(UPDATE) Favorite Magmount Antenna?

[Lambda]

Picked up a BTech Nagoya UT-72G for my SUV. Very poor RX/TX, even though plenty of steel roof ground plane. 
My stock-stubby HT outperforms it from inside the vehicle.

I plan to buy another antenna to compare against before returning it.

So, what are your favorite magmount options?

• Primary use is Simplex.
• Urban hills (no buildings over 10 stories, but plenty of hills. 3db?).
• Need to stick with removable for now. No drilled holes. 
• Would consider bracket mount for top of rear hatch (but worse ground plane?) 

I haven't done SWR sweep; don't wanna focus on numbers just yet - would rather stick with analogue comparison initially.  
It'll be easy to compare. The UT-72G is performing noticeably worse than any HT in the vehicle.

Thank you. 

[UPDATE] I purchased a TRAM 1192 to test through-glass before I spend more on sexier magmount options.
Will update. 

 

[TrikeRadio]

I have had very good performance with my BTech Nagoya UT-72G. and much better than my HT inside the car!

[OffRoaderX]

6 minutes ago, Socalgmrs said:

I get 50miles from the same antenna n 3 of my trucks

Geezus Phuck! Do you still not understand that unless his antenna is 2 feet from your antenna, YOUR range has nothing to do with HIS range?

55 minutes ago, Lambda said:

Picked up a BTech Nagoya UT-72G for my SUV. Very poor RX/TX

Of all the testing I have done of antennas (and that is a LOT of antennas), my UT-72G performs the worst - even worse than the little "ghost" antennas.

[wayoverthere]

I've had good results with multiple Midland mag mounts carrying a variety of antennas. Seen very few negative reports on the mxta26 antenna, and what I did see was related to potential used\damaged product received from Amazon. I had good results with a Browning br1713bs (similar to the mxta26 in size and configuration).n the other whip I have is NLA, so as an alternate smaller gain antenna I'd look at 1\2 or 5\8 wave Laird whips. Ground plane or not, depending on the mount. I want to say it'd be the 4502 for GMRS (450-470mhz)...have used the 430-450 model and it was great out of the package without tuning.

Have had great results with the comet 2x4sr for ham, but the swr was a little high for GMRS, though not unusable (2.0:1 on 467, iirc)

[OffRoaderX]

to answer the actual question:  My favorite antenna, and the antenna that I have on both of my jeeps and as the "in the window" antenna for my office-radio, is the Midland MXTA26 .. it's not a mag-mount, but it is an NMO mount, but you can buy a separate NMO magnetic mount for it.

The range is is the same as any other GMRS antenna (except that UT-72G) but I chose it because the "twist" on the antenna makes it a few inches shorter than all other 5/8 wave (or whatever its wavelength is) antennas, and its flexible, which is good when i'm off-roading through trees and rocks and fat-people.

Also, because it is a true GMRS antenna, no cutting/tuning is needed - just take it out of the sack and slap it on.

[WRUU653]

I’ll throw my vote for the Midland MXTA26, I’ve been very happy with mine. 

[SteveShannon]

9 hours ago, WRUU653 said:

I’ll throw my vote for the Midland MXTA26, I’ve been very happy with mine. 

I also have MXTA26 antennas.

[WRYZ926]

I have a Nagoya UT-72G and a Tram 1174. While I did have to trim/tune the Tram 1174, it definitely outperforms the Nagoya UT-72G. I use the Tram 1174 since I have height restrictions with my garage and also all of the parking garages I use.

I also have a Comet 2x4SRNMO that lives on my SxS. It does great with my 20 watt Wouxun KG-XS0G. And I occasionally will use it on my Ford Escape when I am out and about with no worries about height issues.

The Midland MXTA26 is another good choice if you don't have to worry about height.

[DeoVindice]

On 10/31/2024 at 5:09 AM, gortex2 said:

1/4 wave UHF will outperform most of that amazon garbage. And drill a hole and install a NMO.

This bears repeating. It's easy once you get over any initial stress of drilling the vehicle, and will perform great. I have a PCTel quarterwave on a drilled NMO and it regularly receives repeaters 75 miles away without perfect LOS. I saw about a 5dB improvement over a 5/8-wave mag mount.

[nokones]

On 10/30/2024 at 8:47 PM, WRUU653 said:

I’ll throw my vote for the Midland MXTA26, I’ve been very happy with mine. 

If you're going to use a mag-mount, the Midland NMO mag-mount is practically the best one out there to use.

[WRYZ926]

2 hours ago, nokones said:

If you're going to use a mag-mount, the Midland NMO mag-mount is practically the best one out there to use.

I think most will agree with you on that. I am running the Midland mag-mount for my Comet SBB1 dual band and Tram 1174 antennas on my vehicle and another one with a Comet 2x4SR on my SxS.

