kidphc

Good god... that is a a mouth full.

Since NanoVnas are getting really affordable sub $80 to a little over a $100. Many people are resorting to them as a cheap way to to get SWR readings or do some antenna analyzers. Often they the Smith chart is left on and clutters the display. Now what is a Smith chart and how is it used you ask... Well just watch the little youtube video to start getting an idea. Explanation of a Smith chart and a basic how to read.

Have you looked at digital via hotspots or echolink which you can run on your phone or pc. Sure they aren't Rf but they may tickle the reason you got your amateur or dwevle in to hf. Not every ham is a dick. It socks your local enclave are so elitist. Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

NOTE I have only gotten YSF. I do have a DSTAR login for my old call sign. I am connected to 30c but hear nothing.

DROIDSTAR for android. Dudestar for Windows 10. Droidstar playstore link https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dudetronics.droidstar&hl=en_US ** You need a valid call sign. ** It is listen only.. they want to add transmit capability ** the AMB conversion is done via software so a slow device is not something I would recommend. ###Both do DSTAR, DMR, P25, YSF NXDN DUDESTAR For WIndows 10https://github.com/nostar/dudestar ##Receive only unless you have a USB AMBE chip or mmdvm. Then you can transmit it will crash...if you leave the host empty. 1.) choose your mode IE. "YSF" 2. Choose your host "Americalink" 3. Enter your callsign. 4. hit connect

I loved my Nagoya UT72. Thought it was the bomb. Drilled a hole and put in a Larsen 2/70sh and now I had to add squelch. The antenna changed how much it was receiving. Now weak signals that I never heard before are trying to open the radio. Will never go back to a mag mount, well at least for my trucks.

If you trim them THEN you will affect performance. Leave them as is and you should be good to go. You may get more performance by adding radials or lengthen the ones you have.

Call sign w identifier. "(callsign) wifey this is (callsign) mobile 1 are you there?'. Mobile 1 and wifey can be substituted for whatever that suits your fancy. So call sign & individual identifer.

Probably won't help on a car. As far as at home, you should check/experiment with the vna. Although, what I have read, long radials or simply addding more have severally diminishing returns. Something anecdotal on ground radials mostly for HF but you'll get the idea.

Yes, theoretically. Even continuous chicken wire, not the braided should provide a ground plane. The x200a has 3 long radials, however RF is going to do what RF wants to. So depending on wattage, you might want to do a field exposure study. Especially, if you are directly below it. My antenna is above a closet, an unused bathroom and a hall way. I was told not to put the HF dipole in the attic because even at 50 watts the exposure was iffy.

The antenna says it has 5.0dbi gain. So theoretically, I would expect a best of 3w input and 15w at the antenna. What does the SWR look like across the band?

Not marc. I have one mounted in the attic, I still grounded it like it was an outside antenna, since my LMR400 is going down the side of the house. Plus I'll be set up for an outside antenna (wishful thinking). The biggest problems are, coupling with wiring (metallic) objects in the attic, potentially irradiating family members below, copper granular shingles, radiant barriers and some losses associated with going through the lumber and shingles. X200a mounted in the attic.

You can do it. When you are scoring mid 90's on the test it is pretty much a pass at that point. Gl Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Tech is super easy. Just study and take the practice exams. BTW, most just study for the general at the same time. Lots of cross over material. I wish I had done that.

I would use one if I could find a good one for a price. Most places sell garbage step bits, you know chinese ones unless you spend some big bucks.

Now I wish I had known about that.

