Really Quick Antenna Question
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motofreak008
- Posts: 210
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:46 pm
Really Quick Antenna Question
I need to get a quick setup for a mobile and portable and I don't want to mount an antenna on the vehicle I will be using this week. I have an antenna, but I don't want to move it. The vehicle doesn't belong to me that I will be riding. I do have two magnetic mount cell phone antennas. I know that the way they are now, they won't work on VHF. But, if I took and straightened the antenna out, to where it didn't curl, would it work with a VHF radio? I need something quick, like something I can do tomorrow. Please reply as I will be leaving early Monday morning and I don't have that much time to spare. Thanks for looking!
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HLA
- Posts: 2334
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:15 pm
- What radios do you own?: HT1550's, X9000's, CDM1550's
Re: Really Quick Antenna Question
if it's gonna be used for recieve only then you can do the cell antennae but if you want to transmit you need a vhf antennae or you could cause some damage. don't use the cell antennae to transmit, it has coils inside it that you can't see, just straitening the mast won't do anything.
HLA
I never check PM's so don't bother, just email me.
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STOP ASKING ME FOR SOFTWARE OR FIRMWARE, I JUST FORWARD ALL OF THE REQUESTS TO THE MODERATORS
I never check PM's so don't bother, just email me.
I won't reply to a hotmail, gmail, aol or any other generic free address, if you want me to reply use a real address.
STOP ASKING ME FOR SOFTWARE OR FIRMWARE, I JUST FORWARD ALL OF THE REQUESTS TO THE MODERATORS
Re: Really Quick Antenna Question
Correct, you will need a 18-19 inch rod on the antenna. Some times you can remove the cellphone rod and put on a 18-19" VHF whip.
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motofreak008
- Posts: 210
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:46 pm
Re: Really Quick Antenna Question
I just took the coiled antenna off and put on a VHF antenna. I haven't tried it yet, but I am pretty sure it will work. I looked on the inside of the mag mount on an identical antenna, and it doesn't have anything else inside of the base as far as coil wise. So it should work, right?
Re: Really Quick Antenna Question
Standard NMO type mounts do not have any matching coils, only a contact point for the antenna's center conductor to make contact with.
Cellular antannas usually are collinear in design, and have the phasing/matching section above the mount itself.
The NMO antenna bases can be obtained without any matching coils inside the base, as they are simply mounts for 1/4 waves, or collinear type antennas that don't need a matching network to operate.
A simple 1/4 wave would probably suffice if your intended area of use is urban as most(not all) sites are close-in and on the tops of structures, so the 1/4 wave would work best in this scenario, otherwise, a gain antenna would be a better choice if your use will be in the field, away from urban density.
Just follow the leads others mention and use a whip length factored for use within the frequency band you require, but if used on 2 M, then a 19" whip will be your best solution as a cheap alternative to more costly gain antenna designs.
Not to mention, it isn't attractive to theft either and doesn't stand out as taller ones will.
A 2 M 1/4 wave will work just fine from 144 up into the 150 P.S band with little signal degradation, but a whip designed for use in your needed band would be better and a better match to the radio.
Cellular antannas usually are collinear in design, and have the phasing/matching section above the mount itself.
The NMO antenna bases can be obtained without any matching coils inside the base, as they are simply mounts for 1/4 waves, or collinear type antennas that don't need a matching network to operate.
A simple 1/4 wave would probably suffice if your intended area of use is urban as most(not all) sites are close-in and on the tops of structures, so the 1/4 wave would work best in this scenario, otherwise, a gain antenna would be a better choice if your use will be in the field, away from urban density.
Just follow the leads others mention and use a whip length factored for use within the frequency band you require, but if used on 2 M, then a 19" whip will be your best solution as a cheap alternative to more costly gain antenna designs.
Not to mention, it isn't attractive to theft either and doesn't stand out as taller ones will.
A 2 M 1/4 wave will work just fine from 144 up into the 150 P.S band with little signal degradation, but a whip designed for use in your needed band would be better and a better match to the radio.