Base station V-U antenna w/ NMO mount & ground plane adapter

[videobruce]

This is for a dual band non Amateur (2m/440m) base station antenna.

I have a Diamond X50NA base station antenna, but there is a problem with the female N connector. I don't see a way to remove/replace the fitting. Visually it appears ok, but even after changing fittings on the feedline (N) contact is not good. RLB scans vary and it wasn't acceptable to me. I have to assume the center receptacle is not forward enough (ruling out the name N connectors). Also the frequency shift from 2/440m is very slight at VHF making it less then useful.

Anyway, I'm looking for a replacement and this combo seem to be the best choice (that I have found so far);
Nagoya NMO-200C – BaoFeng Radios
Nagoya GPK-01 – BaoFeng Radios

I did find this review;
Review NMO-200A/C - Miklor

My question was, what I don't like is the (what I call) outdated use of a SO239 instead of a 'N' connector. I realize at VHF, it's not a big deal, UHF is another matter. I look around for other choices and I only found the Tram, a 4 element wimpy design (to say the least). The review did mention the ground plane being important.

Between the mini Tram and the Nagoya, input of both?

 

[mmckenna]

This is for a dual band non Amateur (2m/440m) base station antenna.

So, are you looking for a dual band antenna that works on the commercial segments of the bands? 150MHz/450MHz?

My question was, what I don't like is the (what I call) outdated use of a SO239 instead of a 'N' connector. I realize at VHF, it's not a big deal, UHF is another matter. I look around for other choices and I only found the Tram, a 4 element wimpy design (to say the least). The review did mention the ground plane being important.

Between the mini Tram and the Nagoya, input of both?

There are much better solutions than Tram or Nagoya. Do you have a budget limitations that are requiring these specific antennas?

 

[TailGator911]

What would be top choice for a 2m/440/dmr vhf/uhf ht sma rubber duck? Specifically, for the AnyTone AT-878UV Pro. I have tried several, and purchased the 18-in Nagoya from Bridgecom, but wondering what the general consensus is. No complaints so far, but there is always better.

 

[jonwienke]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GYKN6ZD/

For VHF, it's the best I've tried so far:


It's not as good on UHF, though:

 

[jaspence]

DMR does not require a special antenna. Radio frequencies will go out on any properly designed and tuned antenna.

 

[CanesFan95]

So why not just cut your losses, scrap the antenna, and get a new one. There's a commercial version Diamond X50NC2 for the business bands.

 

[videobruce]

So, are you looking for a dual band antenna that works on the commercial segments of the bands? 150MHz/450MHz?
There are much better solutions than Tram or Nagoya. Do you have a budget limitations that are requiring these specific antennas?

Yes to the 1st, specifically 156 thru 161MHz and 453 thru 463MHz (thou that isn't critical). Budget; under $150 I would say, better if under $100.

This is mostly for receive.

 

[videobruce]

So why not just cut your losses, scrap the antenna, and get a new one. There's a commercial version Diamond X50NC2 for the business bands.

I will have to check the model number of the antenna. This was suppose to be the 'commercial' version not the Amateur version.

 

[mmckenna]

Yes to the 1st, specifically 156 thru 161MHz and 453 thru 463MHz (thou that isn't critical). Budget; under $150 I would say, better if under $100.

This is mostly for receive.

OK. I'm a bit confused because you talked about an X50NA, but then link to mobile radio antennas.

If a mobile antenna on an NMO base mount will work, one of these options would fit your budget and be higher quality:

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_200_451_219&products_id=865

VHF UHF dual band antenna.

or...

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_200_451_219&products_id=1050

This one will give you performance on the 800MHz band, which may be handy for monitoring.
-or-

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_200_451_219&products_id=8932

This one will give you some better performance on the 700/800MHz band.

For the base adapter, this one will give you the N connector:

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1289_1243&products_id=7531

 

[videobruce]

mmckenna;
A mobile radio antenna with a ground plane base with the correct frequency coverage which all the base station, so called commercial antennas suffer from the same problem.

Those Laird 'whips' are just unity gain for the 2nd & 3rd links, I'm looking for gain.
The frequency coverage is too low on the high band for the 1st link, which is one of the problems with the Diamond.

That Laird/Tram ground plane adapter is what I was talking about in my 1st post. It seems to 'wimpy' (pardon the expression) to decouple it from the mast. A problem I found out the hard way using a AR2 Ringo.

