I need a 6 meter vertical

[bobruzzo]

I am thinking of getting an antenna so I can get on 6 meters. There doesnt seem to be a whole heck of a lot of options. My first choice was a Ringo Ranger. But I read too many negative reviews and not really sure. Plus the co$t is high. There doesnt seem to be any other antennas I can check out. I used to have a 10 meter Ringo years ago and it worked fine. Anybody shed some light?

 

[prcguy]

I've used the Diamond CP62 for many years and its got some gain but its also got some little capacitors in the base that limit its power. I burned mine up and replaced the caps with much better ones and now it can handle 500W just fine. I also had a Cushcraft 6M Ringo. Actually it was a heavy duty commercial version but the Ringos don't decouple the coax from the antenna very well and your mast and coax become part of the antenna. I only used the Ringo a few times camping and I recently dumped it at a local ham swap meet.

If I had to do it over again I would get the Sirio Tornado 6m 5/8 antenna for $89 US. It fairly bullet proof and there is a company that remanufactures what looks like a Sirio CB antenna into a super heavy duty version of the Tornado called a Dominator. Its nice but pricy.

https://www.diamondantenna.net/cp62.html

Sirio Tornado 50-60 Mhz Omni-Directional 6M Vertical Base Antenn [tornado6m] - $89.00 : Sirio Antenna, High Performance Antenna Made in Italy

Sirio Antenna Sirio Tornado 50-60 Mhz Omni-Directional 6M Vertical Base Antenn [tornado6m] - This high quality base station antenna for the very popular 6m (50Mhz) band is a great addition to the Sirio range. 5/8 Wavelength antenna for base station working on 50-60 MHz tunable by means of the...

www.sirio.store

https://fmbroadcastantenna.com/6meter.html

 

[mmckenna]

I made my first 6 meter antenna out of some 1/2" copper tubing. A basic 1/4 wave ground plane, around 54" long (if I recall correctly). I made a 250 mile contacts with that with 12 watts SSB.

 

[W8UU]

The best 6 meter antenna available is a DB 201 folded monopole. They're (sadly) out of production now but sometimes you can find used ones available for the asking. If your local fire or police department used low band before being coerced into joining the latest P25 digital radio system, those antennas are likely still hanging on a tower or telephone pole and are out of service. Try to find former licensees in the 45-47 MHz frequency range because there's less to cut to get to 6 meter frequencies. I asked to buy the DB 201 antenna from a local fire department and was told I could have it if I removed it. I realize this isn't the path for everyone, but if it is, you won't find a better 6 meter base station antenna.

 

[Lauri-CoyoteFrostbite]

I have used Ringo's for eon's, and been very pleased with them. Its important to water proof them well, especially any places there are nuts and bolts- but I coat them all with liberal layers of marine spar vanish and never had an issue.

During the last ARRL VHF contest I used my six metre Ringo (its the only 6 mtr. antenna I have)--- 15 feet in the air (lightning is an issue where I am--) and with 10 watts from an ICOM 575 on SSB-----> I talked to every station I called.

I like that the radiating element is at DC ground potential and, for what its worth, the 6 metre antenna claims a 3 dB gain over an isotropic.

Lauri

.

 

[popnokick]

If you don’t mind having 2M / 70cM along for operations, then there’s the Diamond V2000A. I’ve done very well with it on 6M. Apparently others have as well if you believe the reviews. Add some radials to it to improve 6M.

 

[prcguy]

You could say the DB201 is the most rugged but that doesn't make it the best performing, its only a 1/4 wave ground plane and slightly less gain than a 1/2 wave dipole. There are lots of 6m antennas that will put out a better signal.

The best 6 meter antenna available is a DB 201 folded monopole. They're (sadly) out of production now but sometimes you can find used ones available for the asking. If your local fire or police department used low band before being coerced into joining the latest P25 digital radio system, those antennas are likely still hanging on a tower or telephone pole and are out of service. Try to find former licensees in the 45-47 MHz frequency range because there's less to cut to get to 6 meter frequencies. I asked to buy the DB 201 antenna from a local fire department and was told I could have it if I removed it. I realize this isn't the path for everyone, but if it is, you won't find a better 6 meter base station antenna.

