New Antenna Coming Soon based on Old Favorite.

[ChrisABQ]

I personally, considering all the hand built work that is going into this project, do not think that the price is out of this world. Seems to be much better built than the ST2. Maybe if there is a way of selling on platforms such as Amazon where members can get it shipped free because of Prime, I would be in immediately.

 

[trp2525]

For those who may be unaware, there is currently a thread here on Radio Reference titled "Build your own AntennaCraft ST2 Scantenna" in the "Build Your Own Antenna" section. RR member jjlongworth from Farmington, CT has produced a VERY professional and VERY detailed step-by-step 37-page document on exactly how to source, fabricate, construct and assemble your own ST2 Scantenna clone.

As part of his 37-page document he meticulously details on page 8 all of the materials needed to construct the ST2 antenna including linked sources and their approximate costs. If you add up all of the required materials in his list it comes out to a total of $145.41. I put this information out there for a perspective on what the materials alone would cost to construct one of these handmade antennas on your own. Needless to say that price does not include the many hours of labor that would be needed from initial material gathering and fabrication to the final completion of the antenna.

If you want to take a look at the numbers yourself, here's a direct link to the post from RR member jjlongworth where he has his 37-page ST2 construction document posted in 4 separate pdf fies (pages 1-10, 11-20, 21-30 and 31-37): Build your own AntennaCraft ST2 Scantenna

 

[prcguy]

So you spend $145.41 cash on building one. How much is your time worth as previously mentioned? Can you order all the parts, inventory them, read 37 pages of documents, measure, cut and assemble in four hours? At only $25/hr you would have $245.41 invested and I doubt most people could pull off all that work in just four hours. I think eight hours minimum is more realistic for all that work and now your looking at $200 in labor for starters plus $145.41 in parts and your antenna project is now at $345.41 and probably climbing.

Or maybe your worth more than $25/hr and that drives the end price up even further. Most people don't factor in that labor and its never free.

For those who may be unaware, there is currently a thread here on Radio Reference titled "Build your own AntennaCraft ST2 Scantenna" in the "Build Your Own Antenna" section. RR member jjlongworth from Farmington, CT has produced a VERY professional and VERY detailed step-by-step 37-page document on exactly how to source, fabricate, construct and assemble your own ST2 Scantenna clone.

As part of his 37-page document he meticulously details on page 8 all of the materials needed to construct the ST2 antenna including linked sources and their approximate costs. If you add up all of the required materials in his list it comes out to a total of $145.41. I put this information out there for a perspective on what the materials alone would cost to construct one of these handmade antennas on your own. Needless to say that price does not include the many hours of labor that would be needed from initial material gathering and fabrication to the final completion of the antenna.

If you want to take a look at the numbers yourself, here's a direct link to the post from RR member jjlongworth where he has his 37-page ST2 construction document posted in 4 separate pdf fies (pages 1-10, 11-20, 21-30 and 31-37): Build your own AntennaCraft ST2 Scantenna

 

[jjlongworth]

trp2525 - Thank you for the kind words.

Personally, I don't think $189 is out-of-line if the antenna performs as well (or better) than the original. You could easily spend more than that for a NOS antenna on eBay. But, in fairness, there are two different audiences: one that would prefer to purchase and one that enjoys building stuff. I am the latter. I'm not sure it's fair to count the hours you spent on doing something you enjoy. For example, would you consider how much that fish cost after you dragged your boat to the shore, filled it with fuel and then spent hours trying to catch it?

For me, it was the enjoyment of building something from scratch. I consider the time I've spent an investment. It forces me to think, plan and execute. Documenting the process was my simply way of paying it forward for all the stuff I've found on the internet that helped me with my hobbies. Many people become HAMs for the pleasure of experimentation. That's why I became one.

If you were really thrifty, you could probably build the antenna for less if you were resourceful... it could be a challenge... a couple of old lawn chairs or your neighbors old VHF/UHF antenna would be a good start!

 

[buddrousa]

JJ that is true for those that:
#1 Have the SKILL
#2 Have the TIME
#3 Physically ABILITY
But several here do not have the above 3.
I think it is a very fair price I See EBAY JUNK selling for more.

 

[digitalanalog]

Have you considered comparing this antenna with others and posting a video review yourself? I wouldn't mind having a couple but would like to see how they perform first.

It will be compared to the original ST2 as well as Typical Discone antenna in it's final stage of testing.

I think having the test results and possibly a real world comparison to something say like a Discone would help in establishing a value on the antenna.

It will be.

 

[e737]

I have an omniX I bought for 149 and it performs better then the st2..The final numbers will tell the tale but for all intensive purposes..Maybe do a kickstarter and outsource the manufacturing to bring the cost down

 

[RRR]

Looks like a nice, solid antenna, no lie. But you have very most likely priced yourself out of the range of the majority of scanner users.

