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XTL/XTS5000 XTS-5000 antenna replacement
- Thread starter cyabor
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clbsquared
Member
Longer antennas do not always mean longer distances. While you may be able to receive a bit better with a longer antenna, it's doubtful it will increase your TX range. What kind of environment are you using it in? Indoors? Outdoors? Simplex? Repeater? Do you have a mobile radio that you could use and utilize an VRS? Basically using your portable to talk to the VRS and the VRS sends it to the mobile and the mobile transmits.
Let me offer you a simpler answer. NAE6549 is the best UHF antenna to have.
But as mentioned above, antenna isn't everything.
I am using them outdoor in rural areas and they are simplex.
clbsquared
Member
As K2NEC stated. The NAE6549 is your best bet. Don't get wrapped up in shotty aftermarket antenna manufacturers advertising longer range out of a longer antenna. It doesn't quite work that way for a portable with a max of 5 watts TX.
BigDogg795
Member
I know this is gonna be a stupid question since I probably already know the answer but...OEM Motorola vs generic aftermarket; OEM wins every time, right?
Pretty much, yes. The only aftermarket antenna I would ever consider for a Motorola portable would be a Tuf Duck, made by Laird (previously Centurion). They are good quality and have been around for a few decades. I had one on my VHF MT1000 back in the early 90s, good stuff.
BigDogg795
Member
Gotcha. Obv Motorola commands a premium, but any suggestions that's both trusted as well as fairly priced for three of them?
mbnv992
Also known as MT2000 man on Batlabs since 2001+
From what I’ve read - all portable radio antennas ( even OEM Motorola ) are all now made in China and the differences in cheap eBay China antennas arnt as bad as it was vs. OEM back in the day.
That being said - I would always buy OEM Motorola antennas. In fact, just picked up a bunch of stubby UHF antennas from Wiscomm a few weeks ago for my 5000/3000’s
That being said - I would always buy OEM Motorola antennas. In fact, just picked up a bunch of stubby UHF antennas from Wiscomm a few weeks ago for my 5000/3000’s
N4KVE
Member
I’ve been using the 6549 antenna for years, since the Jedi series of radios. It works great, & is quite flexible. The 4022 antenna seems to have been introduced with the XPR line, and while it works fine, is not as flexible as the 6549.
KD2AWJ
Member
I would prefer the OEM antenna over the aftermarket one in this scenario as well. May both be from China but the ones labeled Motorola I would trust more to actually be connected inside then the no name cheap aftermarket. Fool me once.....
vagrant
ker-muhj-uhn
@cyabor If I really really needed to extend the UHF range on my XTS5k handheld, all three of the Diamond RH77CA variants are the best I have tested around 440 MHz UHF. Unfortunately, the antenna well on the XTS is deep, so an adapter would be needed and it is an ugly and potentially damaging solution. I can confirm that it does work very well, but I do not use that as a day-to-day solution.
@KD2AWJ While OEM is safe, I risked it and purchased five for $10, or some crazy low price via eBay. I figured I would be cutting them open and post some pictures here of black plastic. Well, I swept and then tested each one on the radios via simplex and repeaters. They all work great. No 50ohm resistor either. They all look very similar to Motorola antennas, logo as well. I feel I got lucky.
@KD2AWJ While OEM is safe, I risked it and purchased five for $10, or some crazy low price via eBay. I figured I would be cutting them open and post some pictures here of black plastic. Well, I swept and then tested each one on the radios via simplex and repeaters. They all work great. No 50ohm resistor either. They all look very similar to Motorola antennas, logo as well. I feel I got lucky.
KD2AWJ
Member
I'm shocked. But I guess they can't all just be garbage. Gotta get it right some time.
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