Austin Antenna's?

[dragon_slayer79]

Hello everyone,

Just was wondering if anyone has heard anything about Austin no longer carrying their pole base mount any more? I see it's listed as no longer available and that they've jacked up the price of the Spectra $35 bucks from it's original $84. I tried to e-mail them and ask if it was permanent or just a temp thing and never have gotten a reply. That in itself makes me wonder if I should be happy I hadn't made my purchase yet.

Just wondered if anyone knew...

1: If it was a permanent thing or just temporarily unavailable.
2: If that one is off the table now, would anyone have any suggestions for a suitable/comparable alternative?

Will be mounted atop a 60' tower out in the country. Closest town is 10 miles and I listen to anything and everything depending on my mood. 80-90% is public safety stuff in the 150's, 160's, 450's and some 800's. I'm currently using the Scantenna and have been happy with it but saving up to do some upgrades and thought while I'm at it a nicer antenna up on the tower would be nice. Mainly so I can get up to a more appropriate cable size since I'm on a 200' cable run right now with RG6QS and the Scantenna is setup for RG6 use. Whereas the Spectra Pole Mount is setup for SO-239.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[gewecke]

Hello everyone,

Just was wondering if anyone has heard anything about Austin no longer carrying their pole base mount any more? I see it's listed as no longer available and that they've jacked up the price of the Spectra $35 bucks from it's original $84. I tried to e-mail them and ask if it was permanent or just a temp thing and never have gotten a reply. That in itself makes me wonder if I should be happy I hadn't made my purchase yet.

Just wondered if anyone knew...

1: If it was a permanent thing or just temporarily unavailable.
2: If that one is off the table now, would anyone have any suggestions for a suitable/comparable alternative?

Will be mounted atop a 60' tower out in the country. Closest town is 10 miles and I listen to anything and everything depending on my mood. 80-90% is public safety stuff in the 150's, 160's, 450's and some 800's. I'm currently using the Scantenna and have been happy with it but saving up to do some upgrades and thought while I'm at it a nicer antenna up on the tower would be nice. Mainly so I can get up to a more appropriate cable size since I'm on a 200' cable run right now with RG6QS and the Scantenna is setup for RG6 use. Whereas the Spectra Pole Mount is setup for SO-239.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Maybe you should consider one of these?

Larsen NMO150/450/800 Tri Band VHF, UHF, 800 MHz Motorola Style Antenna | TESSCO

It covers everything you mentioned, and with a better price!

73,
n9zas

 

[Skypilot007]

Austin antennas are over rated and over priced. I would avoid them.

I think dragon is looking for a base style antenna so the Larson 150/450/800 NMO tribander would not apply for the application. Its too bad larson doesn't make a base station version of this antenna. It would be a big seller amongst folks on here I bet.

I use the comet GP-6NC (commercial version of the GP-6) for VHF/UHF and a seperate yagi style antenna for 800MHz. Also a varity of home brewed antennas. I'm no where near 60ft in height but they are working well enough as a team. I also use seperate radios for VHF/UHF and 800MHz.

 

[dragon_slayer79]

That is correct I am looking for a base antenna to put on my tower, not a mobile. At this time I only have the one radio maybe an additional radio will be on the list of ideas to consider but that will likely not happen in the near future due to still having to eat and all.

 

[SCPD]

i would recommend an st-2, i have mine 20 foot up, and can hear some vhf at 80+miles, the only uhf i monitor is 25 miles and clear, and have heard caltrans 800 mhz at 50+miles

 

[gewecke]

Austin antennas are over rated and over priced. I would avoid them.

I think dragon is looking for a base style antenna so the Larson 150/450/800 NMO tribander would not apply for the application. Its too bad larson doesn't make a base station version of this antenna. It would be a big seller amongst folks on here I bet.

I use the comet GP-6NC (commercial version of the GP-6) for VHF/UHF and a seperate yagi style antenna for 800MHz. Also a varity of home brewed antennas. I'm no where near 60ft in height but they are working well enough as a team. I also use seperate radios for VHF/UHF and 800MHz.