[nokones]

56 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

I’ve only used the Midland NMO mag mount.  It is what I started with and I’ve found no reason to switch.  But I do get a broken signal on transmit (meaning people report that my signal is broken) sometimes when moving on the interstate.  Maybe it was just picket fencing. A friend recently bought a Comet magnetic base NMO mount (CM-5NMO) and it is slightly larger diameter, looks and feels well built, and appears to sit flatter.  He and I have conducted tests where he is driving to the I-15 interstate, up over the continental divide, and north on his way to Helena which was the same path I had traveled earlier.  Although eventually a weak signals prevented reception I never heard any breaking up while he was in motion.  It’s a sample of one, so really only anecdotal, but it was noticeable to me.  It’s not enough of a reason to dump the Midland mount, but if I were buying a new magnetic mount NMO, I would try the Comet this time. It’s about $33 at the usual ham radio shops.

The Lairds, now T E Connectivity, look good and beefy and they appear to be a great NMO mag-mount, but for some reason, the Lairds will run a little higher VSWRs than the Midland mag-mounts.

[Lambda]

Thanks @Socalgmrs

If not the antenna and components, only other weak-link would be the 805G it’s attached to. But that HT is flawless itself. Coax, pigtail, etc all look good. Would have to be a solder issue in the base or something.

I’m only pushing 5w max, but can’t trigger the repeater that the stock-stubby GM-30 can inside the car. 

Also no SWR yet because I don’t have a meter. Need to test it with my buddy

[Lambda]

2 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

Geezus Phuck! Do you still not understand that unless his antenna is 2 feet from your antenna, YOUR range has nothing to do with HIS range?

Of all the testing I have done of antennas (and that is a LOT of antennas), my UT-72G is the worst - even worse than the little "ghost" antennas.

I don’t feel so alone anymore

[Lambda]

16 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

to answer the actual question:  My favorite antenna, and the antenna that I have on both of my jeeps and as the "in the window" antenna for my office-radio, is the Midland MXTA26 .. it's not a mag-mount, but it is an NMO mount, but you can buy a separate NMO magnetic mount for it.

The range is is the same as any other GMRS antenna (except that UT-72G) but I chose it because the "twist" on the antenna makes it a few inches shorter than all other 5/8 wave (or whatever its wavelength is) antennas, and its flexible, which is good when i'm off-roading through trees and rocks and fat-people.

Also, because it is a true GMRS antenna, no cutting/tuning is needed - just take it out of the sack and slap it on.

Hey, Thanks! 

I do pull into a carport every night, so the twist on height may be just the ticket. And thanks for the note about NMO options, as I haven’t ventured down that path before. 

I’ll be sure to report back if I grab one! 
 

 

[Lambda]

2 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

I've had good results with multiple Midland mag mounts carrying a variety of antennas. Seen very few negative reports on the mxta26 antenna, and what I did see was related to potential used\damaged product received from Amazon. I had good results with a Browning br1713bs (similar to the mxta26 in size and configuration).n the other whip I have is NLA, so as an alternate smaller gain antenna I'd look at 1\2 or 5\8 wave Laird whips. Ground plane or not, depending on the mount. I want to say it'd be the 4502 for GMRS (450-470mhz)...have used the 430-450 model and it was great out of the package without tuning.

Have had great results with the comet 2x4sr for ham, but the swr was a little high for GMRS, though not unusable (2.0:1 on 467, iirc)

That Laird 4502 is classy

[gortex2]

1/4 wave UHF will outperform most of that amazon garbage. And drill a hole and install a NMO.

[LeoG]

I have the UT-72 and it's not a great antenna and it didn't impress me.  But it gets me way farther than an antenna in the truck.  I run the MXTA26 with a mag mount on the cab of my Truck and think it does very well and I'm happy with it.  Those are the only two I own.

[SteveShannon]

9 hours ago, nokones said:

If you're going to use a mag-mount, the Midland NMO mag-mount is practically the best one out there to use.

I’ve only used the Midland NMO mag mount.  It is what I started with and I’ve found no reason to switch.  But I do get a broken signal on transmit (meaning people report that my signal is broken) sometimes when moving on the interstate.  Maybe it was just picket fencing. A friend recently bought a Comet magnetic base NMO mount (CM-5NMO) and it is slightly larger diameter, looks and feels well built, and appears to sit flatter.  He and I have conducted tests where he is driving to the I-15 interstate, up over the continental divide, and north on his way to Helena which was the same path I had traveled earlier.  Although eventually a weak signals prevented reception I never heard any breaking up while he was in motion.  It’s a sample of one, so really only anecdotal, but it was noticeable to me.  It’s not enough of a reason to dump the Midland mount, but if I were buying a new magnetic mount NMO, I would try the Comet this time. It’s about $33 at the usual ham radio shops.

[LeoG]

I got the Melowave NMO Magnet Antenna Mount (3.5") mainly because it said it had a better coax than all the rest.  All of them used RG58U and this used CFD200 instead.  No problems with the antenna staying put with the MTXA26 antenna.

[Socalgmrs]

Ok something is very wrong. I get 50miles from the same antenna n 3 of my trucks from a 20w radio.   I’d check what you have going on.  
 

but to answer your question the mxt26 is good.  The comet 2x4 is amazing. I went from 50miles to 75miles with the same 20w radio in my new truck.