scanSydney

I am wanting to improve my airband reception and wondering if anyone can offer some advice or their experiences with the following two antennas:

Diamond D777 (http://www.strictlyham.com.au/diamond-d777)

VH-50 (http://www.radiospecialists.com.au/ante ... 20band.htm)

I have considered the Icom discone AH7000, but a discone can't really go up with the current setup unfortunately.

Thanks

I have not had any experiences on the antennas that you mention but they do look well made. I have 2 antennas I can use for airband monitoring.
One is made by Mobile 1, CBD124 which is a Vertical base antenna 1.6mtr in length with a 3dbi gain. Check their website for further specs. Purchased in 2012 for $165.
It's got good reception & has weather well (still looks new).
My other is a Diamond D130j discone which I have had for 20 years & still performing well but understand this is not suitable for your setup.

Regards, John.

Thanks John, appreciate your thoughts. With the CBD124 is the cap on the top a plastic one? It is a bit hard to tell from the their website...

Thats a good question,might have to get on the roof to check.
I know what your thinking that over time they crack up & let water in.

John.

Yup, had it happen to a couple of GME UHF CB base sticks (won't use them anymore) from that experience

Wonky wrote:Yup, had it happen to a couple of GME UHF CB base sticks (won't use them anymore) from that experience

While this is slighty OT, I use a dual band amateur co-liner that has been up for more years than I can remember. I bought it at Andrews, it is one of his Diamond knock offs. Despite the best efforts of the weather, cockatoos and various others birds it has never missed a beat. If I gave it a wipe over with some WD40 it would look brand new and no leaks.

R

Interesting you say that Russell, I was wondering how the dual bands go for airband receiving, do you use it for airband at all? I was considering the Andrews X-200N-ACS dual band as an airband / GWN setup but wasn't too sure how it would go 10 - 15MHz out on each band.

Wonky wrote:Interesting you say that Russell, I was wondering how the dual bands go for airband receiving, do you use it for airband at all? I was considering the Andrews X-200N-ACS dual band as an airband / GWN setup but wasn't too sure how it would go 10 - 15MHz out on each band.

I do a little airband and would say it works fine, but I have nothing to compare it against. Also I am at 1500 feet ASL so pretty much a bit of wet string would work. As far as the Andrews antennae are concerned, I have the X-50-ACS with the SO239.

R

Receive bandwidths are generally much greater that the measured transmit bandwidth (as measured by Return Loss / SWR).

I have successfully facilitated both receive and transmit (Mt Allyn / Barrington Tops to helucopter over Hornsby) on airband (around 130 MHz), using a standard VHF Highband folded dipole.

SWR on airband was very poor but it worked well on Tx / Rx.

A wider bandwith VHF Highband antenna such as a folded dipole or groundplave antenna would work for Rx.

You could, of course, make your own "on frequency" folded dipole or grounplane antenna.

Be wary of antennas that do not have a high angle of elevation (above antennas have have reasonable high and low angle response).

ST

ok, thanks ST