Laird low profile/transit UHF antenna innards

[mmckenna]

Digging through my old photos, I found this guy. Save you the trouble of taking apart you own antenna.

This is a 'low profile', 'transit', 'knob', 'phantom', etc. antenna. Ended up on one of our new cruisers. Was a T-Band UHF antenna, was supposed to be 800MHz, I guess the tech wasn't paying attention. Anyway, good addition to my collection:


Not much to it. Just a circuit board with a couple of inches of copper on the circuit board.

 

[Cognomen]

Thanks! Always wondered what was under the hat.

 

[FFPM571]

Big mistake its twice the size of an 800.... I use Phantom's on 7/800 and have had good luck... I don't do much with UHF-T now but when I did I used the Phantom Elite shark fin style with decent results..

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Why the big solder blob on the mating ring? Does not look so good for grounding.

 

[mmckenna]

Why the big solder blob on the mating ring? Does not look so good for grounding.

That is not the part that contacts the NMO mount. That's the part that threads up inside the can.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

so the bottom of the can is more brass?

 

[mmckenna]

so the bottom of the can is more brass?

Yes, and the circuit board part just threads up inside.

I could screw just the housing on an NMO mount, like a really tall rain cap.

 

[JoshuaHufford]

Interesting. The antenna that I use for my cell booster looks the same on the outside, but I often wonder what is on the inside, I'm guessing probably something similar although it is supposedly very wideband starting at about 860MHz on up.

 

[N4KVE]

I use that exact antenna on my car [450-470] split, as well as the 900 MHz version. I’m very pleased with the quality, & performance of those antennas. But forget about the VHF version. Not very efficient.

 

[mmckenna]

I use that exact antenna on my car [450-470] split, as well as the 900 MHz version. I’m very pleased with the quality, & performance of those antennas. But forget about the VHF version. Not very efficient.

Yeah, they appear to be good antennas. Our PD has a few in service on 800MHz and they've been fine.

I've had several people offer to give me the VHF models. They've purchased them to try them out, and were all disappointed. I've passed on all of them, and I think they've all ended up in the trash. I should grab one at some point to dissect it.

Playing with the idea of buying some used Tram/Browning antennas and taking them apart to see how the quality compares.

 

[N4KVE]

Playing with the idea of buying some used Tram/Browning antennas and taking them apart to see how the quality compares.

Got a good friend who wants everything yesterday. He had the choice between ordering a Laird UHF antenna, or driving over to the local ham radio store & picking up the Tram/Browning version. He took the 30 minute drive, & within an hour, ordered the Laird. The Tram/Browning was that bad. It worked horribly, & it made a noise when he shook it. Yes, something was loose inside. He offered it to me for free, but I wanted no part of it. Rather than wasting gas to return it, he tossed it. I find brand new Lairds on E-Bay for $20 from time to time.