430-440 MHz Repeater Omni Antenna?

[freddaniel]

Anyone found a good sturdy repeater omni antenna for 430-440 MHz, that can take ice and snow? Amateur or commercial

 

[mmckenna]

Telewave folded dipoles.

 

[12dbsinad]

Many decent brands. What gain?

RFS, CommScope, Commander Technologies, Telewave

Personally I've never been a fan of folded diaper poles but some people swear by them.

 

[prcguy]

Around here on 5k ft and taller mountains the ground is covered with fiberglass bits of what used to be antennas from ice and storms where the folded dipole arrays are still working fine. Also many fiberglass radome antennas like Stationmaster, SuperStation master and others by Sinclair are known to have internal dissimilar metal problems or mechanical problems where they get noisy after a number of years or create IMD due to corrosion at the dissimilar metal junctions. I don't hear about this with most exposed dipole arrays.

 

[12dbsinad]

Around here on 5k ft and taller mountains the ground is covered with fiberglass bits of what used to be antennas from ice and storms where the folded dipole arrays are still working fine. Also many fiberglass radome antennas like Stationmaster, SuperStation master and others by Sinclair are known to have internal dissimilar metal problems or mechanical problems where they get noisy after a number of years or create IMD due to corrosion at the dissimilar metal junctions. I don't hear about this with most exposed dipole arrays.

Had a lot of issues with exposed phasing harness problems on dipoles w/ full duplex. Super station master are all copper elements. Essentially copper pipe with foam, soldered together. Usually crappy solder joints are the problem. And a upper support arm is essential if side mounting, many dont isntall one.

If you want a rugged fiberglass antenna, try a Celwave Bogner. Can withstand just about anything.

 

[prcguy]

Had a lot of issues with exposed phasing harness problems on dipoles w/ full duplex. Super station master are all copper elements. Essentially copper pipe with foam, soldered together. Usually crappy solder joints are the problem. And a upper support arm is essential if side mounting, many dont isntall one.

If you want a rugged fiberglass antenna, try a Celwave Bogner. Can withstand just about anything.

SuperstationMaster has an aluminum support pipe screwed to both bare steel and brass and those junctions go bad at some point. I was discussing this with the current mfr Commander Technologies and they stated their antennas will develop problems within about 15yrs. Its a built in problem when you buy them new. A Bogner is way out of any amateur budget.

 

[mmckenna]

I've got a couple of sites running Telewave dipoles that regularly see hurricane force winds in the winter, some ice loading (not a lot) and they've been up for years. I'm sure there's lots of good options, but those have really stood out as good antennas.

To be fair, my other sites don't see those kinds of winds or ice at all.

 

[12dbsinad]

SuperstationMaster has an aluminum support pipe screwed to both bare steel and brass and those junctions go bad at some point. I was discussing this with the current mfr Commander Technologies and they stated their antennas will develop problems within about 15yrs. Its a built in problem when you buy them new. A Bogner is way out of any amateur budget.

I've had more problems with crappy coax used on folded dipoles for duplex use. Most are junk RG-8 type, non-shielded, braided. Exactly what we preach to NEVER use on any repeater. If you're running a combiner/multi-coupler then it's not really as much of a issue, but for true full duplex, 1 antenna, it's asking for problems. The other issue I've had with folded dipoles is falling ice above destroying the elements if it's not top mounted.

The stationmasters are not without problems, but most in my experience are mechanical. I have 40 year old antenna's that still work fine and are showing fiberglass hairs enduring Vermont winters. I've had some with noise new out of the tube.

 

[KM4OKT]

YMMV but we've had good luck out of Comprod dipoles.

 

[freddaniel]

Thanks guys for your help. I thought the Sinclair or Comprod would be the best choice.

 

[Lauri-CoyoteFrostbite]

During my career I used many antennas from Aviatech. They are the toughest, most rugid of any serious antennas -- I have one for UHF (446 MHz) that has stood thru many Rocky Mountain blizzards for years and looks just as pristine as when it came out of the box.

https://www.aviatechcorp.com/PDFs/PQRGLOSGM.pdf

https://www.aviatechcorp.com/PDFs/PQRGLOSGM.pdf

(they are not cheap )




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