What's a good alternative to the Yaesu VX8r Rubber Duck?

[kadetklapp]

Got a sweet VX-8R for Christmas from the wife. First thing I discover is the radio seems to have a more limited range than my old VX-8R. Not happy with it. Anyway, I was wondering if there was an antenna upgrade I should consider doing. I'm also getting a LOT of interference from the CPU of my desktop coming thru this radio.

 

[KC8TCQ]

Got a sweet VX-8R for Christmas from the wife. First thing I discover is the radio seems to have a more limited range than my old VX-8R. Not happy with it. Anyway, I was wondering if there was an antenna upgrade I should consider doing. I'm also getting a LOT of interference from the CPU of my desktop coming thru this radio.

There are a few gain antennas for HTs out there that work very well. I like the Diamond SRH77CA Dual Band HT Antenna Diamond® Antenna ~ SRH77CA Dualband HT Antenna

They run between $25.00 - $30.00 typically

 

[N1BHH]

Hand held radios and their OEM antennas are not designed for long range. They are a compromise antenna. Even the "gain" type antennas have limitations. If your going to be walking around, the longer antenna will help somewhat. If your radio is sitting on a table, you still need to find a hot spot.

The thing about antennas is and always has been location, location, location. If you are indoors and want to hear something 20 miles away, I suggest an outdoor antenna, even a mag mount on an air conditioner does wonders. I use one at home since I have no access to the roof and it works fine for my needs.

 

[kadetklapp]

It's not so much that I want to use the thing in the house -I mostly listen to two-meters and I have a base rig for that- but when I'm out in the country moving about it's of no use. I live in a rural area and the closest 2-meter machine is 10 miles away, 6-meter is 4 miles away and I can't even hit that standing on my roof.

 

[Spankymedic7]

VX-8R Antenna

Hey there,

I have a VX-8R and use the Diamond SRH-320A tri band antenna, which works quite well. However, lately I needed to do some 50MHz work and put the stock antenna back on. I noticed that there were negligible differences between the two antennae on all three bands. I then put the stock antenna on my IC-92AD and noticed the same thing...very little difference. So now I have NO aftermarket antennae on my HTs, and have gone back to stock antennae, and they're working just fine.

Remember that this is just the luck that I'm having, and therefore you may find the exact opposite should you try the stock antenna. Anyway, like I said try the Diamond SRH-320A tri band antenna. If you don't do any 6 meter work, this might just be the antenna for you.

I hope this helps.

73-

 

[wyomingmedic]

With the kind of ranges you are talking, you may be out of luck with the handheld. 10 miles (unless the repeater is in an excellent location) is a little much for what I would expect for a rubber duckie. Sure, you could get a bigger and better "duck", but the difference will be minuscule.

And on 6 meters, consider the inefficiency of a small loaded antenna. The duck is many many times smaller than a full sized antenna and it will certainly show it in performance.

I am in a similar situation to you whereas I am in a rural area. If I am in town and can see the mountain, I can easily get into the repeater with the HT. But if I stray out of the area, I completely lose handheld coverage. But with my mobile, I can access the repeater for 100 miles in most directions.

I save my HT for listening locally and for talking with my family while 4 wheeling and hiking. If I am in a remote area, I set my radio up in my truck to act as a cross band repeater. Then I can venture several miles away from t truck and use it as a "repeater" so I can access the real repeater. Not ideal, but it works.

WM

 

[kadetklapp]

Looks like I'm out of luck on x-mitting with this radio from home. As far as the interference I'm getting goes, any ideas?

 

[KC8TCQ]

With the kind of ranges you are talking, you may be out of luck with the handheld. 10 miles (unless the repeater is in an excellent location) is a little much for what I would expect for a rubber duckie. Sure, you could get a bigger and better "duck", but the difference will be minuscule.

And on 6 meters, consider the inefficiency of a small loaded antenna. The duck is many many times smaller than a full sized antenna and it will certainly show it in performance.

I am in a similar situation to you whereas I am in a rural area. If I am in town and can see the mountain, I can easily get into the repeater with the HT. But if I stray out of the area, I completely lose handheld coverage. But with my mobile, I can access the repeater for 100 miles in most directions.

I save my HT for listening locally and for talking with my family while 4 wheeling and hiking. If I am in a remote area, I set my radio up in my truck to act as a cross band repeater. Then I can venture several miles away from t truck and use it as a "repeater" so I can access the real repeater. Not ideal, but it works.

WM

I think it depends on the terrain, the height of the repeater antenna and the gain of the repeater antenna. When I was first licensed my first radio was a radioshack HT that had a whole whopping 500 mW (one half watt) of transmit power. With a gain antenna (not the OEM duck) I was able to get into the K8BXQ repeater in Wauseon from inside my house in McClure which was 16 miles distance from the repeater. I wasn't full quieting, but I could carry on a qso. Granted for the most part NW Ohio is relatively flat.

 

[wyomingmedic]

As far as the interference I'm getting goes, any ideas?

The easiest is to move the radio into a sweet spot without noise. I have some noise from my computers and have to pick the location of my handheld carefully. You can also set the squelch higher.

Ham handhelds generally have a very large area where they can receive. Lots will do from HF on up to 900+ mhz. This generally means that they are open to more noise getting in. Receivers are not as tight as commercial rigs and are usually very sensitive in order to compensate for the poor antenna.

Because of this (and other reasons, APCO25), I have been phasing out my ham handhelds.

WM

 

[wyomingmedic]

I think it depends on the terrain, the height of the repeater antenna and the gain of the repeater antenna. When I was first licensed my first radio was a radioshack HT that had a whole whopping 500 mW (one half watt) of transmit power. With a gain antenna (not the OEM duck) I was able to get into the K8BXQ repeater in Wauseon from inside my house in McClure which was 16 miles distance from the repeater. I wasn't full quieting, but I could carry on a qso. Granted for the most part NW Ohio is relatively flat.

Oh i agree. I have a UHF repeater I routinely work from one of our ranches. It is 70 miles from the repeater and I work it full quieting from a 4 watt handheld. Granted, the repeater is on a very tall mountain and so is the ranch

Terrain is the biggest factor IMO.

WM