Discone antenna choices? No low band needed.

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LtDoc

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Sorry, but I find a price of $300'ish completely ridiculous for a discone antenna for VHF/UHF. (For HF, maybe.) If you couldn't make your own for less than that, out of plain old water pipe for mechanical strength, you just ain't trying!

"8dBmp". Easy! It means it has 8 dB of gain for 'My Purposes'. It doesn't specify what kind of 'gain', but I'll bet it fits in his pocket.
- 'Doc
 

videobruce

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Who makes this AT-197?
If you couldn't make your own for less than that, out of plain old water pipe for mechanical strength, you just ain't trying!
I'd love to see what that would look like, let alone try to guess at the performance. :roll:
 
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videobruce

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Well, I went with the Kreco 150AN.

What a difference between this and what I was use to. Design and construction made the purchase worthwhile. Easily will pas for milt. spec. Weight might be a long term problem as it is much heaver that what it replaced.

The spec called for a "threaded 1" pipe". I used a 1" non-threaded EMT piece 6" long pipe/hose clamped to a 12" piece of 3/4" aluminum 'L' bracket (1/8" thick) pipe/hose clamped to the lower mast of the TV rotor (it's above a existing TV antenna).

I'm hoping the additional weight won't be a long standing issue with the rotor since there is no thrst bearing (it hasn't been a issue before). I did shorten the mast 12" and moved the TV antenna closer to the rotor to reduce torque on the rotor.
 
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videobruce

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Yes, it's not cheap, but I wouldn't waste my time with one of these toy $50 'coat hangers'.

Funny, guys are spending $500 plus for a radio and installing a 'coat hanger' for an antenna. :roll:
 

prcguy

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Congratulations on your choice and welcome to the other side!
prcguy


Well, I went with the Kreco 150AN.

What a difference between this and what I was use to. Design and construction made the purchase worthwhile. Easily will pas for milt. spec. Weight might be a long term problem as it is much heaver that what it replaced.

The spec called for a "threaded 1" pipe". I used a 1" non-threaded EMT piece 6" long pipe/hose clamped to a 12" piece of 3/4" aluminum 'L' bracket (1/8" thick) pipe/hose clamped to the lower mast of the TV rotor (it's above a existing TV antenna).

I'm hoping the additional weight won't be a long standing issue with the rotor since there is no thrst bearing (it hasn't been a issue before). I did shorten the mast 12" and moved the TV antenna closer to the rotor to reduce torque on the rotor.
 

videobruce

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Kreco 150AN discone

For all of those that spend upwards of $500 and more for a receiver, AFAIC erecting some $50 'coat hanger' is a real dis-service at best. Admittedly, spending $275 for a professional spec'd discone might be overkill, but AFAIC it was well worth it.

Design, construction and weight (the other negative) surely put this apart from the dime a dozen scanner antenna. Especially those $50 toy antennas. Yes, any antenna will receive signals including a coat hanger, but spending hundreds for one or more receivers surely seems worth it to invest in a decent antenna.

Their site is here;
Kreco Antennas - Broadband Antennas

The similar priced ICOM AH-8000 is way over priced since the similar Diamond DJ-130 is less than 1/2 the price;
ICOM AH8000 Discone Antenna AH-8000
Diamond® Antenna ~ D130J Super Discone Antenna

Below are pics of said antenna (not the best quality or angle) and where it went. I had to do a 'mod' on the mounting since I wasn't going to use a 1" threaded pipe as spec'd in the instructions. Instead I used a 1" EMT pipe cut to 6" coupled to (by pipe/hose clamps) a 12" aluminum 3/4" 'L' bracket of 1/8" thickness then coupled to the existing TV antenna mast.
Kreco150ANdisconeclose01.jpg

Kreco150ANdisconeclose02.jpg

Kreco150ANdiscone02.jpg
 

videobruce

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Note the run of the cable through the short 1" pipe attached to the base of the discone, then outside of the main antenna mast.

Also note, what this replaced is below to the right. Because of the angle I took the pics, the bottom of the discone is above the 8 bay TV antenna.
 
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