"Travel" Antenna Revisited!

[LIScanner101]

I posted some pics of this antenna a while ago on a rental, but I took this a few steps farther - this will show you how obsessed I am about bringing my antenna with me when I'm on the road in CA :lol: !!

This the antenna mounted in a rather unique way. This is an old A/S MON-52 connected to a TRAM mobile-to-base kit. The bracket is just clamped between the scanner case and the large mobile mounting knobs. The ground plane radials are about 20" long:

This little collar made it possible for me to not have to pack this giant antenna in a cardboard travel tube! My friend machined this for me out of steel and installed (2) tiny Allen keys in it. I cut the upper whip about 2" over the plastic coil (yes, it was painful to do this ) but when the two parts are coupled I can detect NO negative effect on reception:

Here's a close-up of the base kit. Yes, the radials are a little bent but it doesn't seem to have any bad effects:

And here's a closer shot of the antenna mid-section:

All in all, this works GREAT. From my hotel room in Oyster Point CA I can copy all of San Mateo VHF-high and UHF PD/FD VERY clearly. San Jose comes in very well, Santa Clara County a little scratchy but overall acceptable.

The thing that amazed me was I can hear CHP on 42MHz VERY well! Almost "5 by 5".

 

[_Wilson_]

nice setup, what kinda stinger does it have, i can't make it out but i'm thinking it's not a corona ball on top is it ? i like the way you did that, i don't think i could manage to cut mine as long as THP is on lo band, and that added few inches helps pull in un wanted static, oh well gota take the good with the bad. still the best mobile/base antenna ever made in my book.

 

[LIScanner101]

Hey monitor51,

Thanks for the kind words. The top is a small "screw tip protector" I picked up in the local ACE hardware store. Since I also mount this antenna on an NMO trunk lip mount when I'm driving around CA I felt the corona ball made the antenna too top heavy. However, do you use yours? If so, have you noticed any improvement in reception...????

As far as total length I agree about the static. Seems the lower you need to go frequency-wise the more problematic it becomes. Fortunately CHP uses PL tones for everything so the squelch doesn't break unless there is a genuine transmission. Does THP use PL/DPL? Also what is the "base" frequency (33MHz range)? This particular antenna is cut for 42MHz but my NY ones are cut for 46MHz. I also have one at full length when I travel to CT because they still do fire dispatch on 33MHz.

 

[LIScanner101]

Forgot to say that even 800MHz comes in very well too.

 

[nanZor]

As a low-bander you may be interested in a lightweight portable tripod that has 3/8 screw mount:

SuperAntenna -Official Website - New Super Antennas SuperAntennas Portable

This would buy you some more vertical space while traveling, and you could easily clamp or crimp a few radials from it... I use it for HF portable, but perhaps this might come in handy for the travel kit..

 

[LIScanner101]

As a low-bander you may be interested in a lightweight portable tripod that has 3/8 screw mount:

SuperAntenna -Official Website - New Super Antennas SuperAntennas Portable

This would buy you some more vertical space while traveling, and you could easily clamp or crimp a few radials from it... I use it for HF portable, but perhaps this might come in handy for the travel kit..

Thanks, I checked it out and it looks pretty good. I'll give them a shout.

 

[_Wilson_]

Hey monitor51,

Thanks for the kind words. The top is a small "screw tip protector" I picked up in the local ACE hardware store. Since I also mount this antenna on an NMO trunk lip mount when I'm driving around CA I felt the corona ball made the antenna too top heavy. However, do you use yours? If so, have you noticed any improvement in reception...????

your welcome, yeah it's still up there, i've read in RR it's suppose to help dissipate static, but i've never had mine off, sept to clean the corossion from the Allen screw contact point, other then that i can't tell you much, one day i'll have try that and see if i can tell any deference.


[/QUOTE]As far as total length I agree about the static. Seems the lower you need to go frequency-wise the more problematic it becomes. Fortunately CHP uses PL tones for everything so the squelch doesn't break unless there is a genuine transmission. Does THP use PL/DPL? Also what is the "base" frequency (33MHz range)? This particular antenna is cut for 42MHz but my NY ones are cut for 46MHz. I also have one at full length when I travel to CT because they still do fire dispatch on 33MHz.[/QUOTE]

THP transmits on 42 mhz in my district "both base and mobile extenders" and they use PL tones, but that's in the works to be changed i've read.

 

[LIScanner101]

Any idea if someone still sells that corona ball? I might want to put them back on all of my MON's but I seem to be missing one (probably rolled under something...)

 

[LtDoc]

Static balls/corona balls are not a 'cure all' for static. They certainly can reduce static especially if the antenna is subjected to wind or is moving, but they honestly have little affect in reducing static otherwise.
I haven't looked for them but I would have to think that corona balls/static balls are certainly obtainable fairly easily. 'Google' the things, bet you'll get more than a few 'hits'.
- 'Doc

 

[LtDoc]

... a quick 'google' of 'corona balls' resulted in 2,8000,000 hits. Try it.
- 'Doc

 

[prcguy]

I bought two exact replacements made by A/S on Ebay. Keep checking, they show up occasionally.
prcguy

Any idea if someone still sells that corona ball? I might want to put them back on all of my MON's but I seem to be missing one (probably rolled under something...)

 

[LIScanner101]

... a quick 'google' of 'corona balls' resulted in 2,8000,000 hits. Try it.
- 'Doc

Doc,

Thanks, that was the first thing I did of course :wink:.

However, it seems that all of those corona balls are very large - about 1" across, and designed for larger wire antennas.

The MON antenna upper steel whip is only 0.100" O.D., so it's hard to find a corona ball that small.

The Antenna Farm sells small plastic tips, and I have added them to some of my antennas, I was just curious if I would notice anything different with a metal ball.

 

[LIScanner101]

I bought two exact replacements made by A/S on Ebay. Keep checking, they show up occasionally.
prcguy

That might be the best route, thanks. My machinist friend might be able to make a few for me but it depends upon his workload.

 

[LIScanner101]

Static balls/corona balls are not a 'cure all' for static. They certainly can reduce static especially if the antenna is subjected to wind or is moving, but they honestly have little affect in reducing static otherwise.

Thanks for the tech advice Doc, I appreciate it. I notice static more on VHF-low than any other band. I will try putting one of the few I have on an antenna and then drive around to see what it "sounds" like, then take it off and listen again.