Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
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Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Hi guys,
don't laugh... I know I said I wouldn't do this! But, I have been that impressed with my Yaesu VX177 UHF handies for all manner of activities that I have found another use for them.
A few times a year at busy periods, me and a couple of mates help my dad out by driving delivery vans for him for a few days at a time.
Now previously we have just had to use phones to keep in touch during the day and to ask each other directions etc.
But I thought I might give the Yaesu's a go, they are fantastic for use in car convoys, especially with the speaker mics they are like mini CB's!
So, as we will be spending the day anywhere up to about 10 miles apart in the vans, it would be good to have some mag mount external antennas for them to try to help the range over the standard rubber ducks.
Can anyone point me out a good mag mount mobile antenna for these radios that will work well at around the 446 frequency area?
Also, has anyone any experience of the distances achievable of 5 watt UHF mobile to mobile under normal town and countryside circumstances. (mostly countryside and out of town)
many thanks guys.
don't laugh... I know I said I wouldn't do this! But, I have been that impressed with my Yaesu VX177 UHF handies for all manner of activities that I have found another use for them.
A few times a year at busy periods, me and a couple of mates help my dad out by driving delivery vans for him for a few days at a time.
Now previously we have just had to use phones to keep in touch during the day and to ask each other directions etc.
But I thought I might give the Yaesu's a go, they are fantastic for use in car convoys, especially with the speaker mics they are like mini CB's!
So, as we will be spending the day anywhere up to about 10 miles apart in the vans, it would be good to have some mag mount external antennas for them to try to help the range over the standard rubber ducks.
Can anyone point me out a good mag mount mobile antenna for these radios that will work well at around the 446 frequency area?
Also, has anyone any experience of the distances achievable of 5 watt UHF mobile to mobile under normal town and countryside circumstances. (mostly countryside and out of town)
many thanks guys.
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Forgot to say, I have seen loads of tiny antennas advertised as 'twin band' UHF jobbies and they seem to range in price from abot £5 to £15, however I would feel better I one of you knowlegable people actually points me in the direction of a mobile antenna that you have used or know to be very good.
I don't mind spending a little more if I know that I'm geting a bit of extra performance out of my antenna!
I don't mind spending a little more if I know that I'm geting a bit of extra performance out of my antenna!
- Yeti
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Be a bit wary here - Amateur band colinears might seem like a good idea - but in my experience they are actually quite a mismatch at 446MHz.
Honestly, I'd recommend a simple 1/4 magmount - you can get a Hustler one for VHF for around £15, and simply cut it to size.
Honestly, I'd recommend a simple 1/4 magmount - you can get a Hustler one for VHF for around £15, and simply cut it to size.
Will the next movie in the series be The Fast and The Funeral?
- Guzzy
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Also, don't expect miracles with 5W hand helds. Even if they are attached to a mag mount.
There is a reason that amateurs use repeaters for mobile operation...
There is a reason that amateurs use repeaters for mobile operation...
- Scott_93
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
'Cos we canGuzzy wrote:Also, don't expect miracles with 5W hand helds. Even if they are attached to a mag mount.
There is a reason that amateurs use repeaters for mobile operation...
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Oh I know, I'm not expecting miracles!
But I have been totally bowled over by the range on UHF even with the 2" rubber ducks these things are supplied with!
I have been having a couple of good chats with some local Ham users over the local repeater recently and I can hit the repeater absolutely no problem loud and clear... and its about 12 miles away as the crow flies! I have looked it up on google maps.
Thats with me sitting in my downstairs living room, in my house, in the middle of a city surrounded by houses and large mill buildings converted into flats, using a handheld with a 2-3" rubber duck on it.
I lent one of my other VX177's to a mate who lives across the other side of the city in his apartment and we were both chatting to each other, getting almost full blast on the S Meter.
I have been really, really suprised with them.
I appreciate the repeater is in a really good position on a hill etc, but If I get a 'van to van' of around 10 miles using mag mount antennas, in a semi rural area, I will be a happy bunny...
