MilCom Yagi Antenna

[MacombMonitor]

I picked up another antenna for MilCom's! I plan to fix this toward Selfridge Air Base, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

Bluewave 3-Element Yagi, 6.5dBd, 403~430MHz

 

[FrankJ]

You might want to try this yagi for Milcom. It's made for 220 Mhz ham band, but it should work well for 225-400 Mhz as well.....It's cheap too!

http://www.centerfireantenna.com/220yagi.html

 

[RISC777]

Connections?

You might want to try this yagi for Milcom. It's made for 220 Mhz ham band, but it should work well for 225-400 Mhz as well.....It's cheap too!

http://www.centerfireantenna.com/220yagi.html

What connection(s) do they actually have?
Centerfire doesn't provide enough detail...

 

[tonsoffun]

Hey Bill,
Where did you purchase that antenna, Links? or any info would be cool.
Do they make anything for 138mhz to 142mhz.
Thanks
Ron

 

[MacombMonitor]

Hey Bill,
Where did you purchase that antenna, Links? or any info would be cool.
Do they make anything for 138mhz to 142mhz.
Thanks
Ron

This "one" I found new on ebaY for only $23.00! It's manufactured by Bluewave Antenna Company, in Canada (Lucky you). They make them for all different frequencies. The ebaY deal was exceptional, normally they are much more expensive!

Bluewave

http://www.bluewaveantenna.com/

Bill

 

[MacombMonitor]

You might want to try this yagi for Milcom. It's made for 220 Mhz ham band, but it should work well for 225-400 Mhz as well.....It's cheap too!

http://www.centerfireantenna.com/220yagi.html

Hi Frank!

I was considering one of those, but this one was a steal on ebaY, new for $23.00! It's the exact band I'm concerned with too..."Ground Security, both Air Force, and DOD, at Selfridge Air Base.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[tonsoffun]

This "one" I found new on ebaY for only $23.00! It's manufactured by Bluewave Antenna Company, in Canada (Lucky you). They make them for all different frequencies. The ebaY deal was exceptional, normally they are much more expensive!

Bluewave

http://www.bluewaveantenna.com/

Bill

Thats a mint deal!. Do you know what series it is? Its looks like they have 4 series of antennas.
Thanks for the info Bill.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Thats a mint deal!. Do you know what series it is? Its looks like they have 4 series of antennas.
Thanks for the info Bill.

This is what is on the lable, other than a real long serial number:

BW423Y-1

BMY403G5502N1​

​

 

[CSL126]

I know that Yagis are supposed to be pointed in the area that you're wanting to recieve, but what if the aircraft transmitting is not in the direction of the antenna. Will the reception still be adequate?

 

[MacombMonitor]

I know that Yagis are supposed to be pointed in the area that you're wanting to recieve, but what if the aircraft transmitting is not in the direction of the antenna. Will the reception still be adequate?

Your concerns are valid. However, I do not intend to receive aircraft on this antenna. I'm fixing the direction toward Selfridge Air Base to monitor their ground services, and security. Most of this activity falls within the bandwidth of this antenna (403~430MHz).

I may also mount a DPD Productions MilTenna Omni UHF/VHF Air Model, for monitoring aircraft.

 

[K8PBX]

Hey Bill... you plan on putting up that AOR SA7000 antenna too?

I'm anxious to hear how that one works.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Hey Bill... you plan on putting up that AOR SA7000 antenna too?

I'm anxious to hear how that one works.

Not sure yet.

 

[VernM]

Hate to rain on your parade, but a three element Yagi, with only one director, is about as good in any direction as any vertical. It's directional gain is zip! Well, maybe not zip, but close to it.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Hate to rain on your parade, but a three element Yagi, with only one director, is about as good in any direction as any vertical. It's directional gain is zip! Well, maybe not zip, but close to it.

I'm not concerned with it being directional. I'm only about six miles from the base. I just want to optimize my reception, as I'm picking up simplex hand-helds. The factory specs indicate it has a gain of 6.5 dBd. They also claim it has a front-to-back ratio of 15 dB.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Well I have it hooked up...sort of. It's sitting on top of my credenza in one of my wife's expensive flower vases! It's definitely an improvement, as I'm getting 4 full signal bars on my BC898T from locations that used to be only 2, or 3 bars. It is also directional, as I can point it in the direction of a signal that gets 4 bars, and turn it, and it drops to 1, or 2.

I have it pointed toward Selfridge Air Base, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, and also at the Macomb County Sheriff, which is in the same direction. Both are booming in! Some of the Air Force, and DoD Security that used to just make it, are now loud and clear with full quieting!

I can't wait to get it outside, and up in the air!

 

[n3bxv]

Hey MM,
Did this antenna not work out well for you? Or was the Miltenna LP just better?

 

[MacombMonitor]

Hey MM,
Did this antenna not work out well for you? Or was the Miltenna LP just better?

It worked very well, in spite of the fact that I never put it up outside! I'm selling it because it covered only the ground/security comms at Selfridge Air Base, and not the MilAir, well not all of it.

Yes, the UHF Miltenna LP is better. It has a much wider frequency coverage, 225~400. Of course it cost more too, $139.95.