• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Looking for mount

Status
Not open for further replies.

kjl13

QRT
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
431
I checked out that mount, I think it would work. Do you know if it is on amazon?

Also, question:
Would there be a better way ground it?

—
Best Regards,
Kyle Lucas
 
Last edited:

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,615
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
Yes, a similar one is on Amazon, but you'll pay a lot more for it:
https://www.amazon.com/Bracket-Truc...8&qid=1530116069&sr=8-46&keywords=NMO+BRACKET

Grounding it to the rack with the screws and some star washers should do the trick.
The issue is that a DC ground and an RF ground plane are different things. While the mount would likely be grounded to the frame of the bike, it's not going to be a good ground plane under the antenna. To get that you'll need radials extending one quarter wavelength around the base of the antenna.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,615
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
Tell us more about what you plan to use this mount for, then we can probably help you out a bit better.

Many antenna designs require a ground plane to work correctly. There are some that don't.

Since the size of the required ground plane will depend on which frequencies you plan on using, it's hard to give you much of a detailed answer.

Half wave antennas will work without a ground plane (although they work better with one), so that might be an option. You can also find these antennas listed by amateur radio dealers as "NGP" (No Ground Plane), and "Ground Independent". Also, be aware that having the antenna down low behind the rider will not only have some impact on performance, but if you are running more than a few watts, can expose the rider to a fair amount of RF energy.
 

kjl13

QRT
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
431
I am going to be mounting an antenna to the mount for radio communications, I am looking for a mount that would easily mount to that bike rack above. Any other information you need specifically?
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,615
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
I am going to be mounting an antenna to the mount for radio communications, I am looking for a mount that would easily mount to that bike rack above. Any other information you need specifically?

Frequencies/band, power level, radio type, budget… Those would be a few questions I'd ask.
 

kjl13

QRT
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
431
Frequeny is 453.975, the power is 25W, the radio type is a mobile radio, if your talking about the budget for the whole project includinf radio, it is a few hundred.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,615
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
OK, that helps.

So, getting a single band half wave antenna isn't a problem.
These are all suitable:
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/pctel-maxrad-muf4502s-8347
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/larsen-nmo450chw-833
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-b4502ns-3235
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-b4502n-3231

My concern is that transmitting at 25 watts that close to a human body isn't a good thing. Ideally you'd either want to lower the power to something below 10 or 15 watts, or put the antenna up higher than the rider.
Even police motorcycles usually run 15 watts or less.
 

kjl13

QRT
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
431
Ok, thanks for your concern. What can happen if you transmit that close to the human body with 25 watts?

Also, I am looking for a longer antenna than those, know of any?

--
Best Regards,
kjl
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,615
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
Ok, thanks for your concern. What can happen if you transmit that close to the human body with 25 watts?

High doses of RF energy heats the tissue. The FCC has exposure limits to reduce the chances of this happening. Even working in the industry I try to avoid getting too much exposure, but ultimately it's up to you.

Also, I am looking for a longer antenna than those, know of any?

Here's 20 different models to choose from, just from this dealer.
Antenna Farm is pretty good for small quantities. I've purchased from them when my quantity is below the limits with the larger dealers.
 

kjl13

QRT
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
431
I don’t see the 20 different models, not exactly sure what your talking about,

High doses of RF energy heats the tissue. The FCC has exposure limits to reduce the chances of this happening. Even working in the industry I try to avoid getting too much exposure, but ultimately it's up to you.



Here's 20 different models to choose from, just from this dealer.
Antenna Farm is pretty good for small quantities. I've purchased from them when my quantity is below the limits with the larger dealers.
 

krokus

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
5,963
Location
Southeastern Michigan
Ok, thanks for your concern. What can happen if you transmit that close to the human body with 25 watts?

Also, I am looking for a longer antenna than those, know of any?

--
Best Regards,
kjl
Warming/heating of body tissues. Damage to eyes, kidneys, and gonads, are most likely. It can affect electronics, too.

Here is a publicly accessible page, from the US Navy, on the topic.

https://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Pages/acquisition/radio_frequency-radiation.aspx

Sent using Tapatalk
 

kjl13

QRT
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
431
Last edited:

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,615
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
I've always been happy with the Larsen products. 30 years and I've never had one let me down.


The OM style mount would work, even though it's not an NMO mount. It's designed to just bolt down on a surface. So you could use it with just a length of aluminum stock and screw it down.
But I agree, go with the NMO, wider selection of antennas to choose from.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top