Building a antenna

[prcguy]

If you check eBay real often the Laird WPD136M6C-001 that the Browning was copied from shows up new in the $35 range. I got two at this price from different vendors, one was labeled Laird and the other Harris but Harris just sticks their label on a Laird antenna. Its an ok antenna but like the Browning version, you give up performance for multiple bands.

 

[prcguy]

I like the L-Com 800/900 antenna so much I'm using it at a mountain cabin install as soon as the snow melts with a big Discone for the lower freqs. I found a great diplexer that I put in an outdoor NEMA box that will go on the mast right below the antennas with very short runs of LMR400 to the diplexer and a single short LMR400 run to the shack. Check out the freq split on the diplexer, its great for this application.

For now this setup will be a universal plug and play antenna for any radio VHF through 900MHz but I may install filters and a preamp in the mast mount box and dedicate to monitoring only in the future. Here is the diplexer I stuck in the mast mount box with all custom length cables. All external cables enter thought the bottom of the box to help keep water out.

Found one of these on eBay for 40$. Found a thread here about this particular antenna.

 

[yankees6161]

Thats a nice setup. I would like to see a picture when its all together.

 

[GROL]

If you check eBay real often the Laird WPD136M6C-001 that the Browning was copied from shows up new in the $35 range. I got two at this price from different vendors, one was labeled Laird and the other Harris but Harris just sticks their label on a Laird antenna. Its an ok antenna but like the Browning version, you give up performance for multiple bands.

The Laird doesn't look like the Browning and the price if one on eBay right now is insane. The base is definately different. Not nearly as fat as the Browning.

Laird Technologies WPD136M6C-001 136-174/380-520/760-870 Wide Spectrum Antenna for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Laird Technologies WPD136M6C-001 136-174/380-520/760-870 Wide Spectrum Antenna at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[yankees6161]

Good lord, very high priced

 

[GROL]

Good lord, very high priced

Yeah, I wouldn't buy one of Laird antennas. The coverage specs are not the same for 700/800/900. Not so sure they are the same design although they look similar. The base of the Browning is very fat and takes some getting used to seeing it, but it has worked very well and the price is decent. I never questioned the advertised specs of the Browning because it worked very well. In a previous job I could have compared it to a 1/4 wave dipole at different frequencies. Don't have access to that setup any longer.

The Browning package label shows the gain is actually measured as dBi instead of dBd. Subtract 2.14 from dBi to get dBd. dBi is referenced to a theoretical isotropic antenna, not a physical 1/4 wave dipole.

So if Browning isn't lying, the gain is,
136-174 Mhz 0.86 dBd
380-520 Mhz 4.86 dBd
698-960 Mhz 4.86 dBd

 

[GROL]

Yeah, I wouldn't buy one of Laird antennas. The coverage specs are not the same for 700/800/900. Not so sure they are the same design although they look similar. The base of the Browning is very fat and takes some getting used to seeing it, but it has worked very well and the price is decent. I never questioned the advertised specs of the Browning because it worked very well. In a previous job I could have compared it to a 1/4 wave dipole at different frequencies. Don't have access to that setup any longer.

The Browning package label shows the gain is actually measured as dBi instead of dBd. Subtract 2.14 from dBi to get dBd. dBi is referenced to a theoretical isotropic antenna, not a physical 1/4 wave dipole.

So if Browning isn't lying, the gain is,
136-174 Mhz 0.86 dBd
380-520 Mhz 4.86 dBd
698-960 Mhz 4.86 dBd

As you can see in the photo of mine, the base of the Browning BR-137 is huge!

 

[jeepsandradios]

The browning antenna is a clone of the PCTEL antenna made for MSI and the all band 8500 mobiles.

Wide Spectrum Multiband Antenna - PCTEL

This wide spectrum multiband antenna supports multiband radio technology to provide full interoperability among emergency management and response personnel, regardless of frequency band. It provides outstanding coverage of VHF and UHF frequencies in a ready-to-install, no tune design.

www.pctel.com

https://shop.motorolasolutions.com/all-band-antenna-kit-mobile-vhf-uhf-700-800-mhz/product/AN000131A01

Both work very good on VHF but UHF and 700/800 are not the best. Somewhere there are sweeps on the site from a few folks.

