like my dipole, but I don't want some big honking spaceship television antenna either. Just something that doesn't immediately stand out which draws eyes to it like a giant pink elephant."


Save your pennies...You won't need a base station antenna if you're accessing local repeaters and not planning to talk to Mars. The Tram 1181 mobile antenna is rated to handle up to 200 watts. You can mount it on an existing TV antenna and no one (unless they're really lookin' for it) will see it. If you are a cable subscriber, even better as the TV antenna isn't being used except for a mast and you won't interfere with your TV signal. Seen them as low as $17.00 all the way up to $38.00.

Yes, Diamond X300A. I do a lot of 2m and 440 simplex and have found a larger high gain antenna will get into places you will never get with a J pole or mobile antenna mounted on a TV mast.
prcguy

W9BU said:

Do you mean "Diamond X300A"?

Click to expand...

I think I like that Diamond X300A....

There was another antenna (much cheaper) that can be hoisted into a tree that I like too. I have a very tall mature tree just a dozen or so yards from the house that would make hoisting it up quite easy.. and I could get it up there a good 100 feet or more.

The think I like about the Diamond 300 is that it has a high gain..

The Diamond and Comet series that are similar in size work about the same and are of equal quality in my experience. Some friends of mine have compared other brands that look similar to Comet and Diamond like Harvest and Tram and side by side they do not work as good. I've used a few different Comet base antennas at home and work like the GP-15, CX333 and GP-9 and have been pleased with their performance.

Just the other day I had to run some errands far from home so I set up a Yaesu FT-8900 as a VHF/UHF cross band repeater into my GP-9 antenna and was pleased to get good comms through my 8900 at home from about 65mi away and on the other side of a 5,000ft mountain range on the UHF side of the link. Your not going to get that with a J pole or other small antenna.
prcguy

Murphy625 said:

I think I like that Diamond X300A....

There was another antenna (much cheaper) that can be hoisted into a tree that I like too. I have a very tall mature tree just a dozen or so yards from the house that would make hoisting it up quite easy.. and I could get it up there a good 100 feet or more.

The think I like about the Diamond 300 is that it has a high gain..

Click to expand...

Here is some great high power antennas that I found, you can't buy them there, but its a comparison of multiple antennas by Comet: Dual-Band | Comet Antenna

Not sure if that is what you guys are looking for, haven't tried any of these out myself, but I've heard they get the job done.