mobile antenna help

[BigEd1314]

I dont know if this has been on here before or not, but I have a 1992 ford explorer. I plan to put a UHF, VHF, Scanner, and Dual band ham radio in it. I am wanting input on which antennas would be best, 5/8 wave, 1/4 wave, 1/2 wave, or what? I will need to get the maximum range possible. I will be running 30 watts VHF and UHF, and 50/35 watts on the ham. Also, which brand would be best. The area i live in is woody and hilly, and I will need all the range I can get, because the haz-mat team i'm on covers 8 counties, with a repeater in just one. They will all be roof mounted, by the way. Thanks

Ed

 

[Al42]

I'd use single-band, 5/8 wave antennas, one for each band, UHF and VHF, a single 2/440 for the ham rig (they're usually 1/4 wave on 2, 5/8 or colinear on 440) - all Radial-Larsen - and the scanner antenna would depend on what bands you want to receive. Although with that power, I'd keep the scanner connected to its rubber duck at worst (and to a shorted plug at best - 50 watts right near the scanner can blow the front end).

If you really need the range, there are VHF colinears that'll give you 6dbd gain, but you don't want one of those on your roof. I've run them on trunk lip mounts with very good effect.

 

[BigEd1314]

Well, really i was just thinking, the ham rig could double as a scanner if need be, so i guess i could leave out the scanner. The main band i need range on is the UHF. Our channels are all UHF, and the repeater sucks. I've tried to get the county to get a new antenna (which is what it needs) and i offered to show them options and have it installed very cheap, and they won't do it. So UHF is my most need band. Vhf is our backup (we would use the county fire channel) But I have the motorola UHF and VHF 5/8 wave antennas, with mag-mounts right now...and they do ok, but out in the distance...they kinda suck...and the radial/larsen antennas from the local radio shop are all under $40 a peice...so very cheap compared to others. And i know roof mounting would make it do somewhat better.