 

[GROL]

The browning antenna is a clone of the PCTEL antenna made for MSI and the all band 8500 mobiles.

Wide Spectrum Multiband Antenna - PCTEL

This wide spectrum multiband antenna supports multiband radio technology to provide full interoperability among emergency management and response personnel, regardless of frequency band. It provides outstanding coverage of VHF and UHF frequencies in a ready-to-install, no tune design.

www.pctel.com

https://shop.motorolasolutions.com/all-band-antenna-kit-mobile-vhf-uhf-700-800-mhz/product/AN000131A01

Both work very good on VHF but UHF and 700/800 are not the best. Somewhere there are sweeps on the site from a few folks.

Doesn't look the same as the Browning BR-137. No coil in the whip. Does look like the BR-136. Could not find one on PCTEL like the BR-137. The BR-137 I have does very well on 700/800 MHz with the NC Viper system.

Ultra Multi-Band Antenna 136-174/380-520/698-960 MHz Browning BR136

Browning BR-136 Multi-Band Ultra Wide Band Antenna 136-174/380-520/698-960 MHz - No Ground Plane Required - Spring Base - 22 in - NMO

theantennafarm.com

Ultra Multi-Band Antenna 136-174 (VHF), 380-520(UHF), 698-960 MHz 100 Watts

Browning BR-137 Multi-Band Ultra Wide Band Antenna 136-174/380-520/698-960 MHz - Spring Base - 22 in - NMO

theantennafarm.com

 

[GROL]

Doesn't look the same as the Browning BR-137. No coil in the whip. Does look like the BR-136. Could not find one on PCTEL like the BR-137. The BR-137 I have does very well on 700/800 MHz with the NC Viper system.

Ultra Multi-Band Antenna 136-174/380-520/698-960 MHz Browning BR136

Browning BR-136 Multi-Band Ultra Wide Band Antenna 136-174/380-520/698-960 MHz - No Ground Plane Required - Spring Base - 22 in - NMO

theantennafarm.com

Ultra Multi-Band Antenna 136-174 (VHF), 380-520(UHF), 698-960 MHz 100 Watts

Browning BR-137 Multi-Band Ultra Wide Band Antenna 136-174/380-520/698-960 MHz - Spring Base - 22 in - NMO

theantennafarm.com

Just also thought about the fact that the BR-137 antenna's lead in is 12 feet of RG58 and a 2 ft RG-174 pigtail, so right there is 2.2 dB loss at 800 Mhz and I still get very good reception on 700/800. I suppose I could put a 3.5 inch wire on the NMO mount for a 1/4 wave whip and see what the difference is.

 

[dave3825]

I’m thinking about building a yagi style antenna tuned to 800mhz. Looking for info of materials needed and how to properly tune.

I just built an 800 mhz yagi this past weekend. I used coax cable center conductor (about 0.040) , and a piece off wood similar to a paint mixer. I used an online calc and a hot glue gun. Had some old rg58 with copper braid so soldering feedline was a breeze. Using it indoors at the moment and it does seem to reach further than the discone on my roof. Still playing around with it.

Also built two Moxons (800 and 460 mhz) using the same wire.

 

[GROL]

I just built an 800 mhz yagi this past weekend. I used coax cable center conductor (about 0.040) , and a piece off wood similar to a paint mixer. I used an online calc and a hot glue gun. Had some old rg58 with copper braid so soldering feedline was a breeze. Using it indoors at the moment and it does seem to reach further than the discone on my roof. Still playing around with it.

Also built two Moxons (800 and 460 mhz) using the same wire.

If you can build the yagi with larger diameter radials it will have more bandwidth, but maybe for receive it won't make a lot of difference. Keep in mind the coax to your discone is attenuating signal, plus the discone will be unity gain at best and usually a bit less.

 

[yankees6161]

I just built an 800 mhz yagi this past weekend. I used coax cable center conductor (about 0.040) , and a piece off wood similar to a paint mixer. I used an online calc and a hot glue gun. Had some old rg58 with copper braid so soldering feedline was a breeze. Using it indoors at the moment and it does seem to reach further than the discone on my roof. Still playing around with it.

Also built two Moxons (800 and 460 mhz) using the same wire.

Got any pictures

 

[yankees6161]

I received the L-com yesterday and have it in the attic (will put it out side this spring) what a great improvement. Hearing alot more.