But I have been totally bowled over by the range on UHF even with the 2" rubber ducks these things are supplied with!
I have been having a couple of good chats with some local Ham users over the local repeater recently and I can hit the repeater absolutely no problem loud and clear... and its about 12 miles away as the crow flies! I have looked it up on google maps.
Thats with me sitting in my downstairs living room, in my house, in the middle of a city surrounded by houses and large mill buildings converted into flats, using a handheld with a 2-3" rubber duck on it.
I lent one of my other VX177's to a mate who lives across the other side of the city in his apartment and we were both chatting to each other, getting almost full blast on the S Meter.
I have been really, really suprised with them.
I appreciate the repeater is in a really good position on a hill etc, but If I get a 'van to van' of around 10 miles using mag mount antennas, in a semi rural area, I will be a happy bunny...
- Scott_93
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
You do know that you'll be in a heap load of brown, smelly stuff if you use a ham repeater without a ham license don't you ?Ninja wrote: I have been having a couple of good chats with some local Ham users over the local repeater recently
I hope you like 1 hour of exercise a day and shared showers that's all I can say
Scott.
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Souds like you guys are using your Yaesu's on the PMR446 frequencies which is a bit risky however if you do then I can say that a 5/8 Dual band mag mount will do the job nicely and regardless of what other users have said the VSWR is very acceptable.
The Chinese imports either Dual or Single band will do the job even better particularly when using a speaker mic. note you will need an adaptor for the SMA to BNC aritenna connection to the mag mount.
Save your Yaesu's for Amateur work.
FRS/GMRS rigs also work very well.
The Chinese imports either Dual or Single band will do the job even better particularly when using a speaker mic. note you will need an adaptor for the SMA to BNC aritenna connection to the mag mount.
Save your Yaesu's for Amateur work.
FRS/GMRS rigs also work very well.
Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
You have possibly a couple of options... Firstly like Yeti said going for a quarter wave on a magmount or buying something like these two minimags.
http://www.moonrakerukltd.com/Scanning- ... CAN-MOBILE
http://www.409shop.com/409shop_product.php?id=102640
Cheap as chips and will most likely do the job, the only problem with the Moonraker one is that it requires a BNC to SMA adapter to fit the Yaesu and sometimes the centre pin of the BNC plug can get pushed in.
http://www.moonrakerukltd.com/Scanning- ... CAN-MOBILE
http://www.409shop.com/409shop_product.php?id=102640
Cheap as chips and will most likely do the job, the only problem with the Moonraker one is that it requires a BNC to SMA adapter to fit the Yaesu and sometimes the centre pin of the BNC plug can get pushed in.
- fez
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Using 4w or so on pmr446 is less risky than using FRS/GMRS.Ivabigun wrote:FRS/GMRS rigs also work very well.
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Chill out! I DO NOT make a habit of straying onto the amateur band or using any repeaters!
I used a repeater a couple of times to test out how far away from it I could be in the car and still be heard... 19 miles at the last count.
I had a couple of very brief and polite chats with a couple of Hams (truckers with dual band rigs on their cabs), who quite frankly seemed to be delighted to have someone to chat to, as the repeater in question was nearly always deserted as I remember from my scanning days.
apart from the very brief 'pirate' interlude, the Yaesu's are otherwise firmly fixed on a PMR446 channel and used about once every couple of weeks for chatting in a convoy of vehicles.
I'm sure ofcom has about a billion other things to do before worrying about some polite/considerate users operating on PMR446.
Who on earth would ever know we weren't using standard 0.5 watt radios anyway?
I guess for someone to be 'busted' by offcom you would have to be seriously and regularly pi**ing off amateur radio user or business users. Even the I guess it's 'needle in a city' nevermind needle in a haystack to find the handheld unit responsible.
But, I will stick to using the PMR446 channels on the grounds that it's simply manners to do so!
Back to the topic in hand... Many thanks to those that suggested mobile antennas, I now have a good idea of what's required!