Larsen does...sort of.
They do market a NMO groundlplane kit to convert any NMO mobile antenna over to base use.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantm/3083.html


73,
n9zas

 

[dragon_slayer79]

i would recommend an st-2, i have mine 20 foot up, and can hear some vhf at 80+miles, the only uhf i monitor is 25 miles and clear, and have heard caltrans 800 mhz at 50+miles

Yeah I like the Scantenna ST-2, as stated in original post that's what I'm currently using. The only problem is that it's setup for use with RG6 cable and I have a 200' cable run and RG6 just isn't the best option out there.

My plans are to run CA600 down from the tower over to the house into a multicoupler ~150' and then out from that with CA400 to the radio(s) ~50'.

 

[dragon_slayer79]

Larsen does...sort of.
They do market a NMO groundlplane kit to convert any NMO mobile antenna over to base use.

Larsen BSAKIT Base Conversion Kit


73,
n9zas

Hmm interesting... Okay maybe a dumb question to follow...

Wouldn't there be a reception difference between a mobile vs. base station antenna since most mobiles run 1/4 to at most 5/8 wave to keep size down. Where as base station antennas go you wouldn't care about that and tend to go for as close to 1:1 as you could get? My thoughts may be twisted here so please correct me if I'm off in left field here.

 

[russellmaher]

According to this website (as of today's date) the pole base mount is available, so I don't know where you got the info that it's no longer available. Did you get your info from here?

 

[gewecke]

Hmm interesting... Okay maybe a dumb question to follow...

Wouldn't there be a reception difference between a mobile vs. base station antenna since most mobiles run 1/4 to at most 5/8 wave to keep size down. Where as base station antennas go you wouldn't care about that and tend to go for as close to 1:1 as you could get? My thoughts may be twisted here so please correct me if I'm off in left field here.

Unless you plan on transmitting with it, SWR is not going to be a problem!

73,
n9zas

 

[dragon_slayer79]

According to this website (as of today's date) the pole base mount is available, so I don't know where you got the info that it's no longer available. Did you get your info from here?

Not sure if you looked at it wrong or what I've even tried two different browsers and hit F5 to refresh and it all says the pole mount is $NLA. The antenna itself if available but not the pole mount.

http://www.rfwiz.com/AustinAntenna/AustinAntennaSpectra.htm

 

[dragon_slayer79]

Unless you plan on transmitting with it, SWR is not going to be a problem!

73,
n9zas

No plans on transmitting at this point anyway. Wouldn't share the antenna with a scanner anyway. That's just asking for trouble. I am a HAM but only have a 2M mobile in my car at this time and don't have any friends around here any more that are active HAMs so I rarely turn it on. About the only time I use it any more is when I'm calling in a report to the NWS if I happen to be out mobile spotting. Even that is rare the cell phone is usually more reliable in my location.

Wouldn't a longer base antenna "hear" signals better than a short mobile one? Antenna's are my weakness at this point been trying to learn as much as I can but I'm more of a hands on type person and all I have is the net and books at this point.

 

[gewecke]

No plans on transmitting at this point anyway. Wouldn't share the antenna with a scanner anyway. That's just asking for trouble. I am a HAM but only have a 2M mobile in my car at this time and don't have any friends around here any more that are active HAMs so I rarely turn it on. About the only time I use it any more is when I'm calling in a report to the NWS if I happen to be out mobile spotting. Even that is rare the cell phone is usually more reliable in my location.

Wouldn't a longer base antenna "hear" signals better than a short mobile one? Antenna's are my weakness at this point been trying to learn as much as I can but I'm more of a hands on type person and all I have is the net and books at this point.

Without typing six pages of antenna theory and formulas for you, I will just say that it all depends on what you want to hear?
Ex; Longer antennas without a load in the design work well at lower frequencies, and shorter antennas of the same design usually work well at higher frequencies. :wink:
The" ARRL amateur radio handbook " and the "ARRL Antenna Athology" are both great books on theory and design.

73,
n9zas

 

[cg]

Short of buying and identically installing every antenna made at the same location, you cannot compare them. You can measure transmit power etc on those that rated for that, but the best way for me to evaluate how well they receive is to listen to them.

