ShawnCowden
Member
I thought about hooking up my diamond RH-77CA antenna to this and making it an outside antenna. What do you all think ? BNC Ground Plane Kit | Centerfire Antenna
BNC Ground Plane Kit
- Thread starter ShawnCowden
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Might be worth a try!
It's not too expensive, so if it doesn't produce good results, you won't be out too much $$
It's not too expensive, so if it doesn't produce good results, you won't be out too much $$
ShawnCowden
Member
i have a st-2 but want to try something else. I wonder how their centerfire ground plane is Deluxe Discone Antenna | Centerfire Antenna I will mostly be listening to uhf band and a little vhf high band
lost_in_maine
Member
I been getting good results with a Tram-1465 NMO Mount with GP Kit, and a Larsen Tri-bander...
Amazon.com: TRAM 1465 Land Mobile Base Ground Plane Kit: Car Electronics
Amazon.com: TRAM 1465 Land Mobile Base Ground Plane Kit: Car Electronics
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Cute, but...
I like the look of both of these ( especially the rubber duck mount ) but they are what they are, antenna(s) if you don't have room/budget for a full discone or beam with multiple elements or maybe you might want one for a hunting cabin on a hilltop either would probably work well . I once used an Austin Condor on top of a wood 2" x2' taped to the porch rail during a heavy snow took out a tree & then my antenna & it worked surprisingly well for 6 weeks. The higher you get your antenna the more you'll hear, even if you just use a straightened coat hanger.
I like the look of both of these ( especially the rubber duck mount ) but they are what they are, antenna(s) if you don't have room/budget for a full discone or beam with multiple elements or maybe you might want one for a hunting cabin on a hilltop either would probably work well . I once used an Austin Condor on top of a wood 2" x2' taped to the porch rail during a heavy snow took out a tree & then my antenna & it worked surprisingly well for 6 weeks. The higher you get your antenna the more you'll hear, even if you just use a straightened coat hanger.
lost_in_maine
Member
I would be hesitant to go with an antenna that is deigned for a handheld, in my weather extremes here.... Using a mobile antenna, you get the benefit that it is designed to withstand it...i've had those caps actually fall off the ducks before...and looking at some of the designs, a cheapo could fill with water rather quickly...
Doug
Doug
ShawnCowden
Member
Also where would be a good place to get some cheap adaptors because my diamond is the sma version so I would need a sma to BNC adaptor srh-77ca also I need a f to BNC connector
If you have the room to put something like that up then you should have the room to put up a whip that is at least a half wavelength or a 5/8 wave. It is pretty well pointless in my opinion. Heck you could make a dipole out of wire and hang it vertically and get better performance (and a lot cheaper). Also keep in mind that the more connectors you put in line the more loss you will get. So putting that sma to bnc connector in line will further compromise the situation. Really I think that if you have the room to put that thing up on a mast then you may as well just go with some kind of whip antenna or home made dipole. In the past I have seen people take a coat hanger and cut it up. Then take a so-239 connector (the one that you see on the back of a radio) and solder a center element and 4 ground radials to it. Making a easy 1/4 antenna. Even that I think would provide better performance than this rubber duck with a ground plane proposal. However if you want to experiment with it then I suppose all the power to you. Just in my opinion the rubber duck should be left on the portable radio. That is the only use I have for one. Just what they are intended for. Interesting contraption though!
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jim202
Member
No one has even mentioned the problem that the rain will cause over time with this antenna. How are you going to weatherproof it? It's one thing to use a rubber duckie, it's another to keep the water out of the antenna and connection.
This might work for a month or so till the connections get all corroded up. Don't forget to weather seal the other side of the BNC chassis connector where you connect the coax. It too needs to be sealed from the weather.
FKimble
Member
Well for $8 dollars more from the same website, you can get a whole complete 1/4 wave ground plane antenna which I'm sure will be much better than a blinged rubber duckie. And for a little more you can get a good base ant that will make a real difference assuming you use good coax betweem the radio and base. I'm using a Diamond x50 in the attic with 75 feet of ABR 400 type coax on my "handheld" base unit. I can hear every repeater in 40-50 milrs and talk back to most.
I have used a Tram 1465 for years and have been happy with it. It is lightweight. It is versatile since you get to pick the antenna you put on it. It is a very economical option. It connects with a PL 259. I share the same concern that exposing a rubber duck antenna to the weather elements. Best wishes with your antenna search.
ShawnCowden
Member
I will probably buy the deluxe ground plane from them. I'd love to find a cheap price high gains 5/8 wave dual band antenna base for scanner use. Key word is cheap priced
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