we have a few vehicles which run that 7/8 + a VHF 1/4 wave on a diplexer ... duplexer? The one that separates signal by frequency, not by direction.
Short 800 MHz Antenna Won't Fit on NMO
- Thread starter radiochuck
- Start date
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
So, last week I was over at our county shop b.s.ing with the manager. They had one of these sitting on top of a tool box, and I picked it up.
I asked them what they thought. "OK, you want one? We've got boxes full of them."
So, I took one. Screwed it on to the NMO mount on my work truck for the Harris XL-200M.
I drove to lunch. About 15 minutes drive total. Got to the place to meet some co-workers and the first thing I did was take that f***ing antenna off the truck and put my Larsen back on. Every pot hole, every speed bump and every driveway I drove over "thunk, thunk, thunk" as the stupid thing flopped around on top of the cab. Didn't even get as far as taking the truck up some dirt access roads. First time it made the noise, I thought I'd left something on the roof, then I remembered what everyone else told me about these antennas.
It's sitting in my office, probably use it for a non-mobile application. No way I'd use that on a vehicle and no way I'd use it off road, unless you want to drive all your passengers nuts.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Diplexer.
Well, racing/SAR/rural response UTV application. Not only are the passengers already nuts, but the damn thing is already noisy, so its not like anyone will hear it.
This is the ONE vehicle that has torn up the EM-Wave multi-band. The poly springs crack and the antenna gets hit and vibrates a lot.
It may be the ONLY time that antenna works.
Also, the county here has put them on a few trucks and the complaints are similar... Guess who's ordering EM-Wave multi bands instead.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yeah, UTV would be an application.
Mine is now sitting in my office. Someone came in yesterday and asked "What the hell is that thing?" We figure the enormous base was chosen so they could put the brand on there in big letters so everyone knew.
My new name for it is "HPA".
"Huge, Phallic Antenna". Basically "Mine is bigger than yours" antenna. Or "Hey, look at me!!!!" antenna. I'm sure I'll get flamed.
pretty sure that was the reason comet released that specific "extended range SAR" antenna.
And as much as i mock the damn thing, i mounted mine for this recent trip to the mountains.
On my car I use an NMO mag mount for 2 meters and marine/rail. My 2 meter FT-1900 is also a credible scanner for VHF. I use a very thin commercial antenna cut to 19" with the mag mount-there used to be lots of these at hamfests. In the house, I use a stubby little 800 mhz antenna for the trunking part of my PSR-600. This antenna is for NMO mounts and is also from a hamfest. It looks like it was a public service or commercial antenna for 800-900 mhz. and is tapered, and a few inches tall. It's a great antenna for local 800 trunking-it's on a mag mount and mounted on a metal plate on a high shelf. Can't be visible as per the XYL.
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