Sputnik vs discone

[fpo701]

The weather's starting to get warmer. Time to use my RatShack gift card to mount an antenna in my attic.

I'm really torn between the discone (20-043) and the Sputnik (20-176). Reading the reviews, the cheap Sputnik seems to do better. I just find it hard to believe that the more expensive one is less effective.

Can those with experience with these antennas provide some guidance?

 

[mikey224]

Go with the "Sputnick" and some good coax! I have the Sputnick mounted in my attic on a 5'mast into a wooden base with 35' of RG8 to 4' of RG58 (for some flexibility at the scanner). It works excellent on all bands including 800mhz. Low Band is somewhat comprimised though. I did try the Discone as well and was NOT pleased with its performace at all, especially at a higher cost. I would recomend the "Sputnick" Hands Down. I don't think you will be dissapointed. There's a mod out there for 800mhz that I stumbled across one day on the web. It's basically trimming one of the 3" vertical elements for improved reception on 800mhz. I did it but did't notice a major improvement.....Overall I am Very Happy with it's performance.

 

[Dewey]

While my recently posted thread (http://forums.radioreference.com/antennas-coax-forum/205035-attic-antenna-ground-question.html) doesn't directly address your question, you can see my affection for the Sputnik... even when compared to the highly touted Diamond D130J. Not only do I want to put a Sputnik in my attic, I ask myself every one or two weeks do I really want to keep the D130J on the roof, or go back to another Sputnik.

Dewey

 

[GTR8000]

The RS sputnik brings back some really good memories! I had one mounted outside my bedroom window back in the 80s attached to my first scanner. Thinking back on how shoddily I had it mounted, and the horribly cheap coax I used with terrible twist on connectors and adapters...it's amazing how well it still performed. Kinda makes me wish I could go back in time to install it properly on a nice mast with some RG8 and see how much better it would've done lol. Ah the good old days, when everything was still analog on low band or VHF that any old scanner could pick up.

Anyways, I would definitely go with the sputnik. Save your money, the RS discone is not worth the price. If I were going to get a discone, I'd spend the extra few bucks on the Diamond, which is constructed much better and can be had with an N connector instead of the inferior UHF connector.

 

[riccom]

Go with spudnik!!!!!!!!!! best bang for the buck, and its a classic that radio shack did right on for once!!!

 

[fpo701]

sputnik it is! Now, what do I mount it to in the attic?

 

[wyomingmedic]

The great thing about attics is their protection from the weather (DUH!!!). That means "mounting convenience".

For example, I have a 2 meter ground plane mounted in my attic as a backup in case of damage to the tower. Since it is protected up there, I literally hung it from a rafter with a piece of fishing line and a thumbtack. Been up for almost 2 years without problem.

So get your antenna in the attic and tie it to a rafter or wherever. Won't be swingin around or anything, so no need to go all out.

WM

 

[GTR8000]

If you have a handheld scanner, you might want to spend a few minutes up there scanning your favorite frequencies while moving around. Try to find the "sweet spot" for where to mount the antenna, and maybe even finding a few dead zones in the process. It's not an exact science, obviously, but it certainly won't hurt.

Also I like wyomingmedic's advice on not going too nuts with the mounting hardware, especially starting off. Mount it temporarily by hanging it with some fishing line in one of those sweet spots you found, and see how it performs with all the coax connected. That way you can make easy adjustments to the location if need be. At that point you can mount it more permanently if you want to or need to. Some attics are drafty or have a fan or active ventilation, so to avoid it swinging around while air is moving, you might want to clamp it down to something.

BTW those satellite dish mounting arms are pretty cheap and work great for mounting lightweight antennas with U clamps.

 

[kb2vxa]

"Go with spudnik!"
That's an interesting concept, an antenna that grows its own elements. (;->)

 

[mule1075]

i have had both in the past and have to agree go with the sputnik

 

[alfish]

good choice. i love mine. will be putting another one outside for b-q;s/ nice weather/just to be out of the house.

 

[riccom]

"Go with spudnik!"
That's an interesting concept, an antenna that grows its own elements. (;->)

ha ha ha ha its as cheap as a potato!!!!!!! in the scanner world!

 

[jdcuster]

This thread has me interested in the Sputnik. I really don't know too much about scanner antennas. Will this do OK picking up 33 and 46 bands? My primary scanning is in the 400 band but I would like to be able to hear some 33 and 46.

 

[WA1ATA]

It does "ok" at picking up 42MHz signals. The taller vertical element is about 19" tall, which is the limiting factor for picking up VHF low. The 20-176 aka sputnik will be much, much better than a standard rubber ducky antenna, but it is nowhere near as good as my twinlead J-pole cut for 42.5MHz.

From looking at the dimensions and some crude observations of how my sputnik picks up various signals, it seems that the 19" vertical is a 1/4 wavelength at 145MHz or so, and does a good job of picking up everything from the 1118-136MHz airband, up through the 160MHz railroad band.

The two smaller elements are around 1/4 wavelength at 460MHz and do a good job in for all the 4xx Mhz signals. It works, but not as well, at 800MHz.

 

[nyair1]

Anyone use this for milair listening? My discone is old and getting beat up. Also looking to raise it higher too. Thanks