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Portable antenna time!
http://www.interceptradio.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4830		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Atomic Taco [ Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Portable antenna time!
Yep, I'm gonna do it. Another antenna thread.

Today's topic: 450-470 SMA ducks. No 440s. 144-165/450-470 splits accepted.


Your thoughts/opinions/experiences/hatreds/funny pics?
Author:  Rich [ Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
Maldol MH-209SMA. After seeing how good it worked on Mark's radio I got one for my BCD396XT. Performance is good considering its size.
Author:  KE7JFF [ Tue Nov 09, 2010 12:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
If I want to go after 450-470, I usually with an adapter put on one of my Motorola UHF HT rubber ducks.
Author:  N7QOR [ Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
They are all dummy loads...
Author:  Atomic Taco [ Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
N7QOR wrote:
They are all dummy loads...
So all this time I could have had a sleeker radio by just removing the antenna? Sweet!
Author:  n7maq [ Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
On the XTS5000 I use the Motorola wideband ant, it covers 380 to 520. On my APX7000 I use the OEM long tri band (V/U/GPS). On the Kenwood stuff I use a KRA-27, or the Centurian SXD-450-SFU.

Jim
Author:  Atomic Taco [ Sun Jan 02, 2011 10:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
Santa brought the Maldol MH-209SMA. My semi-scientific tests shows that it's slightly worse than the stock duck, at least in the 452-453 range:

I'm using bcTool to record every time the scanner opens squelch. Upon the squelch closing again, bcTool reads the s-meter (0-5) and adds that to the filename (along with date/time, frequency, tone, etc). Using the dir command and Excel, I crunched the numbers from the s-meter.

Stock antenna:
Avgerage: 1.22
Mode: 1
Median: 1
Min: 0
Max: 5

Madol:
Avgerage: 0.99
Mode: 1
Median: 1
Min: 0
Max: 4


If we throw out zero:
Avgerage: 1.44
Mode: 1
Median: 1
Min: 1
Max: 5

Avgerage: 1.34
Mode: 1
Median: 1
Min: 1
Max: 4

The scanner was in almost the same spot, within a quarter inch. The stock antenna was used during daylight hours and the Madol after sunset, but I don't think propagation is going to have much of an effect this time of year and on UHF. But I'm not an expert on that.

The only big difference is the sample size (I was antsy for results): 2191 on the stock and 477 on the Madol (sample size throwing out zero is 1855 and 352, respectively).
Author:  Wilrobnson [ Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
I used a paperclip once in a pinch; does that count?
Image
Author:  N7QOR [ Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
Wilrobnson wrote:
I used a paperclip once in a pinch; does that count?

Not as much as the Jim Beam...
Author:  Wilrobnson [ Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
N7QOR wrote:
Not as much as the Jim Beam...


That's for medicinal purposes only.

Cough, cough.
Author:  nickcarr [ Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
http://www.wpsantennas.com/exc450sm-ant ... tenna.aspx

6" model

http://www.wpsantennas.com/exd450sm-ant ... tenna.aspx

Stubby

BTW, this company is really good and has fast shipping thru USPS Priority. I get stuff usually in 2 days if I order in the morning.
Author:  RadioVoice [ Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Portable antenna time!
I have several Maldol MH-209SMA's, and the older BNC version, and am very pleased with them.

Contact http://www.theantannafarm.com/ in Montana for the commercial version of the same antenna. Maldol lists it for 155/465-ish, but the model number escapes me right now. I have one on my Vertex VX-800 and it seems to do quite well.

Steve Z.
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