The base antenna from Austin is the Ferret. I have one 60' up a tree with LMR600 to my radio room. I like the Ferret because it is durable, it has withstood blizzards and ice storms as well as 70+ MPH winds. I have had damage on several discones and the poorly built Scantennas mounted lower. There are also other durable multiband scanner antennas out there, I have not used them. For me, being able to thread the Ferret through the branches was perfect.

I would guess in Iowa, an ice storm may not be as much of an issue but winds and blizzards. I would not want to be climbing a 60' tower in January because my POS antenna broke.

Regardless of which antenna you use, don't go cheap on the coax, Times Microwave brand LMR400 (600 and up needs much more expensive connectors and crimpers). Do not use "LMR400 equivelant" as it rarely is. Ensure the connector is properly sealed with coax seal, DO NOT just cover it with electrical tape. The Ferret has real "N" connectors, not the poorly designed wingnut and balun with "F" connector found on the Scantenna.

As for finding one, I was looking for another one recently and what I found is several locations with great prices had excessive shipping costs. The antenna is 8' so it ships oversized. Be sure to check the total cost.

If I recall, Ham Radio Outlet had the best shipped price. but do a search for Austin Antenna Ferret and you should find several options.

chris

 

[dragon_slayer79]

Short of buying and identically installing every antenna made at the same location, you cannot compare them. You can measure transmit power etc on those that rated for that, but the best way for me to evaluate how well they receive is to listen to them.

The base antenna from Austin is the Ferret. I have one 60' up a tree with LMR600 to my radio room. I like the Ferret because it is durable, it has withstood blizzards and ice storms as well as 70+ MPH winds. I have had damage on several discones and the poorly built Scantennas mounted lower. There are also other durable multiband scanner antennas out there, I have not used them. For me, being able to thread the Ferret through the branches was perfect.

I would guess in Iowa, an ice storm may not be as much of an issue but winds and blizzards. I would not want to be climbing a 60' tower in January because my POS antenna broke.

Regardless of which antenna you use, don't go cheap on the coax, Times Microwave brand LMR400 (600 and up needs much more expensive connectors and crimpers). Do not use "LMR400 equivelant" as it rarely is. Ensure the connector is properly sealed with coax seal, DO NOT just cover it with electrical tape. The Ferret has real "N" connectors, not the poorly designed wingnut and balun with "F" connector found on the Scantenna.

As for finding one, I was looking for another one recently and what I found is several locations with great prices had excessive shipping costs. The antenna is 8' so it ships oversized. Be sure to check the total cost.

If I recall, Ham Radio Outlet had the best shipped price. but do a search for Austin Antenna Ferret and you should find several options.

chris

Thanks for the info.

 

[russellmaher]

Hi dragon_slayer79:

Check out the Classifieds here on RR....I'm selling my Austin Ferret since I cannot mount an antenna on the building where I live. This could be just what you're looking for.

Russell




OK! Now I see where you found the $NLA.....my bad! I looked at that page several times and just now saw what you saw. Sorry!

 

[SMOKE1]

I was looking for info and reviews on Austin Antenna products and searched the forums. As was stated earlier in this thread, as of 2012, Austin Antenna are sold at RWIZ.com:
https://preview.tinyurl.com/ycare9n8 with an explanation of the Ferret concept, here: https://preview.tinyurl.com/y97v2wtp . The WWC Business card shown on the Austin page, when Googled, leads to the below Reuters info: https://preview.tinyurl.com/y8vhz2gb

Nutshell version...
In November of 1997 Austin Antenna was bought by World Wireless Communications in Colorado, who seem to be a 3 person holding company that own companies that make internet systems for wireless telemetry, control and operation of equipment using embedded nodes and internet gateways , a company that makes spread spectrum, frequency hopping, secure radios they appear to be involved with the X-Gate tech above, and Austin Antenna in Gonic, NH. Of interest is that one of the two directors was on the House Armed Services Committee. See that page, here:
https://preview.tinyurl.com/yczay8sq

With 25 to 40 kilometer ranges on the radios, this kinda has a 'military applications' type of smell, not so much as a 'controlling air conditioners' smell. But then, I'm a Luddite....

Anyways, bottom line is AA is still in Gonic, NH and still making Scanner antennae that are expensive , but that most buyers like.

V/R
Ronzo
about 30 minutes away from Gonic, NH