Antenna Recommendation

[PastorGary]

If anyone is currently using a large, gain type UHF antenna on your vehicle and wish to be a little less conspicuous, I have tested the one in the link below and it is just as effective within my local repeater coverage area as the large commercial antenna permanently mounted on my vehicle.

 

This magnetic UHF mobile antenna has a 100 watt power rating and all you might need is either an SMA to TNC adaptor or a PL259 to TNC adaptor.

 

Link >>> http://www.amazon.com/AIR802-400-480-Magnetic-Plug-Male-Connector/dp/B005SGEBF6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398196548&sr=8-2&keywords=gmrs+antenna

[Jake313]

Thanks Gary. Too add to antenna recommendations the Larson LP450NMO Mirage antenna is suppose to be really good too. Have that one on order.

[Guest spd641]

Thanks Gary. Too add to antenna recommendations the Larson LP450NMO Mirage antenna is suppose to be really good too. Have that one on order.

Let us know how well it works I am curious...William

[Guest spd641]

I highly suggest this antenna.http://www.westcoastmall.net/maxrad-muf4505-350-512-mhz-5db-gain-collinear-antenna-p-607.html

 

If you are worried about height this is a excellent short antenna with the same results as the other Maxrad.http://www.123radios.com/BuyItNow.asp?PID=9161

 

Larsen has a great antenna,same durability and performance as the Maxrad.http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-005289

[Jake313]

The LP450NMO  from Larsen I must say I am very impressed with this antenna. I am able to reach repeaters that are 20 plus miles away from me. There's still areas in Appleton where it's hard to reach the repeaters (downtown with tall buildings, etc) but considering the distance from Appleton to both those locations and this being a low profile antenna, I gotta say it was worth the money for me. You can find them through many suppliers but here's tessco's listing:

 

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=68593

[JohnE]

been using these for yrs

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=320918&eventGroup=4&eventPage=1

have used just about every thing that is out there commercially and still go back to this.

I also have recently started using these cables and found them to better than the standard stuff I was using.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=465451&eventPage=1

[PastorGary]

Something that I have tried in the past is the Larsen NMO150/450/800  which is a tri-band antenna that has commonly been used by scanner enthusiasts. However, I have used this with great success with Part 90 and Part 95 type accepted Kenwood equipment operating on one band at a time.  The antenna has comparable performance to a single band antenna and it has a very compact design.  I have seen no difference in distance-to-repeater with this Larsen verses testing with a PCTel MaxRad mobile antenna.

 

Link >>> http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=427126

[deputycrawford]

I generally use a unity gain NMO antenna and always have good results.  They are just about 6 inches tall and do fine. 

 

Jerry

[PastorGary]

Just picked up a mobile 2 dbi gain type EM WAVE, INC  antenna and tested it from 30 miles from the local repeater. Using a 25 watt Kenwood TK863G, I compared it to a 6 inch 1/4 wave (didn't access the repeater) as well as a PCTEL center loaded 30 inch gain type. There was no difference between the EM WAVE and the PCTEL antennas.  The EM WAVE is only 9 -1/2 inches high and is nearly invisible.

 

 

 

DATA:

 

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q584/PaducahLuke/EMWaveAnt_zpsf40d775f.jpg

 

 

[Shriekmau]

I am using a Larsen NMO mount dual band VHF/UHF. It works really well for GMRS and Amateur bands. I can't remember the exact model number since I ordered it nearly a year ago.

[PastorGary]

Sounds like it might be their model NMO-150/450.

 

Good antenna... we have one in our emergency response Go-Bag with a magnetic NMO mount that sticks onto our metal command post table for close-proximity dispatching for our Chaplain Responder Team while on disaster responses. Depending on whether we are using VHF HT's or UHF HT's, we don't have to bring along a second antenna.

[Shriekmau]

I believe you are correct on the model. That seems to ring a bell with my memory.

 

It has been a very good antenna for me. I get a lot of compliments on my range with a mag mount. The antenna seems to work equally well on VHF and UHF. It also seems to be quite durable as I have smacked it on a couple low obstacles which resulted it the mag mount tipping over yet the antenna was unharmed.

[PastorGary]

[Guest spd641]

P-G,

A 2 dbi gain antenna is the same as a unity (0) gain quaterwave antenna.All you have is sales hype trying to inflate the numbers by saying db and hoping no one notices dbi means db over isopole with is 0 gain.If you get one with say ex:3 db gain it is 2 times the gain of a 1/4 wave.Salespeople use dbi and db together hoping people won't notice ...William

[PastorGary]

Yeah - I know... I use  http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaecalc.html   for those calculations. But, I must say again, that there was no difference in signal quality into the repeater from 30 miles away as compared to the PCTEL 30 inch center loaded gain type that I tested as well.

 

I wish the industry would go back to using ONLY db(d) as the standard. It would make things easier to compare on paper.