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HT 2 meter antenna
I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna)
is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB |
HT 2 meter antenna
Haven't tried the tape or spring ideas. But a half wavelength antenna is
a good solution for an HT because it doesn't depend on the HT and your body to be the other antenna half. Roy Lewallen, W7EL merlin-7 wrote: I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB |
HT 2 meter antenna
"merlin-7" wrote in message ... I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB There are a lot of alternatives betwenn the rubber duck and yagi antenna. |
HT 2 meter antenna
merlin-7 wrote:
I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. So what is wrong with a 19" monopole sticking up and a 19" tiger tail hanging down for 2m operation? -- 73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com |
HT 2 meter antenna
"merlin-7" wrote in message ... I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB You might try taking a telescoping whip, and adjust it to about 1/2 wavelength at 2 m. Then use a rubber band at the center of the whip to fasten it to the talkie just below the rubber duck. In effect this gives a "ground plane" antenna, but with only 2 radials. For 4 radials, use two telescoping whips. |
HT 2 meter antenna
merlin-7 wrote:
I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB You may not need the gain of a yagi but could still easily do a collapsible dipole that would fit your briefcase. TV rabbit (aka "bunny") ears come to mind as a donor antenna -- replace the twinlead with 50 ohm coax (and a choke balun). And for a portable antenna with a short feedline, RG-174/U is mighty convenient (buy a BNC-to-whatever patch cable & snip off the uneeded end). If you buy a longer BNC/BNC patch cable, you can cut it in half and make two (different) antennas. Bryan WA7PRC |
HT 2 meter antenna
"Bryan" wrote in message ... merlin-7 wrote: I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB You may not need the gain of a yagi but could still easily do a collapsible dipole that would fit your briefcase. TV rabbit (aka "bunny") ears come to mind as a donor antenna -- replace the twinlead with 50 ohm coax (and a choke balun). And for a portable antenna with a short feedline, RG-174/U is mighty convenient (buy a BNC-to-whatever patch cable & snip off the uneeded end). If you buy a longer BNC/BNC patch cable, you can cut it in half and make two (different) antennas. Bryan WA7PRC Forgot I had used TV rabbit ears during a month long stay up in Syracuse. The TV was on cable but still had the rabbit ears that cme with the TV. These were made for use with coax so they are just a cable connected to the telscoping antenna. Bought an F to BNC adapter at Radio Shack and was in business. Ive used pieces of wire pinned to curtains. Jimmie |
HT 2 meter antenna
Jimmie D wrote:
Bryan wrote: merlin-7 wrote: I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB You may not need the gain of a yagi but could still easily do a collapsible dipole that would fit your briefcase. TV rabbit (aka "bunny") ears come to mind as a donor antenna -- replace the twinlead with 50 ohm coax (and a choke balun). And for a portable antenna with a short feedline, RG-174/U is mighty convenient (buy a BNC-to-whatever patch cable & snip off the uneeded end). If you buy a longer BNC/BNC patch cable, you can cut it in half and make two (different) antennas. Bryan WA7PRC Forgot I had used TV rabbit ears during a month long stay up in Syracuse. The TV was on cable but still had the rabbit ears that cme with the TV. These were made for use with coax so they are just a cable connected to the telscoping antenna. Bought an F to BNC adapter at Radio Shack and was in business. Ive used pieces of wire pinned to curtains. Jimmie The coaxial cable was likely a 75 ohm variety... but would be close enough to 50 ohms so the rig would drive it. Apparently, it did for you! ^5 Bryan |
HT 2 meter antenna
"Bryan" wrote in message ... Jimmie D wrote: Bryan wrote: merlin-7 wrote: I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB You may not need the gain of a yagi but could still easily do a collapsible dipole that would fit your briefcase. TV rabbit (aka "bunny") ears come to mind as a donor antenna -- replace the twinlead with 50 ohm coax (and a choke balun). And for a portable antenna with a short feedline, RG-174/U is mighty convenient (buy a BNC-to-whatever patch cable & snip off the uneeded end). If you buy a longer BNC/BNC patch cable, you can cut it in half and make two (different) antennas. Bryan WA7PRC Forgot I had used TV rabbit ears during a month long stay up in Syracuse. The TV was on cable but still had the rabbit ears that cme with the TV. These were made for use with coax so they are just a cable connected to the telscoping antenna. Bought an F to BNC adapter at Radio Shack and was in business. Ive used pieces of wire pinned to curtains. Jimmie The coaxial cable was likely a 75 ohm variety... but would be close enough to 50 ohms so the rig would drive it. Apparently, it did for you! ^5 Bryan YEah, the cable on the antenna was pretty short, not more than a foot. Fortunately I had a 6ft piece of rg58 with BNC connectors. |
HT 2 meter antenna
Bryan wrote: merlin-7 wrote: I think that most here know that even the best (rubber duck type antenna) is still only 1/2 of a real antenna (no real ground plane) and adding a wire, hanging off the ht and connected to the outside of the antenna connector improves performance. What I was wondering is. Has any one tried doing the same thing with something like foil tape going around the outside of a HT? Or possibly a spring or a couple of springs connected to the antenna connector? Btw it's a 5w Icom T2h so its pretty big for an HT, I commonly get in areas where I can key up the repeater of choice but skip in and out sometimes. My only other choice would be a small yagi (kind of hard to fit in a suitcase) Thanks Ki4ILB You may not need the gain of a yagi but could still easily do a collapsible dipole that would fit your briefcase. TV rabbit (aka "bunny") ears come to mind as a donor antenna -- replace the twinlead with 50 ohm coax (and a choke balun). And for a portable antenna with a short feedline, RG-174/U is mighty convenient (buy a BNC-to-whatever patch cable & snip off the uneeded end). If you buy a longer BNC/BNC patch cable, you can cut it in half and make two (different) antennas. Bryan WA7PRC Forgot I had used TV rabbit ears during a month long stay up in Syracuse. The TV was on cable but still had the rabbit ears that cme with the TV. These were made for use with coax so they are just a cable connected to the telscoping antenna. Bought an F to BNC adapter at Radio Shack and was in business. Ive used pieces of wire pinned to curtains. Jimmie The coaxial cable was likely a 75 ohm variety... but would be close enough to 50 ohms so the rig would drive it. Apparently, it did for you! ^5 Bryan YEah, the cable on the antenna was pretty short, not more than a foot. Fortunately I had a 6ft piece of rg58 with BNC connectors. Thanks all, I had thought of a few of the options you all suggested. I was seeing what you all could think of or have done. I also wonder if its possible to realistically run 2 ducks in phase? I would like to avoide the 19 inch wire hanging down. Thanks Joe KI4ILB |
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