Cheers.
I used a repeater a couple of times to test out how far away from it I could be in the car and still be heard... 19 miles at the last count.
I had a couple of very brief and polite chats with a couple of Hams (truckers with dual band rigs on their cabs), who quite frankly seemed to be delighted to have someone to chat to, as the repeater in question was nearly always deserted as I remember from my scanning days.
apart from the very brief 'pirate' interlude, the Yaesu's are otherwise firmly fixed on a PMR446 channel and used about once every couple of weeks for chatting in a convoy of vehicles.
I'm sure ofcom has about a billion other things to do before worrying about some polite/considerate users operating on PMR446.
Who on earth would ever know we weren't using standard 0.5 watt radios anyway?
I guess for someone to be 'busted' by offcom you would have to be seriously and regularly pi**ing off amateur radio user or business users. Even the I guess it's 'needle in a city' nevermind needle in a haystack to find the handheld unit responsible.
But, I will stick to using the PMR446 channels on the grounds that it's simply manners to do so!
Back to the topic in hand... Many thanks to those that suggested mobile antennas, I now have a good idea of what's required!
Cheers.
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Note to moderator BOTH are illegal in the UK and you stand to lose your amateur license if caught using the Yaesu plus a £10,000 fine.
If your caught using the FRS/GMRS you'll only get your hands slapped
Using 4w or so on pmr446 is less risky than using FRS/GMRS
If your caught using the FRS/GMRS you'll only get your hands slapped
Using 4w or so on pmr446 is less risky than using FRS/GMRS
- MrWeetabix
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Duely noted....thanks for that ha-haIvabigun wrote:Note to moderator BOTH are illegal in the UK and you stand to lose your amateur license if caught using the Yaesu plus a £10,000 fine.
Members are welcome to discuss radio related matters, but must consider this is a public forum, so any admission of guilt to any illegal act may come back to bite you on the ass....
....some sad people have nothing better to do with their sad little lives than to go round telling tales on others, you know how it goes. Sigh
Personally, if you're not doing any harm fair play.
26TM175. OP: Craig. QTH: Gateshead IO94EW. Also 163TM175 when mobile in Wales
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- fez
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
Ivabigun wrote:Note to moderator BOTH are illegal in the UK and you stand to lose your amateur license if caught using the Yaesu plus a £10,000 fine.
Whats the difference, If you were a amatuer license holder you should know FRS/GMRS is illegal in the UK?Ivabigun wrote:The Chinese imports either Dual or Single band will do the job even better particularly when using a speaker mic. note you will need an adaptor for the SMA to BNC aritenna connection to the mag mount
Also I don't think it being a yaesu handheld or a chineese import would matter, It would be pretty much the same outcome.
Thanks for the note, I have written it in my diary.
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Re: Mobile antennas for UHF handies??
I appear to have upset some people in this thread, and I therefore genuinely apologise for that.
I thought as this was a forum where all manner of 'slightly not legal' topics were openly discussed then people would be 'cool' with me chatting about occationally using 4 watt Yaesu's for the PMR446 channels.
There are whole sections of this website devoted to listening to frequencies that it is illegal to listen to, using CB's/Radios that are illegal to use, transmitting on bands that are supposed to be illegal in the UK, and how to modify radios and antennas so that they become illegal...
I'm just some guy who occationally uses the PMR446 channels with a slightly higher wattage!.. nothing more to it.
Sorry again chaps, and your points are noted.
I thought as this was a forum where all manner of 'slightly not legal' topics were openly discussed then people would be 'cool' with me chatting about occationally using 4 watt Yaesu's for the PMR446 channels.
There are whole sections of this website devoted to listening to frequencies that it is illegal to listen to, using CB's/Radios that are illegal to use, transmitting on bands that are supposed to be illegal in the UK, and how to modify radios and antennas so that they become illegal...
I'm just some guy who occationally uses the PMR446 channels with a slightly higher wattage!.. nothing more to it.
Sorry again chaps, and your points are noted.