Shakespeare 4900 Long Ranger Plus Antenna

[nountaineer]

I am new to radios and recently acquired an unused vintage Shakespeare 4900 Long Ranger Plus antenna and I need specifications for this so that I will know how and where I can use this 8' white fiberglass antenna. I found nothing on the Shakespeare website and they have not responded to my inquiry about it. Can someone help me with this?

 

[hill]

Shakespeare is big producer of marine radio antennas for vessels. Going forward it's likely a VHF-FM Marine band antenna, as 8' is the length. It should have treads on the bottom for attaching to mount on the vessel.

 

[mountiebob]

I'm pretty sure it was for 49 MHz cordless phones. I have one and just today found it my storage to check the name and model number. I found this thread in my ensuing search.

I've found nothing else about it online today, however have a more than faint memory of knowing it was made for this when I picked up in the early 90s at a ham fest.

The general idea then was to cut it down for a 6m vertical.

I don't know what the matching circuit might be, if any. Why think there is one? Well, it's quite long. Certainly longer than a 1/4 wave, yet, from pulling out a tape measure, less than 3m in length which a half wave antenna would likely be. (the antenna and measure haven't met yet.)

I'd be interested if someone were to put an analyser on it. It teminates in an SO-239. For "hill", it isn't your classic fiberglass/GRP marine VHF antenna. It's uniform in diameter for its length, there isn't the ferrule you're likely thinking of. Looks to be mounted to the side of a mast/pole at it's end.

73, John

VA7OTC

 

[chief21]

If the antenna has a chrome base with threads on the inside, it is highly likely that it is for the VHF marine band. Photo?

 

[N8IAA]

Hasn't been on since posting. Got his answer in Post #2.

 

[nountaineer]

If the antenna has a chrome base with threads on the inside, it is highly likely that it is for the VHF marine band. Photo?

The antenna does have the chrome base with male threads inside the bottom end, so far your post seems to be the closest. I need to lower my file size to upload. I will try to do that and repost some photo's.

 

[mmckenna]

The antenna does have the chrome base with male threads inside the bottom end, so far your post seems to be the closest. I need to lower my file size to upload. I will try to do that and repost some photo's.

Shakespeare made a lot of antennas over the years. 8 feet was a common length of VHF antenna, however they made a lot of antennas for different bands that were designed to be the same 8 foot length simply for aesthetics. Recreational boaters would rank aesthetics often above function.
In the 8 foot length, it could have been a VHF antenna, a CB antenna, an AM/FM antenna or even a LORAN antenna.

Digging deep into old stuff I had, I was't able to find a "4900" model, even looking at the commercial and military offerings. Might very well predate anything I have or anything on the web. An antenna analyzer would tell you a lot.

 

[N8IAA]

Shakespeare made a lot of antennas over the years. 8 feet was a common length of VHF antenna, however they made a lot of antennas for different bands that were designed to be the same 8 foot length simply for aesthetics. Recreational boaters would rank aesthetics often above function.
In the 8 foot length, it could have been a VHF antenna, a CB antenna, an AM/FM antenna or even a LORAN antenna.

Digging deep into old stuff I had, I was't able to find a "4900" model, even looking at the commercial and military offerings. Might very well predate anything I have or anything on the web. An antenna analyzer would tell you a lot.

I Googled it. It is a VHF marine antenna.

 

[mmckenna]

I Googled it. It is a VHF marine antenna.

Got a link? I wasn't able to find anything.

 

[N8IAA]

Misread the info. It shows an antenna for HF/SSB. But, more than likely is a marine antenna.
Sorry

 

[hill]

If it is only 8' as in first post it has to VHF. The HF marine antennas are much longer. Plus being longer are either two or three pieces which screw together.

 

[prcguy]

I kind of remember Shakespeare making an antenna for the old 49MHz cordless phones so that is probably what the OP has. Originally cordless phones had a 49MHz/1.7Mhz split then they went to 49/47Mhz then other splits within the VHF lo band. I suspect they simply repurposed one of their CB whips and it might have a 3/8-24 thread on it somewhere.

 

[hill]

I still think it is VHF marine antenna.

These antennas don't use a 3/6-24. The antennas have a female base with the treads on the inside and the mounts have a male stud. Going forward and recalling from memory I think it's 1". Also the coax comes out on the side near the bottom of the antenna, since the mount is just a way to mount if on the vessel and carries no RF.

 

[k9wkj]

Originally cordless phones had a 49MHz/1.7Mhz split

is that somehow the reason we wound up with that goofy 1700 Kc split on many 6M machines?

 

[prcguy]

I probably reported the frequencies the wrong way. The original cordless phone base units transmitted at 1.7MHz, just above the AM broadcast band and received the handsets on 49MHz. Not a 1.7MHz repeater split but 1.7MHz operational frequency.

is that somehow the reason we wound up with that goofy 1700 Kc split on many 6M machines?

 

[prcguy]

You are talking marine antennas, I'm talking an antenna marketed specifically for connecting to 49MHz cordless phones. I have a garage full of Shakespeare marine antennas and am a little familiar with the 1"-14 thread mounting on those.

I still think it is VHF marine antenna.

These antennas don't use a 3/6-24. The antennas have a female base with the treads on the inside and the mounts have a male stud. Going forward and recalling from memory I think it's 1". Also the coax comes out on the side near the bottom of the antenna, since the mount is just a way to mount if on the vessel and carries no RF.

 

[prcguy]

You are talking marine antennas, I'm talking an antenna marketed specifically for connecting to 49MHz cordless phones. I have a garage full of Shakespeare marine antennas and am a little familiar with the 1"-14 thread mounting on those.

I still think it is VHF marine antenna.

These antennas don't use a 3/6-24. The antennas have a female base with the treads on the inside and the mounts have a male stud. Going forward and recalling from memory I think it's 1". Also the coax comes out on the side near the bottom of the antenna, since the mount is just a way to mount if on the vessel and carries no RF.

 

[nountaineer]

Shakespeare made a lot of antennas over the years. 8 feet was a common length of VHF antenna, however they made a lot of antennas for different bands that were designed to be the same 8 foot length simply for aesthetics. Recreational boaters would rank aesthetics often above function.
In the 8 foot length, it could have been a VHF antenna, a CB antenna, an AM/FM antenna or even a LORAN antenna.

Digging deep into old stuff I had, I was't able to find a "4900" model, even looking at the commercial and military offerings. Might very well predate anything I have or anything on the web. An antenna analyzer would tell you a lot.

An antenna analyzer seems to be what I need. Should I contact a local SW radio club to access one? Tucson is the largest city near me. Can you recommend someone in my area?

 

[mmckenna]

An antenna analyzer seems to be what I need. Should I contact a local SW radio club to access one? Tucson is the largest city near me. Can you recommend someone in my area?

You can get a "NanoVNA off of Amazon for relatively cheap. I think I bought mine for $59 or so.
You could probably contact an amateur radio club, they may have someone with a NanoVNA or a more expensive professional version.

 

[prcguy]

Can you post some pictures of the antenna?