On that note, I look forward to examining the testing you are having done. Hell, it may have gobs of gain. If so, I may take a gamble on one.

...One. Because this is a very expensive scanner antenna.

 

[RRR]

I think having the test results and possibly a real world comparison to something say like a Discone would help in establishing a value on the antenna.

It will be compared to the original ST2 as well as Typical Discone antenna in it's final stage of testing.

A discone is -zero- gain, and a completely different antenna altogether, not really a fair comparison.

 

[digitalanalog]

How much gain does the ST2 have?

 

[digitalanalog]

A discone is -zero- gain, and a completely different antenna altogether, not really a fair comparison.

How Much Gain Does The ST2 Antenna Have?
Which other Wide Band Antenna Is More Suitable for Comparison to the ST2 Then a Discone Antenna?

 

[JoshuaHufford]

How Much Gain Does The ST2 Antenna Have?
Which other Wide Band Antenna Is More Suitable for Comparison to the ST2 Then a Discone Antenna?

Omni X?

 

[Ubbe]

How Much Gain Does The ST2 Antenna Have?
Which other Wide Band Antenna Is More Suitable for Comparison to the ST2 Then a Discone Antenna?

Do the Omni-X comparison. It is using the same principal of a multiband antenna with different elements cut for different bands.
There's no gain in either antennas compared to a 1/2 wave dipole cut for one frequency. The advantage are coverage of several bands using a single antenna.

/Ubbe

 

[digitalanalog]

Do the Omni-X comparison. It is using the same principal of a multiband antenna with different elements cut for different bands.
There's no gain in either antennas compared to a 1/2 wave dipole cut for one frequency. The advantage are coverage of several bands using a single antenna.

/Ubbe

The Omni X is 118-137 MHz, 148-175 MHz and 225-900 MHz
The ST2 is 30-54 MHz, 108-174 MHz, 450-470 MHz, 470-512 MHz, and 800-912 MHz

I do not see a similar antenna here.

 

[digitalanalog]

"The Searcher I" antenna will be comparison tested again the ST2 (it's cloning antenna) and a Typical (because there are many) Discone antenna, You are more then welcome to test "The Searcher I" against any antenna you choose, That is up to you. Our Decisions are made and they are Final.

 

[prcguy]

The Omni-X appears to be multiple 1/2 wave dipole elements with a common direct coax feed. The ST-2 is a mystery and being fed with a 300 ohm transformer would indicate its not 1/2 wave dipole elements. It could be some other resonant length that has gain over a 1/2 wave dipole and at higher frequencies the unusual elements could act as stacked colinear types with gain. I don't think anyone knows exactly what it is except for its original designers.

Do the Omni-X comparison. It is using the same principal of a multiband antenna with different elements cut for different bands.
There's no gain in either antennas compared to a 1/2 wave dipole cut for one frequency. The advantage are coverage of several bands using a single antenna.

/Ubbe

 

[buddrousa]

As stated in another posting parts alone are $150.00 I will aslo say the ST2 would not have lived through the shipping disaster that this antenna went through.

 

[digitalanalog]

As stated in another posting parts alone are $150.00 I will aslo say the ST2 would not have lived through the shipping disaster that this antenna went through.

That was in fact the ST2 that was damaged in shipping, it is safe to say it will never be the same again.
It survived being bent back enough to be used for testing but suffered in the process. I still have one good
one, so all is not lost.

 

[Ubbe]

The ST-2 is a mystery and being fed with a 300 ohm transformer would indicate its not 1/2 wave dipole elements.

The elements lenghts seem to correspond well with the frequencies but LO-VHF are a bit shortened, probably from the impact of other elements and also to raise the impedance. The front elements are 400MHz and 500Mhz lenghts but the 700-900MHz elements are a guess, perhaps the "leaves" work at that band or the 400-500MHz dipole work as full wave dipoles. But any metal object this big will receive any frequency.

I guess that the original ST2 designed had to be changed, as the balun are attached in parallell to the front elements and then the transmission line goes to the lower frequency elements and then the transmission line continues along the boom and ends up.... nowhere. The most logical would be that the balun where attached to the open non terminated transmission line closest to the mast pole. But something probably didn't worked as expected, 700-900Mhz signal maybe too poor, and the balun had to be moved to the front in a very awkvard and unnatural position.

/Ubbe

 

[radiopro52]

Which other Wide Band Antenna Is More Suitable for Comparison to the ST2 Then a Discone Antenna?

I have the DPD 118-1000 MHz Yagi antenna. I never owned the OmniX, but the LP antenna has been a great performer and has many elements for gain. It was $189 when I bought it like ten years ago, then the price gradually increased to $229 a few years later. Very well built antennas and worth the price. Unfortunately it looks like Dave no longer sells the LP antennas anymore.

I honestly wouldn't mind having the OmniX for its more compact size, and performance probably wouldn't be too different. Plus the OmniX is omni-directional.