Recommendations for beefy antennas

[Wowbagger]

I'm looking to get an antenna to be mounted on a tower about 400' up, here in Kansas. I'd like a dual-band (2m/70cm) antenna that can withstand the slings and arrows of outrageous weather, as doing climbs costs US$2000+ so if I can avoid one climb by specifying a meaty antenna it will pay for itself.

Anybody have some pointers as to who I should check out?

[d119]

Hustler G6-270R. 'Nuff said.

[Wowbagger]

Hustler G6-270R. 'Nuff said.

I'm not impressed with the reviews I am reading - any antenna that is getting bagged on that badly worries me.

Like I said: I'm not looking at spending hundreds of dollars - I don't mind spending thousands, because if I have to pay for a climb, that's thousands right there.

[d119]

I miss disposable income...

Not sure of anything commercial that would handle both bands... Maybe put two sticks up and run them into a commercial-grade diplexer (a-la TX/RX Systems)?

[tvsjr]

The DB-314 would, but it's NLA.

I think your best bet is going to be a DB224 and a DB420, possibly diplexed onto a single feedline as Chris suggested. I've also heard good things about Comprod antennas - they boast higher wind ratings and lesser prices...

[Wowbagger]

I'll look at the Comprod. We've had bad luck with the DB products in the past, and thus are a bit leery of them.

[N4DES]

Only real option, being the ham grade antennas are junk and the commercial manufacturers don't make a true U/V dual-bander is to put 2 antennas on the tower and run one feedline and use a commercial cross-band coupler like is noted above.

I have this configuration on a tower that I manage with 2 ham band repeaters and it works quite well.

[kt2728]

Ill second the vote for the comprod. I have one that is single band on vhf. It is there light weight model and it 4 times heavier than any db antenna. The phasing harness is inside the mast. I seen several db224s fold in half in an ice storm a year or so back. My comprod is still going strong. Very good stuff in my opinion.

Kt

[Will]

Comtelco makes a dual band VHF/UHF in the HD radome that works very well.

[N4DES]

Comtelco makes a dual band VHF/UHF in the HD radome that works very well.

I looked on their site and couldn't find anything that references that. Can you provide a link?

[Tom in D.C.]

BSLLDB31U
140-174/440-512 MHz $651.00

Hard to find in the catalog but it's there.

[Wowbagger]

BSLLDB31U
140-174/440-512 MHz $651.00

Hard to find in the catalog but it's there.

Gain is a little low - as in, missing. 0dBd doesn't thrill me.

[Tom in D.C.]

I think that if you can't find today's equivalent of a Super Stationmaster you're going to have to go the route of
stacked dipoles to get decent gain in an antenna that doesn't fall apart after a couple or three years. Opinions
of the current ham gain fiberglass units seems to be that putting a piece of wire inside a tube is not a wise use of
your money. I've had two Diamond X50As in the air for more than five years with good results, but someone wrote
recently that the "old" units of this model are much better than the current ones, so it looks as if unless you can get
the manufacturer's construction details you're back to stacked dipoles.

[Wowbagger]

We've been talking about making our own radome out of fiberglass, then mounting a dual band in that. Make the radome longer than the antenna, and you can mount it top and bottom, and protect the antenna from the elements and from flexing.

But that worries me, as any homebrew solution won't have the level of testing a professional solution would have.

[N4DES]

BSLLDB31U
140-174/440-512 MHz $651.00

Hard to find in the catalog but it's there.

Gain is a little low - as in, missing. 0dBd doesn't thrill me.

Amen to that, but at 6' you would think that you would get a little something on VHF.
Maybe they are being ultra conservative.

[Will]

The Comtelco antenna is two separate center feed coaxial dipoles in one radome. Not some curly wire that is supposed to have gain, over a rubber duck I suppose..

We had to replace new Diamond VHF/UHF antennas at Hospital's ARES stations due to bad SWR, and the Comtelcos out performed in every case.

BTW, the Comtelco dual band VHF/UHF come custom tuned on the ham bands. They are also available on other frequency ranges in VHF/UHF due to the two independent dipole design.

I have photos of both the Diamond/Comet and Comtelco antennas.

[Wowbagger]

I'd like to see those pictures. I looked at the antenna mentioned above and wasn't impressed by the specs, and didn't see any other antennas with better specs - is that the antenna you have experience with?

[wavetar]

Sinclair & Comprod...we've used them both exclusively & heavily over the years with never an issue, in East Coast Canadian weather. My personal preference is Sinclair, although they cost more. Comprod will do customizing...not sure if they can do the dual bander or not, but a diplexer is always an option as noted by others.

Todd

[Will]

I'd like to see those pictures. I looked at the antenna mentioned above and wasn't impressed by the specs, and didn't see any other antennas with better specs - is that the antenna you have experience with?

If some one can post the photos.

Our experience is with the BSDB31U which is in a lighter duty radome.

[W1HVN]

Looking for a recommendation for a 806-860 Fixed base omni fiberglass type antenna to be used with combiner and two 150 watt repeaters. Currently no combiner and one Repeater, but plans for later in the year call for two if licensing allows additional pair. We have a budget of about 1200$ and have GSA pricing available from Tessco.

RFS and Commscope seem to have good specs. Looking for recommendations based on user feedback of all and any 8 or 10 DBD preferred in terms of size and weight, although flexible.

Any suggestions?

[N4DES]

DB810 is a workhorse...but like all fiberglass sticks, YMMV when the flashes of light come out of the sky.