Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Do you enjoy making your own equipment or antennas? Discuss construction and design in here.
Post Reply
Deejay1
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 236
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 18:12

Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Post by Deejay1 »

Hi All,

I am looking at making a basic PMR radio antenna for use on the net static mobile.

Is there such a thing ?

I know which way up a multi meter is used and some soldering experience. Even a little metalwork experience form school as well.

Any help will be well received.

Many thanks

Mark TM9484
hopefuldave
Regular
Regular
Posts: 5
Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 19:17
Call Sign: G0IZY

Re: Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Post by hopefuldave »

Hi Mark,

Google is your friend - have a hunt for titles like "practical antenna handbook" and "VHF UHF antenna", assuming you're talking about the EU 446 MHz band take the dimensions from a nice-looking aerial for close to that frequency in one of the books that has some gain and scale it up a little i.e. 446/432* (*or whatever frequency it was designed for) times as big, only element lengths though, don't worry about finding e.g. 9.3765875865675 mm diameter tubing!

432 MHz may also be known by wavelength, 70cm, and as most aerials' individual elements are in the 1/4 to 5/8 wavelength range that should give you an idea of the scale of the finished item (and how accurately you need to work, to the mm or better would be good).
Bear in mind that gainy beam aerials are VERY directional once you get past 3 or 4 elements, collinear have less gain but cover the full 360 around you. ANYTHING you make (if you're careful) will way outperform the rubber ducky that comes fitted as standard to PMR radios...

You may need to modify the radio if it doesn't have an aerial socket, not beyond what's possible if you can wield a soldering iron, usually getting the radio apart and back together takes longer than the soldering...

Dave H. (the other one)
Deejay1
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 236
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 18:12

Re: Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Post by Deejay1 »

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your help Dave.

Very useful information. I have made some attempts at a 70cm JPole which should have been better.

I had some success with a small loop antenna.

I have been a little to lax with the results and got warned about the damage i could do to my radio if i am not careful with dimensions and accuracy.

It was fun trying though.

I have now made a small dipole with 16 cm elements. I havent tested it yet but will when the Antenna Analiser arrives.

I will test the dipole out on the net on monday night. If not it is back to the drawing board.

I have a manufactured beam that will be my go to antenna if the dipole doesnt work.

Thanks again for your help.
Cornelius
Regular
Regular
Posts: 37
Joined: 23 Nov 2017, 12:21
Call Sign: Cornelius
Location: Grimstad, Norway

Re: Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Post by Cornelius »

You could also try a 1/4-wave Ground plane antenna - easy to make, and performs well. Here's a Page in norwegian that explains it well. (Use google translate.)
User avatar
Farty
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 3694
Joined: 20 Oct 2008, 14:40
Location: IO92ND

Re: Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Post by Farty »

Ive had great success with home brewed boomerangs on 2M. In its simplest form a dipole made from 2 x copper pipes. The coax runs inside the centre element and emerges at the bottom, so it loo,s like a vertical with the coax connected at the bottom. I'm currently using one for part lessons and bicycle work, made Hampshire from Northampronshire on FM with a Bumfeng UV5R, so the performance is beyond question.

Good luck, and happy experimenting.
In Before The Lock Champion of Total Magnificenceness May 2016
paulears
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 1089
Joined: 10 Jun 2007, 22:41
Call Sign: G4RMT
Location: North East Suffolk
Contact:

Re: Re Starting an "easy" PMR radio antenna

Post by paulears »

What is this netstatic radio? Google sheds no light.

To be honest, and analyser is great, but the most useful tool for fiddling with antennas is a simple UHF VSWR meter, as it's the comfort blanket = you press the PTT, and it tells you instantly if the radio is happy by showing you the VSWR, and then as you nibble little bits off the elements you SEE the change. Analysers like the one I have show you curves and readings, but a real meter connected to your radio makes things so much simpler. PMR446 is only a smidge above the ham band, so all the antennas for that band work pretty well without any major changes, just a very small loss of efficiency. I have a commercially made antenna cut for 449MHz and that works perfectly well on 70cm - and of course 446 in the middle. The reality is that the days of radios dying from poor VSWR is pretty long gone - most low power transmitters sense the poor VSWR and ease back on the power rather than dying on you - mainly because people use all sorts of rubbish antennas, and if they died every time a load wasn't 50~Ohms, the manufacturers would get lots of warranty returns, which they don't!
Post Reply