Best Small Portable External Antenna for HT?

[TailGator911]

I'm in the market right now for a small external dual band antenna for my Yaesu FT2D to use in an RV while motoring down the road. As of right now I switch leads from a scanner on a discone and transmit on 2m/440 ok, but sometimes I do better with the stock antenna on the HT. I am looking for a small antenna that I can safely mount on the upper rail on my RV and use while driving, and at camp (w/coax feed) when stationary. Small footprint, no higher than 18 inches, good performance on 2m/440. Any suggestions?

JD
kf4anc

 

[ko6jw_2]

First of all, you are placing limits on performance to 1/4 on 2 meters and 3/4 wave on 440. This will be adequate, but not exceptional. Second a small footprint is somewhat ambiguous. These antennas will need a ground plane. This is roughly a quarter wave in diameter. You don't say what the roof of the RV is made of. Probably not ferrous metal or, maybe, not even metal at all. You may need to create a ground plane. Antenna mounts are available for luggage racks or rails. They don't necessarily provide an adequate ground plane. You'll have to experiment and use an analyzer or SWR meter.

I don't know how to define a "portable external antenna." On a conventional car or truck I guess that would be a mag mount, but on a vehicle without a surface on which to put a mag mount this is a problem. Give more details.

 

[K4EET]

I'm in the market right now for a small external dual band antenna for my Yaesu FT2D to use in an RV while motoring down the road. <snip> I am looking for a small antenna that I can safely mount on the upper rail on my RV and use while driving, and at camp (w/coax feed) when stationary. Small footprint, no higher than 18 inches, good performance on 2m/440. <snip>

JD,

I am going to suggest a 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band antenna that some folks are going to say is all smoke-and-mirrors and a waste of money. I have one of these antennas and I will tell you that in a test I ran the other weekend, this 7 inch tall tri-band antenna outperformed an 18.75 inch 146/440 MHz dual-band antenna. Here is a picture of the two antennas side-by-side (stuck on my Astron power supply for this photo -- NOT the configuration used for the test!).

The 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band antenna is manufactured 100% in the U.S.A. by COMPACtenna based in Ohio. This is a small outfit (as many ham radio manufacturers are) but after talking with the designer of this antenna on quite a few occasions by telephone and eMail, I am convinced that they can deliver on their claims. This is backed up by my own in-field testing where the tri-band COMPACtenna received distant repeaters a good one to two S-units better than my "trustworthy" dual-band antenna. Over the coming winter and into next spring, I do plan to do more testing with these antennas but I do expect to see similar results.

The 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band COMPACtenna is available from the vendors listed on this webpage.

So I hope this does not turn into a "put-down" thread of COMPACtenna by those folks that have neither personally tested this antenna nor spoken directly with the antenna designer. Just do a search here on Radio Reference and you can find that thread. Add your negative comments there. Please reserve (and respect) this thread for true testimonials (good or bad) from folks that have the qualifications stated in this paragraph. And I might add that I have a Masters Degree and my area of study was Antennas and RF Propagation. I don't "buy into" so-called smoke-and-mirror products without a due diligence investigation. This may be cutting-edge technology but smoke-and-mirrors it is not.

73, Dave K4EET

 

[K4EET]

JD,

You will find two other reviews by actual owners of the 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band COMPACtenna by clicking here. I thought you might want to consider their comments too.

Cheers! Dave

 

[krokus]

JD,

I am going to suggest a 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band antenna that some folks are going to say is all smoke-and-mirrors and a waste of money. I have one of these antennas and I will tell you that in a test I ran the other weekend, this 7 inch tall tri-band antenna outperformed an 18.75 inch 146/440 MHz dual-band antenna. Here is a picture of the two antennas side-by-side (stuck on my Astron power supply for this photo -- NOT the configuration used for the test!).

The 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band antenna is manufactured 100% in the U.S.A. by COMPACtenna based in Ohio. This is a small outfit (as many ham radio manufacturers are) but after talking with the designer of this antenna on quite a few occasions by telephone and eMail, I am convinced that they can deliver on their claims. This is backed up by my own in-field testing where the tri-band COMPACtenna received distant repeaters a good one to two S-units better than my "trustworthy" dual-band antenna. Over the coming winter and into next spring, I do plan to do more testing with these antennas but I do expect to see similar results.

The 7 inch tall 146/220/440 MHz tri-band COMPACtenna is available from the vendors listed on this webpage.

So I hope this does not turn into a "put-down" thread of COMPACtenna by those folks that have neither personally tested this antenna nor spoken directly with the antenna designer. Just do a search here on Radio Reference and you can find that thread. Add your negative comments there. Please reserve (and respect) this thread for true testimonials (good or bad) from folks that have the qualifications stated in this paragraph. And I might add that I have a Masters Degree and my area of study was Antennas and RF Propagation. I don't "buy into" so-called smoke-and-mirror products without a due diligence investigation. This may be cutting-edge technology but smoke-and-mirrors it is not.

73, Dave K4EET

They are H field antennas, which are gaining popularity, especially with LW and VLF enthusiasts.

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[TailGator911]

Wow, Dave, thanks for that! I actually looked at one of those a while back and was curious about it. I always read both sides of the review on anything, but in the end I make decisions based upon my own findings, likes or dislikes, and what works well. This antenna fits my criteria for being low profile, vertical, able to mount on the top rail on the RV, and 7" tall is better than what I was contemplating. Thanks much for that suggestion!