BTW, Thanks for the links.

 

[mmckenna]

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_200_451_219&products_id=5692

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_192_200_451_219&products_id=5693

Those will give you 2dB gain on VHF and 5dB on UHF.
I wouldn't get hung up on the 160MHz vs. 161MHz issue. These are 1/2 wave on VHF and they'll have decent bandwidth.

Other option is to use two separate antennas and a diplexer to get what you want. It'll increase the price, maybe a bit beyond your budget.

As for the Laird mount, I've got one at a site, and it's held up fine for many years.

 

[prcguy]

The NMO ground plane adapters with four radials cut for 1/4 wavelength on VHF and 3/4 wavelength on UHF decouple just fine. An AR2 Ringo is a different beast and inherently lights up the coax and mast with RF like a J-pole would. The ARX-2 addressed this with a set of ground radials placed about 1/4 wave down from the tuning ring.

mmckenna;
A mobile radio antenna with a ground plane base with the correct frequency coverage which all the base station, so called commercial antennas suffer from the same problem.

Those Laird 'whips' are just unity gain for the 2nd & 3rd links, I'm looking for gain.
The frequency coverage is too low on the high band for the 1st link, which is one of the problems with the Diamond.

That Laird/Tram ground plane adapter is what I was talking about in my 1st post. It seems to 'wimpy' (pardon the expression) to decouple it from the mast. A problem I found out the hard way using a AR2 Ringo.

BTW, Thanks for the links.

 

[videobruce]

I will have to check the model number of the antenna. This was suppose to be the 'commercial' version not the Amateur version.

Well, to make matters more interesting or more like 'worse', I looked thru my receipts for the model of the antenna. It was entered in as a "X50C2" which should of been a "X50NC2". Then I looked at the base of the antenna which was labeled as a "X50NA" as I posted.

Ham Radio Supply sent me the wrong antenna with a $40+ premium in price.
It's way past having something done about it. Both look the same visually, the lable didn't jump out at me since the model number is very similar. Where it was originally mounted (above a TV antenna on a consumer rotor), I removed, not realizing the excessive 'loading; that it was placing on the rotor (my bad) and put it in storage for 6 years. It was purchased in 2014. It's not as I ordered a 'stick' and was sent a 'beam' instead.

 

[CanesFan95]

Diamond X50NC2 is the commercial version. Diamond X50NA is the hammy version.

 

[videobruce]

I wouldn't get hung up on the 160MHz vs. 161MHz issue.
Other option is to use two separate antennas and a diplexer to get what you want.
As for the Laird mount, I've got one at a site, and it's held up fine for many years.

It's 155Mhz (middle of the 150-160 spec) vs 160MHz.
As to the separate antennas, doesn't a 'diplexer', aka combiner a (splitter in reverse) just add another 4db or so of loss to the equation?

 

[videobruce]

Diamond X50NC2 is the commercial version. Diamond X50NA is the hammy version.

Yes, I know, I believe I just stated that. They sent me the wrong antenna!

 

[CanesFan95]

Well, we posted like 1 minute apart. But sorry you got the wrong thing. I never understood why one costs $40 more than the other.

 

[videobruce]

Demand or lack of it. Competition, or lack of it. There are far more Amateur versions than commercial.
Gee, don't apologize, not your fault. AFA me not checking, why would or should I?

I'm gointy to look (again) at the N connector, but when I installed it I specifically looked at the depth (or lack of) on the center pin being sure when I inserted it into the body of the connector it was pushed in far enough.

 

[mmckenna]

It's 155Mhz (middle of the 150-160 spec) vs 160MHz.
As to the separate antennas, doesn't a 'diplexer', aka combiner a (splitter in reverse) just add another 4db or so of loss to the equation?

No, a good diplexer will only add a few fractions of a Decibel in loss. If your link/loss budget is so tight that a fraction of a dB is going to make or break your system, you've got some bigger issues to deal with.

Also, these antennas don't have a brick wall at 160MHz. The SWR may be a bit higher than at the center of the design, but it's not going to break your radio.

 

[videobruce]

Four db and a quarter of a db is a considerable difference. I don't know how that is possible if it 'combines' antennas.
Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, but it brings another issue; I don't have a location to mount another antenna. Two tripods, 3 antennas each is my limit which is where I'm at now.