I got all the adapters and a trunk NMO mount to connect an antenna to my HT1000 on vhf (frequency is155.160). Now i need an antenna, i'm not sure what to get. I don't know how to tune one and i don't have the meter thing needed. My local radio shop said they'd sell me an antenna and cut it to length for $66. Should i just go that route?
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Best mobile VHF antenna for a handheld in car?
- Thread starter FastLT1
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KD0OTK
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KD0OTK
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You won't have to cut any of them. They're all tuned.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
A simple quarter wave antenna will run you less than $20 and come with a cutting chart that will get you close enough. Quarter wave antennas are quite broad banded, so you don't need to be exact to get good results. You can easily cut the whip with a fine tooth hack saw, or heavy wire cutters. The allen wrench tool usually is included with the antenna.
$66 bucks is ridiculous unless they were quoting you a 5/8's wave antenna, in which case you can get the antenna for $45 and cut it yourself for free.
Any amateur radio shop will sell you a suitable antenna for a lot cheaper.
$66 bucks is ridiculous unless they were quoting you a 5/8's wave antenna, in which case you can get the antenna for $45 and cut it yourself for free.
Any amateur radio shop will sell you a suitable antenna for a lot cheaper.
Do it yourself with-out a meter and take your chances with transmit and receive problems and burn it up guessing with a chart. or have someone set it up with proper equipment. who will show you with a meter that it is ready to go. Questionable? and olny a few bucks more. I can tell you how to change your main breaker pannel,Use a toarch to fix pluming or your Airconditioner and also save you money changeing your own breaks in your car. It all comes at a price. If you have a friend who has an SWR meter I would say buy the parts and expirment. If you want an easy install with no problems Have the shop do it.Just my two cents.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
In the end, that is what matters. Glad you found a solution.
I'm always happy to help folks tune antennas if they are local. I've got the correct gear, and I love to help out fellow radio geeks.
mformby
Member
All quarter wave antennas don't need to be cut and tuned. They are around 18" long. All 5/8 wave antennas have to be cut to a specific or center frequency, that tunes them. $45 is a average price and it comes with a chart so you can cut it yourself.
n5ims
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Funny Larsen appears to believe that their quarter wave antennas need to be tuned or they wouldn't have produced a cutting chart for them (http://12.9.181.227/download/3147/nmo_tunable_quarter_waves_03_08pdf). Now several are cut to a generic center frequency and have OK SWR over the specified frequency range. The choice is basically have them cut it (and force a shop to keep several different ones in stock) or stock one and cut them yourself to match the frequencies in use by the specific customer.
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