Hmm, maybe so. I don't have the education or experience to say otherwise or even evaluate the subject so it would be better for me to just stand-by and wait until I see The K2NEC HAM Guy chime in and comment with his expertise on this matter.
-
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.
Antenna SWR Help
- Thread starter parkerd619
- Start date
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
They look like this inside:
You can't take a 5/8th's wave UHF antenna, which would be 3dB and 15inches long, and cram it into a 3" tall can and have it work just as well. As prcguy said, the companies play fast and loose with the numbers. Larsen calls them "unity gain". Laird calls them "3dB".
Take your pick.
Yeah, I believe it. People often assume they need high gain antennas when often a 1/4 wave will work just fine, especially in the hills/mountains, better than one with a lot of gain. After playing with different antennas for years, I could never tell the difference between a 1/4 wave and anything else. Usually in the hilly/mountainous west, the topology kills your radio coverage before distance does.
prcguy
Member
I have one of those in my garage I got for free and although I have not used it yet it should be significantly better than any mobile antenna on a ground plane adapter.
My Diamond x200a does a tremendous job. It has great SWR on vhf, uhf, and the gmrs band. Your comment is spot on!
prcguy
Member
I have a Comet CA-712EFC and opened it up not long ago. I am impressed it’s a classic design using phase shifted lengths of coax for the radiating elements and phasing cables and not a bunch of brazing rod elements stuck together with phasing coils and dissimilar metal junctions like most Comet and Diamond base antennas. Not to mention tiny under rated capacitors in the base matching section that smoke at high power. This is basically the same design as the original 5dBd gain Stationmaster antenna but with a couple of extra elements.
What this means is the gain can be easily calculated from the number of elements and for repeater use there are no obvious dissimilar metal junctions to create passive IMD in a full duplex repeater system. Also, no tiny capacitors to burn out that I can find. I might just keep this one and they are a bargain at about $130 and also a good recommendation for GMRS base and repeater use.
The picture below shows the CA-712EFC on the right and another Comet or ?? antenna on the left with the brazing rod elements and chrome plated (very bad) couplers between some elements. I would estimate the CA-712EFC to be around 6dBd gain comparing it to an actual PD/Celwave Stationmaster of the same frequency range.
Note to the OP, just buy one of these and enjoy life.
What this means is the gain can be easily calculated from the number of elements and for repeater use there are no obvious dissimilar metal junctions to create passive IMD in a full duplex repeater system. Also, no tiny capacitors to burn out that I can find. I might just keep this one and they are a bargain at about $130 and also a good recommendation for GMRS base and repeater use.
The picture below shows the CA-712EFC on the right and another Comet or ?? antenna on the left with the brazing rod elements and chrome plated (very bad) couplers between some elements. I would estimate the CA-712EFC to be around 6dBd gain comparing it to an actual PD/Celwave Stationmaster of the same frequency range.
Note to the OP, just buy one of these and enjoy life.
You might want to get the Non-Ground Plane Phantom antenna if you're going to use a Phantom unless you are real close to the station you are communicating with.
Similar threads
