Topic: 2m Radio Antenna; What to get?

[jfrabat]

OK, so after going with my club in some trips, I have seen the values and weaknesses of my handheld 2m radio, so I have decided to step up and upgrade my communications equipment.  So I did a couple of things:

1. I got myself a Tuffy Overhead Console with 2 compartments for my radio equipment.  I saw this on another Jeep, and it is really a well built and secure location for the readios.  This will not only put my radios in a safe location (both from thieves as well as the mud!), but also will let me put the mic's hanging from the top, where they are easy to reach, will be held in place by the mount (unlike the current setup, where the handhelds go flying all over the place), and I will be able to lock them up when not in use.



2. I got me a two new radios.  I will keep my handhelds to communicate with the group when I am out of the Jeep, or to communicate with my spotter, but now I will not depend on the battery life, which is the main drawback with handhelds (power/range being the other).  The radios I got are:

Cobra 18 WX ST.  I got this one for 2 main reasons: it has a front speaker (so it's good for the forward most compartment) and it is 1 din size, so it fits right.


Kenwood TM-V71A.  It is a dual frequency unit, and has a max power of 50W.  I also like the reversible mount feature, which means I can align the speaker with the hole on the tuffy console.


For the CB, I will keep the linear amplifier I have, as well as the current antenna setup, but for the 2m radio, I need to figure out which antenna to get.  I would like to use a setup similar to my CB antenna, in which I use a taillight mount, but I have to figure out which antenna is best for me, and what cable to use.  So, any advice from you fellow ham operators?

Felipe

[chardrc]

sounds like quite the setup. those cobra 18s are huge. we got one for the willys and it would not fit anywhere in the jeep. but if you have the room with that console the big front speaker should rock.

[jfrabat]

sounds like quite the setup. those cobra 18s are huge. we got one for the willys and it would not fit anywhere in the jeep. but if you have the room with that console the big front speaker should rock.

According to Cobra, they are one din size (same size as a car stereo, or 7" X 2", which is the size of the rack).

[sharpxmen]

So I take that Sony doesn't have a product like this?

[jfrabat]

So I take that Sony doesn't have a product like this?

No, we don't; we used to have scanners and Family Radios, but that was discontinued a while ago...

[jfrabat]

So it turns out that the radio lpace I was getting the Kenwood from would not sell to me because they do not ship to freight forwarders...  So I decided to cheap out a bit and go with a 2m only radio, but increased power to 75W.  Speaker is now forward firing, which I think will be better also.  So I got me an Icom IC-V800



It also seems it will fit better, as, after reading the specs on the Kenwood, it seemed it would not fit in the overhead console anyway...

[Jeffy]

For a 2M antenna I went with a Larson NMO-150C.  49" whip.  Mounted in the L bracket, above the OE taillight, the antenna will be around 6-8" taller then the OE hardtop.  That's 2" taller then the highest point on a OE softtop.

Personally, I like ICOM and Yaesu over Kenwood.  I also wouldn't call it cheaping out as you're only losing 440 and not dropping in quality.  Also, keep in mind that Amateur Band isn't about how many watts you can use.  It's about how little you can use.  Most of the time I suspect you'll be using 5-10w only.  With an antenna like the NMO-150, you'll get around 3db gain which gives you about 3x the range with each watt of power over an antenna that has 0 gain.

[adkfred]

I have a Yaesu FT-2800 mounted in my jeep, I am using a firestik attenna.  I picked up a mount that attaches behind my spare.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FIRESTIK-ANTENNA-MOUNT-COAX-TJ-JK-YJ-JEEP-WRANGLER-CB-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem35b3df895dQQitemZ230651038045QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo

[jfrabat]

For a 2M antenna I went with a Larson NMO-150C.  49" whip.  Mounted in the L bracket, above the OE taillight, the antenna will be around 6-8" taller then the OE hardtop.  That's 2" taller then the highest point on a OE softtop.

Personally, I like ICOM and Yaesu over Kenwood.  I also wouldn't call it cheaping out as you're only losing 440 and not dropping in quality.  Also, keep in mind that Amateur Band isn't about how many watts you can use.  It's about how little you can use.  Most of the time I suspect you'll be using 5-10w only.  With an antenna like the NMO-150, you'll get around 3db gain which gives you about 3x the range with each watt of power over an antenna that has 0 gain.

i also went with a 49" whip (ZLR-NMO-150-B-K). It's a Larsen 2M 5/8 wave NMO Antenna with a 5.2dB gain that includes whip, coil, and 3/4" hole NMO hard mount.  Here's a pic:



As for the radio, normally 10W is enough, but in the thick jungle, it's nice to have 75W on tap in case of an emergency.  I already experienced being left behind because the radio did not have enough power to reach the rest of the group (they were maybe 300 yards away, but I was out of battery!) and it is not fun.  Also, I have noticed in the thick stuff that range drops SIGNIFICANTLY with the hand held.  I am sure the antenna will help a lot (especially in the reception department), but it's better to have too much power rather than too little!

I have a Yaesu FT-2800 mounted in my jeep, I am using a firestik attenna.  I picked up a mount that attaches behind my spare.

I think I'll just go with the drivers' side L bracket tail light mount to balance the antenna mount on the passenger side.

[Jeffy]

It's the same antenna but yours is black.  I lost the safety tip off mine though.  Not sure how I'll fix that.