Travel antenna

[Kiniutech]

Hello, I am looking for recommendation: Indoor "Travel Antenna" to pair with Airspy 2 and SDR v4 (ordered)
I got a few handhelds and extendable including Icom r30 antenna. Scanning range are: Air, UHF. VHF and Mil Air
Nothing above 512 MHz

Options are: Use Diamond RH771 with right angle adaptor or purchase something like Spectrum Force Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and SMA
or anything else, advice much appreciated
SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and SMA | Scanner Master

Chris

 

[prcguy]

Your needs are perfect for a normal size Discone like Diamond D130, etc, but without the top whip. A typical Discone is not that portable but most any other antenna will work ok in a few specific frequencies +/- a few MHz then everywhere else it will be pretty bad. You might consider one of the multiband cop antennas that have great bandwidth over the VHF and UHF public service bands like the PCTEL PCTWSLMR-2 also known as the Motorola AN000131A02. These have really good bandwidth covering the entire 136-174 and 380-520MHz range plus they have a good match over a much wider range. They are expensive new at over $200 but I've purchased many for under $40 and a couple for under $20 new. You would need an NMO mag mount or ground plane kit for portable use.

Another good wide band antenna actually made for VHF/UHF/700/800/900 monitoring is the COMPACtenna Scan III which covers about the same range as the PCTEL/Motorola but its only 9.5" tall. The Spectrum Force claim covering 25 to 1300MHz is an outright lie unless your comparing it to a coat hanger.


PCTEL/Motorola 18" tall

COMPACtenna 9.5" tall

 

[Kiniutech]

prcguy, many thanks. I have on the roof D130 plus Omni-X. The antenna i want is to take with me on overseas trips and local out of the house trips it need to fit into carry on suitcase, 19" antenna will fit easy so is compactenna.
Have to me BNC or SM terminated to use. or get small NMO mount.

 

[prcguy]

Here is one travel antenna I made up with a COMPACtenna and the angled ground plane works ok with other whips but better with the COMPACtenna because it favors less of a ground plane on VHF. The ground radials snap out from stored to operational and break down for storage. I have other versions with one piece screw together ground radial kits.

 

[Kiniutech]

Thank you again looks like I can make, do you need contact with the metal base e.g. fridge or its ready to go
actually I still have in storage old D130 radials, could easy made something from them

 

[prcguy]

Thank you again looks like I can make, do you need contact with the metal base e.g. fridge or its ready to go

The antenna thing pictured is self contained, nothing else needed.

 

[Kiniutech]

Well looks like its my ticket, compact, light and easy to set up in minutes.
many thanks have a good day,
regards from Down Under
Chris