I don't do a lot of rag chewing, and the plan is to pretty much keep it on medium power (15 watts). The antenna is rated for 200 watts, but I guess it can still melt? Is it even safe to transmit 50 watts from an antenna that is only about 5 feet from the back of my head?
I used to have a closed coil version, lost it in one of my many moves, and although I never had issues, I have seen them melt the loading coil by long winded old farts. Chances it was more than just being on high power ( road salt intrusion ect). I would not put more than 50 watts into it.
There was a guy near where I live, that was using a 75w mobile, rag chewing, in the summer, not moving and his closed coil melted down.
I love Larsen antennas, I currently have an NMO 2/70 with the black open coil element. I like the antenna, it works VERY well, in fact I would not trade it for any other dual band antenna on the market. I have mine in the centre of the roof of my company truck, hole mounted. There is a UHF repeater that is in a really good location, that I can use any where with in 80-90KM of it. VHF is pretty decent for only being a half wave with no real gain to speak of as well.
Honestly, I do not have the math skills to figure out what kind of energy one would be exposed to, but I have a 45w commercial radio that the antenna is venter mounted on the driver side of the same truck. Chances are that there is not a great risk with the antenna on the trunk @ 50w.
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