I have the following VHF 2meter stick roof antenna... TRAM(R) 1400 Tram(R) Aluminum 6dBd Gain VHF 135MHz-174MHz. It’s about 15 years old and I discovered two SPLITS in the aluminum, one in each section. This was probably due to ice freezing in it at one point. It is used strictly for a RX scanner only not TX. Am I loose any reception or loss?? Should I buy a new one?? See attached photos.
Tram 1400 2M problem
- Thread starter Fielder3
- Start date
Tram is a brand most hams keep away from. What you experienced is typical of their cheap crap. Surprised it lasted 15 years!
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
If water is able to enter or collect on the inside of the antenna, that's a bad sign.
But, if the aluminum is still continuous, then it'll conduct RF and will work.
Issue I see is that if you are in a high RF environment (unlikely) corrosion in an antenna can create some noise. Unlikely that's an issue unless you live next door to a cell site.
Still, Tram is low end stuff. If you are questioning this antenna, maybe it's time to replace it and the coaxial cable.
Thanks for the input. (I use 25’ of LMR400 which is 2 1/2 years old.)
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
OK, that's good. Sometimes I hear people talking about 100 feet of RG-58 that they bought at Radio Shack on sale 25 years ago.
As long as your outdoor connections were properly waterproofed and there is zero evidence of water in the connectors, you're good to go.