High Gain 800 Antenna for XTS 5000

[BabaDude77]

Looking for a high gain 800 antenna preferably stubby for an XTS 5000. My current stubby is pretty bad (8$ on Amazon) was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a decent one that could help reception. I have a 7-8 inch whip that came with the radio ( not sure if it’s actual moto) didn’t notice any better reception and just don’t like the length.

 

[KevinC]

High gain and stubby don’t go together.

 

[BabaDude77]

Yea I figured, but figured I would ask and see if anyone had any suggestions. Maybe I’ll try for an actual Motorola stubby instead of the 8$ Amazon China knock off?

 

[MTS2000des]

If you want performance, OEM MSI antenna part number

8505241U11​

Most MSI dealers stock them, they'll set you back $30 or so. They are 5/8 wave. Stubby antennas are generally 1/4 wave and lower performance.

 

[BabaDude77]

Thanks I’ll check it out

 

[n3obl]

Amazon is notorious for sellers with crappy chinese clone antennas. Oem is the way to go.

 

[mmckenna]

If you want performance, OEM MSI antenna part number

8505241U11​

Most MSI dealers stock them, they'll set you back $30 or so. They are 5/8 wave. Stubby antennas are generally 1/4 wave and lower performance.

I used those (or similar) on our MTS2000's/XTS2500's on my 800MHz system back in the day.
Hard to beat.
They worked better than the Motorola stubbies by a slight margin.
We did try the 800MHz dipoles:

NAF5039A NAF5039 8505884R01 - Motorola Antenna, Dipole 806-870 Mhz

NAF5039A NAF5039 8505884R01 - Motorola Antenna, Dipole 806-870 Mhz

shopwiscomm.com

but never saw enough of an improvement to offset the annoying factor of those.

Amazon is notorious for sellers with crappy chinese clone antennas. Oem is the way to go.

Yeah, ditto.
Seems like there are a ton of factories in China cranking out fake Motorola antennas. I've tested a few and found them often not to be on the frequency they claim. They seem to sell them by the pound on Amazon and e-Bay.

@ the OP:
It really is worth the additional cost to get the -real- Motorola antennas. www.shopwiscomm.com is a good source, never received a questionable antenna from them:

NAF5037A NAF5037 - Motorola OEM Halfwave Whip, 806-870 Mhz

NAF5037A NAF5037 - Motorola OEM Halfwave Whip, 806-870 Mhz Motorola NAF5037A is an 806–870 MHz, 1/2-wave, 7-inch flexible whip antenna. This antenna is compatible with XTS5000, XTS3500, XTS3000, XTS2500, XTS1500, PR1500, XPR 6580, XPR 6380, MT1500, HT1000, and SABER Radios.

shopwiscomm.com

8505241U11 - Motorola OEM Flexible Whip Antenna, Dual Band, 764-870 MH

8505241U11 - Motorola OEM Flexible Whip Antenna, Dual Band, 764-870 MHz, 7in This antenna was engineered to maximize range. A rugged, capless design provides durability and maximum flexibility. This antenna operates in the 764–870 MHz range.

shopwiscomm.com

I've still got guys at work that want the 800MHz stubbies. I try to discourage it, as there is a slight penalty on the RX signal, but it's not too bad. If you really want to try one, get a real one:

8505241U06 NAF5042 - Motorola OEM Stubby Quarterwave, 800/900 MHZ Band

8505241U06 NAF5042 - Motorola OEM Stubby Quarterwave, 800/900 MHZ Band, 806-941 MHz - "WHITE" Color Code 3.4" Length

shopwiscomm.com

 

[BabaDude77]

I used those (or similar) on our MTS2000's/XTS2500's on my 800MHz system back in the day.
Hard to beat.
They worked better than the Motorola stubbies by a slight margin.
We did try the 800MHz dipoles:

NAF5039A NAF5039 8505884R01 - Motorola Antenna, Dipole 806-870 Mhz

NAF5039A NAF5039 8505884R01 - Motorola Antenna, Dipole 806-870 Mhz

shopwiscomm.com

but never saw enough of an improvement to offset the annoying factor of those.




Yeah, ditto.
Seems like there are a ton of factories in China cranking out fake Motorola antennas. I've tested a few and found them often not to be on the frequency they claim. They seem to sell them by the pound on Amazon and e-Bay.

@ the OP:
It really is worth the additional cost to get the -real- Motorola antennas. www.shopwiscomm.com is a good source, never received a questionable antenna from them:

NAF5037A NAF5037 - Motorola OEM Halfwave Whip, 806-870 Mhz

NAF5037A NAF5037 - Motorola OEM Halfwave Whip, 806-870 Mhz Motorola NAF5037A is an 806–870 MHz, 1/2-wave, 7-inch flexible whip antenna. This antenna is compatible with XTS5000, XTS3500, XTS3000, XTS2500, XTS1500, PR1500, XPR 6580, XPR 6380, MT1500, HT1000, and SABER Radios.

shopwiscomm.com

8505241U11 - Motorola OEM Flexible Whip Antenna, Dual Band, 764-870 MH

8505241U11 - Motorola OEM Flexible Whip Antenna, Dual Band, 764-870 MHz, 7in This antenna was engineered to maximize range. A rugged, capless design provides durability and maximum flexibility. This antenna operates in the 764–870 MHz range.

shopwiscomm.com

I've still got guys at work that want the 800MHz stubbies. I try to discourage it, as there is a slight penalty on the RX signal, but it's not too bad. If you really want to try one, get a real one:

8505241U06 NAF5042 - Motorola OEM Stubby Quarterwave, 800/900 MHZ Band

8505241U06 NAF5042 - Motorola OEM Stubby Quarterwave, 800/900 MHZ Band, 806-941 MHz - "WHITE" Color Code 3.4" Length

shopwiscomm.com

Thank you I went with the actual Motorola stubby you suggested, we’ll see how it works out. I’m sure anything will work better than the Amazon 8$.

