Radio Shack 20-043 Antenna
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Yes it works well enough for what I need it for. Your needs may be different.
That being said, I now use a Scantenna II. It's almost half the price of the 20-043. I'm able to pick up things on the lower end better with the Scantenna. I haven't really tested things at the upper end. For the price, the Scantenna is hard to beat. I picked it up for $34 from Solid Signal. I'll probably pick up another one. Shipping was $5.
I'm not complaining about the 20-043, it's just being repurposed for use with a transceiver instead of RX only.
That being said, I now use a Scantenna II. It's almost half the price of the 20-043. I'm able to pick up things on the lower end better with the Scantenna. I haven't really tested things at the upper end. For the price, the Scantenna is hard to beat. I picked it up for $34 from Solid Signal. I'll probably pick up another one. Shipping was $5.
I'm not complaining about the 20-043, it's just being repurposed for use with a transceiver instead of RX only.
Did you order the RS antenna? If so RG-6 is fine to use for scanning,and just to let you know that the Antennacraft Scantenna comes with 50 feet of RG-6 coax.
Cool,if you would want too,how about a picture or two of the antenna put up?
WEll I got the antenna up, no pics yet. I'm not real happy with the quality of it. It does a good job as far as receiving. But because of the hollow radials and the way they are attached, I'm not sure how long they will last. Some were loose already. I bought it on ebay and paid 40.00 for it. But I found someone that has an antenna with solid radials and I'm going to trade something for it. So with that all said. I would not buy one of these because I think they would be coming apart in a storm.
I know exactly what you mean, the radials are very thin tube aluminum, and they are CRIMPED on to the threaded stud on the end, so be very careful if you took no other steps other than tightening the threads into the hub.
One tip for you that I did for a neighbor's "043" was to use liquid metal over the end of the crimp area and and the nut and the stud just before snugging it into the hub.
So far they're all still attached to the hub. Another way to improve it would be a few $$ and it would be to replace the hollow radials with solid aluminum stock which Ace Hardware carries, then use a tap & die kit to create the threads for the hub.
73,
n9zas
I bought this antenna from RS years ago. It has been cheapened up since I bought mine. Mine has solid, stainless steel radials screwed into a stainless steel hub. It has been up for at least 15 yrs and I have had no problems with it. If you need the wide band coverage and don't need every once of gain you can get, this would be a good antenna to buy. But only if you can get it with SS hardware and radials.
True. It seems almost everything these days, are no longer made to be robust in the way they are constructed. If the user doesn't reverse engineer them or modify them in some way then many products just don't last.
73,
n9zas
It's the bean counters! Yes, I know that companies need to make a profit in order to stay in business. However a lot of companies think that people only look at the price tag and ignore all other aspects of the purchase. I will gladly pay a few bucks more for a quality product. I have found that in most cases the lowest priced product is usually the most expensive to own.
But the bean counters look at things differently. They are interested in maximum profit ONLY! They think that if they can use rolled tubing for radials and save $1.50 per antenna then that's an extra $1.50 profit. But in most cases, it is the last sale their company will ever make to that customer. So they might make some extra profit on that one sale but how many sales have they lost by selling a piece of crap antenna to that customer?
RS maybe already has reached the point where they have a reputation for selling cheap products. Maybe they'll survive, maybe they won't. But if the bean counters are allowed to decide product quality then they won't.
But the bean counters look at things differently. They are interested in maximum profit ONLY! They think that if they can use rolled tubing for radials and save $1.50 per antenna then that's an extra $1.50 profit. But in most cases, it is the last sale their company will ever make to that customer. So they might make some extra profit on that one sale but how many sales have they lost by selling a piece of crap antenna to that customer?
RS maybe already has reached the point where they have a reputation for selling cheap products. Maybe they'll survive, maybe they won't. But if the bean counters are allowed to decide product quality then they won't.
Well, I've had the antenna for almost a month. I did trade for one just like the one I have. It is in great condition, but I'm not putting it up. I'm just going to keep it in case the other one starts to fall apart.
I'm actually real happy with it. I'm receiving 60 miles from me, I haven't tried anything else. I would buy the antenna for it's capabilities. But the construction...not sure.
I'm actually real happy with it. I'm receiving 60 miles from me, I haven't tried anything else. I would buy the antenna for it's capabilities. But the construction...not sure.
Has it been in any storms? The antenna that is up.
My RS discone has recently suffered some heavy damage. I want to salvage it to use for 800 MHz only. Which radials are for 800 MHz? The straight out or pointing down?
Many thanks.
Many thanks.
Both
If the hubs are not damaged, you might be able to obtain some aluminum rod and a die and make some new elements for it. Then again, it might be cheaper to buy an new antenna.
The antenna's active area, not element, moves in and out along both sets of elements depending on frequency. I don't understand the math so I won't attempt to explain it but both sets are needed for the antenna to work.
If the hubs are not damaged, you might be able to obtain some aluminum rod and a die and make some new elements for it. Then again, it might be cheaper to buy an new antenna.
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