Help Identify This

[rk911]

a buddy found a Tram 3640 mobile antenna with an NMO mount in a long forgotten box. not finding information on this specific antenna online.

- meant for scanner use only or ok for 2-way use?
- whip is ~19” long. is this the original whip or has it likely been cut/replaced?
- i assume the loading coil is in the base?
- Tram considered a cheap, ok, good or great antenna?

anything else?

73, rich, n9dko

 

[iMONITOR]

Tram antennas are considered low-end. Doing a quick Google search shows it is a 1/4 wave designed for 132-510 MHz. It has a loading coil in it's base.

 

[rk911]

my google search turned up a 3640-B and i assume these are two different antennas. any info on my first two questions?

 

[mmckenna]

a buddy found a Tram 3640 mobile antenna with an NMO mount in a long forgotten box. not finding information on this specific antenna online.

- meant for scanner use only or ok for 2-way use?

A photo would help a lot since there isn't much info available online.
Is there a coil in the base? Is it a straight 19" whip with no loading coils?

- whip is ~19” long. is this the original whip or has it likely been cut/replaced?

If it's a straight 19" whip with no loading coils in the base, then that would be 1/4 wave on the low end of the VHF high spectrum, right around the 2 meter band.
If there is a coil in the base, then it could be a UHF 5/8th's wave, but that's a little long for that. Again, pictures are worth a thousand words.

- i assume the loading coil is in the base?

Pictures?

- Tram considered a cheap, ok, good or great antenna?

Pretty much bottom of the barrel. Fine for hobby/amateur use.

 

[rk911]

i have photos but they would not upload either as imbedded or attachments when i created the post. seems they are ok to upload now. strange.



i reached the same assumptions regarding the straight (mo coil) 19" whip and base coil but assumptions are just that..assumptions. i have no idea if the whip on the base is original to the base or a replacement.

 

[ko6jw_2]

The antenna was intended to be a quarter wave which would be cut for the desired frequency. Probably there was a cutting chart. A 19" inch whip would have been for the low end of the frequency range specified. Possibly not as low as 132Mhz, however. Without a cutting chart (or even with one) an antenna analyzer would be helpful or an SWR meter if transmitting. Seems like it will need some sort of base/mount.