View attachment 126049

 

[WRQS621]

A 6m dipole made from speaker wire all day long. Easy to make, easy to put up.

 

[RU55]

You could make a j-pole or slot cube antenna.

J-pole

Slot cube

The j-pole is easy to make. The slot cube is a little more work. You could always buy a j-pole for 6 meters from KB9VBR

 

[mrweather]

I used to use a Comet GP-15 which was decent enough on 6m FM.

 

[W8UU]

You could say the DB201 is the most rugged but that doesn't make it the best performing, its only a 1/4 wave ground plane and slightly less gain than a 1/2 wave dipole. There are lots of 6m antennas that will put out a better signal.

Fair enough, but the trade off is an antenna 15-20 feet long above the tower and/or support pipe flapping in the breeze. The DB 201 is a solid performer on the RF side and rugged as hell. There are some DB 201 antennas that were professionally installed and still going strong after 50 years of continuous service. The more compact size (compared to a half-wave or 5/8 wave gain antenna) has always been more attractive to me from a maintenance standpoint. To each his own, I guess!

 

[techman210]

Anything with a proper ground plane.
The Sirio antennas look well made. I do have a DB products commercial lowband dipole that I converted for 52 MHz, and it works well. Probably not as good as a Sirio vertical.

I would avoid the Ringos, and the J-Pole’s (for any frequency) and all of those supposed “discones” that the manufacturer says will work on lowband.

 

[RU55]

I would avoid the Ringos, and the J-Pole’s (for any frequency) and all of those supposed “discones” that the manufacturer says will work on lowband.

Could you explain why you recommend avoiding these antennas?

 

[secure4you1961]

I had a Diamond GP-62 for over ten years. Now they make the 'new and improved' GP-62A (bigger capacitor in the bottom). I talked to Japan on mine with 100W! I now use a Ringo. It's been up 12 years. SWR still flat. Works great for local stuff. Haven't really tried to shoot DX with it thought.

 

[oldradioguy2010]

I too made mine, used my 5/8 wave 2 meter magmount mobile ant.
I cut 4 1/2 at 58 in. (Not sure mack, 54 or 58).
So 25 watts gave me the east coast from so. Calif.
Good luck

DW
So. Cal

 

[Lauri-CoyoteFrostbite]

The neat thing about Six Metre's is that when the band is 'open' you can work the world on a piece of wet string,

If you still haven't decided on an antenna yet BobR I would suggest you just string up a half wave dipole. If the band opens that will be plenty of antenna- if there is no skip or stations locally you will have to think bigger and better--

I reiterate my choice of Ringo's- They are sturdy antennas that can last untouched for decades.

 

[mitbr]

I use a 6meter stressed moxon made by Par Electronics...works real well. Its directional though.

Stressed Moxon antenna | PAR Electronics | Filters for the commercial 2 way market, MATV, FM broadcast, laboratory, marine industry, amateur radio, scanner and short wave listening enthusiasts

PAR Electronics Inc. Stressed 6 Meter Moxon Antenna

www.parelectronics.com

Tim

 

[popnokick]

I use a 6meter stressed moxon made by Par Electronics...works real well. Its directional though.

Stressed Moxon antenna | PAR Electronics | Filters for the commercial 2 way market, MATV, FM broadcast, laboratory, marine industry, amateur radio, scanner and short wave listening enthusiasts

PAR Electronics Inc. Stressed 6 Meter Moxon Antenna

www.parelectronics.com

Tim

It's also horizontally polarized. The OP's original post was regarding 6M verticals. At ground wave range when 6M is not open, polarity does make a difference in coverage (e.g. mobile to base). And as Lauri points out, if 6 is open it doesn't matter what you use. However, if mobile to base operation is not the goal then the moxon, squalo, or other horizontally polarized antennas make good sense... particularly for SSB and VHF Contest work.

 

[k6cpo]

If you don’t mind having 2M / 70cM along for operations, then there’s the Diamond V2000A. I’ve done very well with it on 6M. Apparently others have as well if you believe the reviews. Add some radials to it to improve 6M.

The V2000A has it's own radials, one of which is tunable for six meters.

 

[popnokick]

Yes, as I wrote earlier in this thread. The V2000 gets you 6M, 2M, and 70cm. It does come with one radial but is more effective on 6M if you add more radials.