discone transmitting antenna

[merlin-7]

Has any one here made one, or have one that you can use to transmit on? If so in what bands and how big is it?

Thanks
KI4ILB

 

[loumaag]

Wow!
You didn't waste any time did you. :lol:
You haven't even made it into QRZ yet! But congrats, and don't forget to renew in 10 years.

Any way, to answer your questions, all discone antennas will work for both transmitting and receiving over the frequencies they are designed for. So, if it says 50Mhz thru 1300MHz, it will work for all your new privileges.

 

[nexus]

Has any one here made one, or have one that you can use to transmit on? If so in what bands and how big is it?

Thanks
KI4ILB

Check this Thread out!!!

You should already know though, you've seen his... TrayCodA he made that discone.... It's really awesome looking..
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18427

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18131

Like Lou said. just about any discone you get will work. You could use the radio shack discone but its not really well made, I hear great things about the Diamond discone being very sturdy, and of course you'll be able to put up to 100 watts on 50, 144, 220, and 440 mhz.

 

[ReceiverBeaver]

Congratulations new hammy!

Stop !!!

The better-quality discones will "tune up" for transmitting on 6 meters (if they have the top whip) and on 2 meters and 440 ect....BUT, they have NO GAIN anywhere.

This is the so-called "compromise" you face when electing to use any WIDE BANDED antenna. Any such antenna that works over a huge frequency range like 50-1,300 mhz.....will have no gain anywhere.

For the same or even less money that a high end stainless steel discone costs, you can get a very nice verticle that does say 2 meters only or 440 only or a combination of the ham bands which you are licenced to operate on 6, 144, 220, 440 ect AND HAS GAIN....which you WILL need to talk & hear farther.

Discones are primarily designed to be wide-banded scanner antennas...obviously for receiving only.

You can try one if you like.....but you won't be happy with it especially if you desire to talk and hear further out than just around your immediate area (county).

Look in the various ham radio catalogs or perhaps you have a ham radio type store within driving distance.

Look at the base station antennas offered by Cush Craft, Diamond, comet, Hustler ect....

Best wishes

 

[merlin-7]

Thanks, the only reason I was asking is that I have a home-made discone and wanted to use it just until I figure out what the limits are for antennas in my neighborhood and I get the $$$ for an antenna. shoot I do not even have a transceiver yet. I need to find a good (starter) one.

 

[loumaag]

Discones are primarily designed to be wide-banded scanner antennas...obviously for receiving only.

Everything you said, except this quote is basically true. This line is absolute rubbish. Discones were designed to be wide band transmitting antennas for use where it was desireable to have a single antenna that would handle very broad hunks of spectrum. BTW, gain antennas may or may not be what someone wants, a gain antenna, by nature has a higher Q and therefore a lower bandwidth. Some really high gain 2 meter antennas will not even cover the FM portion of the band with a SWR of less than 2:1.

 

[pro92b]

This is the so-called "compromise" you face when electing to use any WIDE BANDED antenna. Any such antenna that works over a huge frequency range like 50-1,300 mhz.....will have no gain anywhere.

Not true - a log periodic antenna has wideband gain. The price for the gain is that it is directional like a Yagi. Grove once sold a scanner beam that is log periodic (maybe they still do).

 

[loumaag]

This is the so-called "compromise" you face when electing to use any WIDE BANDED antenna. Any such antenna that works over a huge frequency range like 50-1,300 mhz.....will have no gain anywhere.

Not true - a log periodic antenna has wideband gain. The price for the gain is that it is directional like a Yagi. Grove once sold a scanner beam that is log periodic (maybe they still do).

Well you picked up on the other part that made most of what he said "basically true." The best example of a wide band, gain antenna is the common fringe area TV antenna (another log periodic).

 

[pro92b]

It is also possible to build a phased array of stacked discones to achieve gain. See Kandoian et. al. in Electrical Communication, June, 1948. The size of the array becomes impractical much below UHF frequencies, but the theory is sound.

 

[ReceiverBeaver]

Hi all,

You're right loumaag, SOME high gain 2 meter antennas will not cover the entire FM portion.

Others will, and easily. There are dozens of verticles and other types on the market so, as with any equipment purchase, due diligence should be persued in selecting devices taking into consideration all factors.

One of my favorites is the Hustler G6 - 144 B

A repeater grade verticle with 6 db gain and a whopping 6mhz 1:1 SWR bandwidth. Believe it. That's the spec's and I've owned one and it delivers. Mine, when assembled just as the instructions showed, went from 142.2 - 149.3mhz with a completely flat 1:1 swr strait accross. And from there went even further on both ends until you would reach a "stopping point" of 2:1 swr.

$129.95 at HRO. You get what you pay for

Gain = you hear and talk further

A no-gain antenna = you hear and talk a shorter distance

And now back to my beaver sandwich.