Railcom's Rail Scan Gain Antenna vs. DPD's Traintenna

[trainman111]

I've been pondering which antenna to purchase for a few days now but I figured I'd get a few peoples' opinions before I made a purchase. What is the difference between the Railcom antenna and the Traintenna? Has anyone ever done a side-by-side test of the two? Obviously there's $6.05 difference between them, but is that where the differences end? I've never done business with Railcom, but I have with DPD Productions, and if there is no difference in the two, then that may be the determining factor. Anyone else have any comments/suggestions?

 

[AK9R]

Railcom Railscan Gain Antenna is a 5/8 wave whip antenna on a magnetic mount. It is intended for mobile use. You could use it as a base antenna, but it will need a ground plane in order to get the rated gain. The ground plane could be a metal cookie sheet, a steel file cabinet, or a refrigerator.

Which Traintenna are you talking about? There are four different models on DPD's web site labled Traintenna. If you are referring to the TrainTenna Mobile 5/8 Wave Antenna, it appears to be functionally the same as the Railscan Gain Antenna.

 

[trainman111]

Yes I was referring to the Mobile 5/8 wave antenna. So functionally, the two are identical?

 

[AK9R]

Yup, for the most part, a 5/8 wave whip is a 5/8 wave whip. Assuming the quality of the materials is the same, then there's no difference between those two products. The Railcom version appears to be a Maxrad coil while the DPD version appears to be an Antenex coil. However, those are just wild guesses since you can't really tell from the photos. I believe both of them have mag-mounts with a BNC connector on the cable. That's a useful option since most mag-mounts marketed towards land mobile or amateur radio customers have PL-259 ("UHF") connectors.

 

[trainman111]

Alright, I'm going to be placing my order tomorrow from either Railcomm or DPD. Does anyone have any additional input on the performance of either of these antennae before I make the final decision?

 

[FFPM571]

There is no disconcertable difference other than price. I work in the 2 way install and service and we install both models of antenna. I have yet to find any better or worse.

 

[Marvin_178]

About the Railcom (Railscan antenna)

I talked to the tech at Railcom he was walking step by step telling me what the differce is between name brand antennas. One this is something neat they make antennas for all but Traintenna and Browning Tram I belive he said Tram is now Browning but any way A/S,Maxrad's/Pctel,Motorola,Railscan,I think he said Larsen at 1 time are made by them. They have taken a Browning apart most Com. do this to see how they are made. He said it is in the materals for 1 but the Railcom Railscan Antenna is made to railroad specs: I want to say that antenna band with is how does it go .3bd compard to most ham or plan Jane com. antennas are .5db now I found this really hard to belive in a way he said that it all comes down to even the silver solder they use the higher priced antennas will use the top dollar solder .9999 same as the copper coil the better copper also how it is sealed from the weather. He was telling me they put a Browning to a test when it 1st came out it didnt hold up by test they said it hold up to about 2 years but there Railcan will with stand meany meany years of weather sealed very well. I now a guy he works in a one of the largest rail hub in the us he is the radio man he tells me that even the radios like the clean cab Motorolas have to be made to just RR specs. if you was to buy a clean cab radio or a railroad radio it will have a special S/N on it meaning it is a RR radio they have to be made to RR sepcs: For the poor man antenna I have done meany antennas in my life I tried a Maxrad 5/8s cause I have seen some on trucks around here but mine didnt have the spring on it dont think that will make any differnce but I ened up going back to my A/S Mosic BN and SF used to use them on all there MOW traucks I found that to be better them all I have tried I use to use a Larson I was walking thru a junk yard near my town of Fort Madison Ia looking for a part for my old truck I happend to look over seen a wrecked BN truck it came from Keokuk ia down south of us the owner said it still had the Larson ant on it in great shape at the time BNSF wasnt so it had to come off the Hannibal sub that runs up here to so he told me for $5 I take it off I can have it I use it to on another radio on the van it doesn.t pick up as well as the Maxrad put it in the same spot as the other same day same same size cut whip same size coil my Maxrad is newer then the Larson I dont think they had Maxrads back in the BN days the Larsen is a MNO150 it is not molded like the Maxrad MB5800. I have a Traintenna base antenna I'd almost bet it is a small J pole inside thats not a bad thing it is a good antenna I can't put ants outside so this is better then having a J pole made out of 3/4" copper tubing in the attic I also have one for when I go out in places that are far from a town in the country that I need to get higher I stick that Traintenna on a push up pole 15' or more up on the side of the van I RX about 30 to 45 miles away so Iam not running down the Traintenna at all they are well built I bet. He sells a lot of them so they must be great I got mine on Ebay. As soon as I move back to the city i am going to buy 2 more Traintennas.

 

[FFPM571]

Railcom Railscan Antenna is made to railroad specs: Ummm No its a Laird 5/8 wave VHF antenna with a railcom sticker on it.. Nice try

 

[KevinC]

Hmm...almost 9 year old thread with no new real info.

I think we're done here.