New G4/5 7/800 antenna

[N6ML]

Perhaps the next version will be optimised to catch signals that bounce off the wall on the southern border

 

[GTO_04]

There is a gap, although slight, on the original antenna too.

GTO_04

 

[Danny37]

man, people with OCD are really going to have a hard time with that gap.

 

[GTO_04]

man, people with OCD are really going to have a hard time with that gap.

I am OCD , but I do not have a problem with that gap. I just happened to notice that the original stubby antenna has a gap too. Good catch by @county pointing out the raised edge that forms a seal. I did not receive my new antenna yet just ordered it.

I have switched back to the original antenna from a longer Motorola antenna which made the G5 out of balance and too easy to tip over on my desk. It seemed to work OK though.

GTO_04

 

[APX8000]

I love a little gap. As long as it’s a tight seal. [emoji2960]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[glimerman]

just ordered mine from rays ,i want to give this a shot i moniter 3 p25s and 2 come in perfect one goes out of range sometimes where i sit my pager . outside and driveing they all work perfect so this little gain may be the trick will report back

 

[bob550]

Got mine today and there is a very small gap. I'm usually pretty anal about this type of stuff but the gap doesn't bother me. The interior skirt shown in an earlier post mitigates that gap. Testing the new antenna on a single site shows an overall improved RSSI over the old antenna. It's hard to come up with a specific number due to a wavering signal at my location, but I'd say +3 to +5 db is a good improvement. Although reception with the OEM antenna was OK in my aluminum-sided house, I'll take all the db's I can get.

 

[CM1]

Just a thought, perhaps an o-ring or rubber/silicone washer might help close that gap.

 

[bob550]

Just a thought, perhaps an o-ring or rubber/silicone washer might help close that gap.

The O-ring would have to be extremely thin, or it would create a bulge, or maybe even stop the antenna from connecting. Anyway, the skirt mentioned earlier is not far in from the outside shell of the antenna.

 

[CM1]

something like this might do the trick...
Kanger Subtank Mini Gasket, Oring, Seal Set (Black) | eBay

 

[bob550]

something like this might do the trick...
Kanger Subtank Mini Gasket, Oring, Seal Set (Black) | eBay

Or, just troll the plumbing aisles at your local Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[wa2chj]

I agree. I’m seeing 1-2 Signal Strength bars increase on a weak signal system. Does anyone know what the bars are worth each in uV or dB on a G5/VHF on the 7/800 band?

 

[brucebuck1010]

I got my new antenna for my G4. I listen to MARCS-IP in western Ohio. When I listen to fringe counties, I absolutely see a single bar increase in signal strength over the original antenna. I believe that the inner lip seals things up okay - never mind the gap!

 

[N6ML]

Does anyone know what the bars are worth each in uV or dB on a G5/VHF on the 7/800 band?

From a bit of experimentation, with the V1.20 beta firmware, using a step attenuator and external antenna, it appears is might be:

4 bars: > -90
3 bars: -100 - -90
2 bars -110 - -100
1 bar: -120 - -110
no bars: < -120

although the bars and the RSSI on the diagnostic screen don't update at the same time.

 

[W8RMH]

Received the new antenna today. A two to three bar increase on distant sites. The gap is paper thin and hardly noticeable.

 

[Uni1]

Go to the information screen. While on the screen push the center ”toggle” button and then red, red, white, blue, yellow, red, then the center button again.


Center 224132 Center if you look at the buttons from left to right.

 

[N6ML]

Interesting. I was a bit worried that if I got the colour-combination wrong, the G5 might self-destruct

I'm getting -94 dBm with the stock antenna inside my office, and the same on an outdoor antenna, which is normally MUCH stronger. SDS100 shows -90's with the G5's antenna and -70's on the outside one... so I'm still not buying the G5's numbers for a "strong" signal ....

 

[KevinC]

Go to the information screen. While on the screen push the center ”toggle” button and then red, red, white, blue, yellow, red, then the center button again.


Center 224132 Center if you look at the buttons from left to right.

 

[w6hp]

I'm getting -94 dBm with the stock antenna inside my office, and the same on an outdoor antenna, which is normally MUCH stronger. SDS100 shows -90's with the G5's antenna and -70's on the outside one... so I'm still not buying the G5's numbers for a "strong" signal

All this time I thought the lower the number the better.

 

[N6ML]

All this time I thought the lower the number the better.

Depends on how you look at it ... these are negative numbers - supposedly relative to a milliWatt at the antenna input, I suppose. More negative means weaker....