So I hope I have the right place for this question. I am new to ham so please forgive me. I have a tram 1185 on my truck and I keep losing the signal from one of the repeater that is going clear cross the U.S.. I am able to jump on it from places on the highway (I travel less 10 miles) but lose it in others. The repeater is well within its limits (30 miles) and we don't have many thing that would stop its signal from reaching me. So is there a piece that I can buy to increase the range on the tram 1185 or am I out of luck because the repeater is transmitting to low of power.
how to gain on an antenna on my truck
- Thread starter feb2007
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I moved your question to the Amateur Radio Antenna forum.
Welcome to the greatest hobby in the world! The Tram 1185 is a simple 1/4 wave antenna on 2M, and slight gain on 70cm. You didn't state whether the repeater you're working is 2M or 70cm. If you are in fact within the local coverage footprint of whatever repeater you are trying to use, this antenna should work fine.... presuming you don't have a bad coax adapter or connector going into your radio. But we don't know what radio, either.
Can you get magnet mount antennas with more gain? Certainly. Should you? We don't know because we don't know enough about what repeater, where you are, what radio you're using, and how you've connected the Tram 1185 to that radio. What do the other local hams say about the coverage area of the repeater you are trying to access? Do they get into it OK, or are there coverage "holes" in certain spots? (Happens with the even the best repeaters.) If there are holes being reported where you are noticing them then it may not be the antenna at all. But we don't know enough to recommend a different antenna because that may not be the problem at all.
Can you get magnet mount antennas with more gain? Certainly. Should you? We don't know because we don't know enough about what repeater, where you are, what radio you're using, and how you've connected the Tram 1185 to that radio. What do the other local hams say about the coverage area of the repeater you are trying to access? Do they get into it OK, or are there coverage "holes" in certain spots? (Happens with the even the best repeaters.) If there are holes being reported where you are noticing them then it may not be the antenna at all. But we don't know enough to recommend a different antenna because that may not be the problem at all.
wb6uqa
Member
Increase signal
If the repeater is UHF you can increase coverage by rg8x coax. A 3db gain antenna doubles your power. It also helps on receive IF YOU BUY A AMPLIFIER it will increase your power. Most amps have a receive preamp.
If the repeater is UHF you can increase coverage by rg8x coax. A 3db gain antenna doubles your power. It also helps on receive IF YOU BUY A AMPLIFIER it will increase your power. Most amps have a receive preamp.
wb6uqa
Member
move your antenna to the center of your roof.
K5MPH
Member
Sorry to tell you but that antenna is not going to cut it for a repeater 30 miles away buy you a higher gain antenna i own one of these and they do not have very good gain,if you like tram go with the 1180 thats a higher gain duel band antenna (nmo) mount i use one of these and can get in to a repeater 53 miles away at 25 watts,good luck on your antenna project........
miserytom
Member
Get an NMO mount and a BROWNING BR-180 antenna , big improvement over the 1185 , and yes I've had the 1185
Just my 2 cents lol
Just my 2 cents lol
prerunner1982
Member
I used (tried to use) a 1185 mag mount for my APRS setup, it would transmit ok but receive sucked. I had to be within 10 miles of the digi to get any packets. The antenna was mounted to the top of my Jeep Cherokee. I connected the same APRS to the BR 180 NMO mount that I use for my mobile rig that is on a fender lip mount and packets started rolling in. The two closest digi-peaters are 25+/- and 40+/- miles away.
Now I have two friends that run the 1185 mag mount on the top of the rear fenders in their Wranglers and as far as I know haven't had a problem with them.
The 1185 is a 1/4 wave on 2 meters, the BR 180 (same as 1180 same company) is 1/2 wave so it is longer, about twice as long.
Now I have two friends that run the 1185 mag mount on the top of the rear fenders in their Wranglers and as far as I know haven't had a problem with them.
The 1185 is a 1/4 wave on 2 meters, the BR 180 (same as 1180 same company) is 1/2 wave so it is longer, about twice as long.
miserytom
Member
I went from the tram 1181 to the BR 180 , and it made a huge differance in both my tx and rx range , no complaints at all
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I live in the country on flat terrain. Most of the repeaters I use are 30 - 40 miles away installed on high buildings. I reach them OK.
I skipped the dual band approach and got dedicated monoband antennas for 2m and 440. I use a 5/8 wave for 2m, and a Larsen NMO-440C collinear (5/8 over 1/2 wave) for 70cm.
It can be a pain switching them as required. (But I don't want to mount 2 antennas on my vehicle.. Looks too geeky ).
Also.. You need some power as well. For long haul mobile operation, a simple handheld won't cut it. The extra ~10dB you get from a 40-50 Watt mobile makes a huge difference.
I skipped the dual band approach and got dedicated monoband antennas for 2m and 440. I use a 5/8 wave for 2m, and a Larsen NMO-440C collinear (5/8 over 1/2 wave) for 70cm.
It can be a pain switching them as required. (But I don't want to mount 2 antennas on my vehicle.. Looks too geeky
).Also.. You need some power as well. For long haul mobile operation, a simple handheld won't cut it. The extra ~10dB you get from a 40-50 Watt mobile makes a huge difference.
miserytom
Member
Geeky ? Ha ! I've got 3 NMO antennas on my roof lol
49" , 37" , and 15"
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49" , 37" , and 15"
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miserytom
Member
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I hit VHF repeaters over 30 miles away on a 1/4 wave all the time. At VHF, I've found little, if any, difference between 5/8, 1/2, and 1/4 wave in the middle of the roof. On UHF I can see/hear some difference at a distance.
If the roof isn't an option, I recommend 1/2 wave, as mounting location doesn't affect it as much as 5/8 and 1/4.
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