You know, I could whip out my logic calculator and figure the 1/4 or 1/2 wave and the ground plane configuration and the space needed and this and that, but all I wanted was a simple suggestion for a low profile antenna. Thanks for the replies! The 7" tribander gets the nod. After all, sitting around the campfire at the RV park and calling out on 2m what am I expecting to get - DX from another state? Nah, probably another old fart with an RV and a 2m radio who wants to get together and roast wienies on a stick and maybe play some songs around the campfire. The older you get, the simpler it gets. Know what I'm sayin? Right now the way I have it, when I am parked I get up there and I put the Diamond discone on a camera tripod and make all kinds of QSOs, but I can't utilize the discone while mobile, and a standard whip up there is too much for some clearances. I think this tribander will work for me, I'm going to give it a try!

Again, thanks Dave!


JD
kf4anc

 

[K4EET]

Wow, Dave, thanks for that! I actually looked at one of those a while back and was curious about it. <snip> This antenna fits my criteria for being low profile, vertical, able to mount on the top rail on the RV, and 7" tall is better than what I was contemplating. Thanks much for that suggestion! <snip> The 7" tribander gets the nod. <snip> I think this tribander will work for me, I'm going to give it a try! <snip> Again, thanks Dave! <snip>

JD,

You are certainly welcome! I hope that you will like it as much as I like the one I got.

73, Dave K4EET

 

[pastian]

You Cant beat ED Fong https://edsantennas.weebly.com/

Get the DBJ1

You will be amazed!

 

[TheSpaceMann]

If you really want to extend your HT's range when camping or stationary, get yourself a 2m/440 portable beam! I use the ELK 2m/440, with great results! www.ElkAntennas.com

 

[VE1GAT]

Hyperio 771. dual band 2m 70cm
Nagoya 771, diamonds are nearly all counterfeit.

 

[TailGator911]

Thanks for your replies!

 

[questnz]

I've got "Diamond" from this guy, Made In Japan of course ! US $5.85 10% OFF| Diamond RH 771 DUAL BAND U/V 144/430Mhz BNC Antenna For IC V8 IC V82 IC V85 TK308 HT440 CP500 Walkie Talkie Two Way Radio -in Walkie Talkie from Cellphones & Telecommunications on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group but it is a FAKE. When I challenge the seller about selling fakes he admitted that it is "Made in China, But have good quality" no refund was offered. I reported Seller to Aliexpress with no response.
Antenna looks well made but performance is bit short of my original SRH771 (with BNC adapter) when swapping on Unidem UBC126AT and TRX-1. Actually the packaging give away FAKE as it is different to original Diamond packaging.
Be aware and buy from reputable distributor.
fake diamond antennas - Google Search
fake nagoya antennas - Google Search

 

[comjomer]

I've tried the ELK 2m/440 and it's very reliable.

 

[TailGator911]

Thanks, once again, to you, Dave K4EET, for your suggestion! I went with a pair of the COMPACtennas, one for tri-band amateur bands (2M/220/440), and the other for scanners that I rec'd today via USPS. I will feed the scanner antenna line into a Stridsberg MCA204M multi-coupler splitter that is installed inside the kitchen cabinets in my Winnebago Via., splitting out to SDS100, SDS200, BC536HP, and TRX-1. The ham band antenna line will go direct to my Yaesu FT-2DR with a long enough feed to reach me at my fireside camp chair when needed and a shorter line to the radio inside for mobile use. I think they will look sharp installed at opposing sides of the chrome railing that frames the roof, yet subtle enough not to be easily seen. I have broken two CB Firestiks up there! I have since moved a Firestick to a bumper mount. I have some work to do now when it warms up outside! Thanks again, K4EET!

JD
kf4anc

 

[prcguy]

I've got what we believe is a real Nagoya 771 with the correct package and hologram sticker and at least three different known counterfeits. I tested all on a home antenna range and there is no difference in gain or frequency range. The construction is about the same on all and I got a pile of the counterfeits for $3 each new in retail packages and the guy selling them is making a profit. With the huge discrepancy in price between a "real" 771 and a fake and no operational differences, I'll take the fake.

I also have a Yaesu FT2D and bought a dual band similar to the 771 from Powerwerx on a friends recomendation because all my counterfeit 771s are reverse SMA and the FT2D takes a regular SMA. The Powerwerx antenna is nice with a knurled base, but it was $20 plus shipping! It does make a worthwhile difference on weak signals.

Hyperio 771. dual band 2m 70cm
Nagoya 771, diamonds are nearly all counterfeit.

 

[prcguy]

Yes, you will be amazed if your upgrading from a stock rubber duck. Otherwise not so much.

You Cant beat ED Fong Ed's Antennas

Get the DBJ1

You will be amazed!

 

[TailGator911]

I haven't upgraded to an after-market antenna for my FT2D yet, just used the stock antenna for walking around, otherwise I am tethered to my Cushcraft AR-270b on the roof at home. So, what is the best tri-band rubber duck out there?

That's what I love about this place, you guys always know the ins and outs of everything in the hobby. Some very smart fellers in here

Thanks in advance!

JD
kf4anc