Antenna options

[emtunderwood]

Looking for antenna upgrades.. Have a Commander 220-3BN right now., which has we feel something going on internally. When the antenna flexes it starts acting up and tx/rx goes haywire. and have lost coverage in one direction. A few radio techs suggested a DB224-B and some say Comprod 884-70. I'd rather have something secure up there and these being dipoles they would have to be secured top and bottom at 305ft on the tower and total elevation of 1700ft. on a ridge high above everything else and prone to ice in the middle of winter. What are your suggestions, pros and cons. TX: 156.105 RX: 159.525

Thank You

 

[Tech792]

We just replaced a bad Commander antenna (might have been the same model as yours) on the top of our 150 ft tower. Was just under a year old when it started giving us problems. On windy days we were receiving intermittent static. Sweeping the antenna confirmed there was something wrong. Most likely internally. We plan on cutting it open to check the inside. We just replaced it with a Sinclair. IMO I'm thinking Commander antennas aren't the best constructed antenna and I would probably never purchase another one again.

Don't skimp when it comes to antennas. I would stick with the better brands that have been around for a while, like Sinclair, Telewave, Decibel, etc.

 

[lmrtek]

I quit using stationmasters decades ago due to their high failure rates
and lightning survival.
A DB224 is a fine antenna and will easily outlast and outperform a stationmaster but like the stationmaster whips around too much in the wind which causes horrible coverage if not braced.
........
If you have concerns over having a strong antenna that won't blow into the tower killing your coverage during storms, just use a lower gain version like the DB222 and you won't need a top support bracket.
......
The difference in gain will barely be noticed yet it will penetrate deep valleys the higher gain antennas can't

 

[kayn1n32008]

Sinclair 210-c4, or a Comprod 884-70. Skip on the DB antennas. Too much to potentially go wrong with the exposed phasing harness. If you have inclise coverage issues, 2 element antennas have much wider vertical beam width.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[emtunderwood]

We really were looking at the 884-70HDB but thats $6800. But with that being said about gain and a lower gain covering more areas of the valleys. Would the gain on that 884 be too much? I mean we can put a stick back up there. But several radio shops are recommending exposed dipoles. I mean we are at 1700 elevation and having some issues in the lower valleys and at extended ranges. I'm trying to get a clear choice on antenna.

 

[kayn1n32008]

We really were looking at the 884-70HDB but thats $6800. But with that being said about gain and a lower gain covering more areas of the valleys. Would the gain on that 884 be too much? I mean we can put a stick back up there. But several radio shops are recommending exposed dipoles. I mean we are at 1700 elevation and having some issues in the lower valleys and at extended ranges. I'm trying to get a clear choice on antenna.

Higher gain antennas tend to push the signal out to the horizon, they do this by narrowing the vertical beam width. You can get a ‘cone of silence’ below, and in close to the antenna.

Sinclair has an excellent database on their antennas, look at the vertical beam width of a single, dual, quad and 8 element dipole arrays.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[prcguy]

You can usually call the antenna mfr and speak to an engineer who will help you choose the right amount of downtilt for a particular antenna if it has that option. At your altitude you would probably benefit from some downtilt.

I live in a area surrounded by 5,000ft+ mountain tops and the hill I live on is 1,100ft tall. I've had numerous repeaters on several mountain tops and for my local hill with a 10dBd gain stick, 4deg of downtilt was recommended by DB Products for my 16 element dipole array (DB-416?) at that time. Your probably looking at a 6dBd class omni at VHF with a wider beamwidth, but your altitude is higher.

With the right amount of downtilt you can put the peak of the main lobe at the distant horizon below maximizing distance and you and benifit from the lobe being pulled down some to fill in the valley. If you don't need the distance at the horizon you can go with more downtilt to benefit the valley. Otherwise a stock antenna under ideal conditions will put the main lobe above the distant horizon with less fill down below.

We really were looking at the 884-70HDB but thats $6800. But with that being said about gain and a lower gain covering more areas of the valleys. Would the gain on that 884 be too much? I mean we can put a stick back up there. But several radio shops are recommending exposed dipoles. I mean we are at 1700 elevation and having some issues in the lower valleys and at extended ranges. I'm trying to get a clear choice on antenna.

 

[brushfire21]

I have been trying out / using the RFS 340 series exposed dipole with good success. Believe it’s limited to a 4-bay exposed dipole design, but on one 1600’ft mountain top install (valley at 200’ft), it was doing fine for coverage underneath. This has the phasing arrays and cabling in the mast for protection.

https://www.hol4g.com/webpdf/CLW_340-1.pdf

 

[riccom]

I have been trying out / using the RFS 340 series exposed dipole with good success. Believe it’s limited to a 4-bay exposed dipole design, but on one 1600’ft mountain top install (valley at 200’ft), it was doing fine for coverage underneath. This has the phasing arrays and cabling in the mast for protection.

https://www.hol4g.com/webpdf/CLW_340-1.pdf

yeah you can not ever go wrong with them, they just work and keep working forever!