So serious question and don’t roast me too bad on this one but how come my G4 with a tiny stock antenna blows my XTS out of the water with reception on signals further away. They are the same with local traffic but night and day with further away signals.

 

[MTS2000des]

So serious question and don’t roast me too bad on this one but how come my G4 with a tiny stock antenna blows my XTS out of the water with reception on signals further away. They are the same with local traffic but night and day with further away signals.

There can be several reasons: your XTS may be out of alignment, could be programming.
The G4 is much newer hardware and purpose built to be a high performing P25 receiver as a professional pager.
I had a G5 and was surprised how well it worked, rivaled a tuned/aligned APX6000.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I can 2nd what @MTS2000des is saying. I have several G4 and they are amazing little receivers.

 

[petnrdx]

I hated the dipole also.
BUT. they do work significantly better in poor coverage areas.
Same with difference between the quarter wave and the half wave.
The best thing you can do is when you transmit, get used to having the radio VERTICAL.
Too many people seen holding the radio on its side, and often "rotating" their body keeping an eye on a scene.
Great for safety. but can cause your transmission to drop out.
Get any radio up in the air as high as possible. Just make that a habit. Hold it vertical, up above your face a little. Much better.
Speaker mics with the radio on the belt are SEVERAL dB worse, especially if the radio case / belt loop causes
the antenna to be close to the body, or worse yet, pressing against the body.
Get the antenna away from your body as much as you reasonably can.
I remember "purpose built" pager receivers being several dB better that two way even decades ago.
I've never tried a G4, but I hear they really work.
...I should probably get one...

 

[mmckenna]

blows my XTS out of the water with reception on signals further away.

Your XTS is probably old enough to drink in all 50 states, and was probably not always well treated. When was the last time it was aligned?

 

[BabaDude77]

Your XTS is probably old enough to drink in all 50 states, and was probably not always well treated. When was the last time it was aligned?

Got it used off eBay so prob never , should look into getting it done

 

[mmckenna]

Got it used off eBay so prob never , should look into getting it done

Might just perk her up a bit. A shop with a service monitor could do it fairly quickly. Might cost you $100, but if it has wandered out of tune, it would be like getting a new radio.

 

[chrismol1]

just about every unknown second hand radio I've bought required a slight alignment adjustment that became immediately noticeable on P25, that perked up not only for fringe reception but also eliminated any slight audio degradation, slow to unmute clipping scan, previously occurring issues no longer noticeable. You got to have it done right for P25 its unforgiving unlike analog

 

[MTS2000des]

Most MSI shops should be able to auto tune an XTS portable unless they don't support legacy radios anymore. Typical cost is 1/2 hour labor.
They should provide a print out of the results. If the radio fails BER sensitivity testing and the auto tune routine can't get it within spec, toss it and get another. 700/800 XTS radios are all over the place and should not set you back much. A C-note for a cherry M3 is the top dollar. $50-75 for an average one.

 

[BabaDude77]

Most MSI shops should be able to auto tune an XTS portable unless they don't support legacy radios anymore. Typical cost is 1/2 hour labor.
They should provide a print out of the results. If the radio fails BER sensitivity testing and the auto tune routine can't get it within spec, toss it and get another. 700/800 XTS radios are all over the place and should not set you back much. A C-note for a cherry M3 is the top dollar. $50-75 for an average one.

Got mine for about 60$ and from the outside it’s in great condition no damage on the housing a couple scratches on the screen. I found one shop in the state the still services Xts and he said same as you around a half hour but he said there’s a possibility they brick the radio, is that true?

 

[N4KVE]

Got mine for about 60$ and from the outside it’s in great condition no damage on the housing a couple scratches on the screen. I found one shop in the state the still services Xts and he said same as you around a half hour but he said there’s a possibility they brick the radio, is that true?

I’ve never seen an autotune brick a radio, but I’ve seen a few that could not be autotuned, so they needed to be tuned the old fashioned way.

 

[MTS2000des]

Got mine for about 60$ and from the outside it’s in great condition no damage on the housing a couple scratches on the screen. I found one shop in the state the still services Xts and he said same as you around a half hour but he said there’s a possibility they brick the radio, is that true?

If they don't know what they are doing, it's possible. Our shop tunes hundreds of XTS radios with an R8000-B and haven't "bricked" one yet, but using real deal stuff no Ebay/China junk, all OEM test cables, RLN4460 and OEM battery eliminator like the service manual tells you.

 

[N4DES]

Got mine for about 60$ and from the outside it’s in great condition no damage on the housing a couple scratches on the screen. I found one shop in the state the still services Xts and he said same as you around a half hour but he said there’s a possibility they brick the radio, is that true?

Never seen one bricked by doing an autotune either managing my previous fleet of over 10K subs. I could see that happening if he is offering to bump the FW to the last release (or more recent release) as part of the tuning service.