Do not use the 3/4 traditional bit. It is probably for wood. It will walk and not produce a clean hole. Right tool for the job always. Btw, a professional will charge you about $200 for the job. Secondly, yes move the roof rack a bit. Any metal around the loading coil will mess up the pattern and cause other reception issues. Best to drop the headliner at least in the area you will be working. That is the only way to confirm cross member supports interference issues. Measure 4 times then start. SLOW, SLOW this is not a race and patching up a hole on the roof ain't easy. The job is easy though. I do recommend a center punch so the bit doesn't walk till the circle part of the bit is at least partially bitten through. Then clean up the edges of inside of the circle with sand paper or a step bit (be careful this can bite to hard and cause a world of headaches). Tape up the drill area with painter tape, Feel for the center punch mark and guide the tip to the punch. Then go slow. The tape minimizing chipping during the drilling process around the edge of the drill bit. Make sure the drill is perpendicular to the roof and not at any angles. You probably are going to want a use a step ladder to get above the work area without distorting the roof sheet metal. There are two NMO size standard 3/4 and 5/8. I had a 3/4 NMO and 3/4 antenna. I ended up buying a Milwaukee 3/8 pilot bit and 3/4(19mm) hole saw. About $30 at HD. I don't really like the hole saw a lot. So I can't recommend it. After you drill put you figure through the hole and feel the edges, inside, top and bottom. Clean it up as much as you can if you feel a bur or draw blood. I put a dab of 100% silicone grease on o-rings. First to keep the o-rings from shifting as I tighten up things, Second to get a good seal. It's not necessary, especially if you clean up the area. Which you should do before you place the NMO in. Just a small flake of metal can shred the o-rings. Have you ever thought about an NMO fold over antenna. They fold (manually) over so you can get clearance. In your case maybe enough to be hidden by the side roof rack bars and be save because of the height of the cross bars. Unless you have low profile cross bars.

Crap must of miss read it.

No, the PL tone is a filter. If you have it enabled you will only hear people with the PL tone enabled. Everyone else will still hear both sides fine. The repeater will ignore any inputs without the PL tone. You will hear it fine. However, using it will defeat having squelch enabled. Think of it as a sql filter. The radio won't open unless it breaks the sql level or matches the tone. So when listening to a repeater you can use either.

Although, not the most optimal location, close to the other options short of drilling. If you can keep the coil of the antenna above and away from metal you should be good. Here is some reading on placements of antennas. Some more. Yes I know it is for a CB and a Jeep. It is just to help understand the type of directionality you get with the pattern. http://www.mvaranet.org/uploads/2/7/2/2/27221859/1422988925.png

At least the equipment aren't absolutely essential. When I had pieced my dream virtual JKU I had looked at Cooltech mounts. There was another mount that bolted onto the door hinges, might have been a hi lift mount, to mod into an antenna mount. I of course printed out the list paper and deleted the file, when I saw how much it would cost. My wife asked me what I was doing, I told her burning up a dream. Over the course, I learned if mobile radio is a compromise, then on the JKU or its relatives it was a bigger compromise.

They are simple L brackets. You can mount an NMO to it like it was a roof. You just want to waterproof the under side. Here is a thread on a guy making his own. https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/threads/two-way-radio-antenna-mount.38065/ Funny enough they are just ditch light brackets modded and labelled as antenna mounts. https://www.gtv-van.com/en/hoodline-light-pod-antenna-mount-ford-transit.html If you want easy just get a Comet or Diamond mount similar to Marc. Just make sure there is enough gap between the fender and hood before you slam it shut. Jeeps generally have a lot more slop to play with. For god sakes the hoods are still cinched tight with the elastic ties. Does your wife use the GMRS radio often? If not then you could take off the antenna and store it. Putting a $6 NMO cap on it.

I was talking about a mount like the following. All mounts as far as mobile (hell even base stations) for the most part are all compromises. It is what you can live with when it comes to compromises.

Wouldn't a torrid or a choke help with the common mode rf energy riding the wiper/defogger wiring? I know mostly they are used to stop noise. Just wondering if they would help any.

Another option but gives up some ground plane (thus giving some weird patterns) is to use a lip mount on the trunk or a mount that bolts into the hood hinge. Then you could cram a 1/2 wave on it. Unfortunately, all the options will kinda interfere with drywall on the roof.