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UHF Antenna

Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 17:37

Member - Stephen F (VIC)

Article Overview - UHF Radio
If you are considering a trip into Australia’s vast outback, then a UHF Radio is an important communications device to have. View Full Article...
Howdy all,
I have finally decided on a UHF an ic400pro, but now just need an antenna to suit looking at a colinear antenna with following specs
* GME AE4702
* 1.04 metre
* Colinear Aerial
* with Medium Barrel Spring
* c/w 4.5 metre
* Coaxial cable and Plug
* 4.5 dB Gain
What do you guys think i should use? Thanks in advance

Steve
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ThreadID: 48328 Replies: 6
Views: 865 FollowUps: 8
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AnswerID: 255522   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 19:09

Member - 'Lucy' replied:



Can you mount your aerial on the roof via Roof Rack, ski bar etc. or do you have to mount on the B-bar
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Reply 1 of 6
AnswerID: 255527   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 19:50

Robin Miller replied:

Steve, dont compromise and transmit thru your head , put a 1/4 whip in the roof.

Robin Miller
Survivor -Top Crossing Hut Trk
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Robin Miller
Reply 2 of 6
FollowupID: 516679   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 19:54

Brew34.5(SA) posted:

ditto
Beer is evil.........And i am an evil man.
FollowUp 1 of 5
FollowupID: 516684   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 20:40

Member - Stephen F (VIC) posted:

Robin, not too shaw what a 1/4 whip is exactly, please explain.

Steve
FollowUp 2 of 5
FollowupID: 516717   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 00:40

disco1942 posted:

Steve

A 1/4 wave whip is the simplest antenna you can get. it is a piece of rod or stiff wire that is one fourth of a wave length at the working frequency. A wave length at UHF CB frequencies is around 630mm so the whip will be around 150mm long (the whips are slightly shorter than an exact 1/4 wave length - the fatter they are then the longer will be the reduction in length.) The whip is mounted on a base that sits on the roof of your vehicle of in a bracket or the end of a piece of pipe around the same length as the whip and the coax is fed up through the pipe.

PeterD
FollowUp 3 of 5
FollowupID: 516719   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 00:44

disco1942 posted:

The penultimate line of FollowUp 3 should read:

on the roof of your vehicle or in a bracket - or the end of a piece of pipe around the same length as the whip
FollowUp 4 of 5
FollowupID: 516733   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 08:19

Robin Miller posted:

Hi Steve

Peter has said what a 1/4 wave whip is - I tend to assume to much.

They are only about $13 from dick smith and best mounted with hole in centre of roof (provided you don't have it next to metal roof rack, inwhich case its best mounted in a corner of roof rack on a plate not less than 200mm across ). This high position makes them work better than most and keeps RF radiation away from your head , as it would be using an aerial mounted on a bull bar in your line of sight.
The level of radiation is tolerable using bull bar mount for low powered UHF
radios but the roof installation wins all round.

Robin Miller
Survivor -Top Crossing Hut Trk
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Robin Miller
FollowUp 5 of 5
AnswerID: 255538   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 20:32

Member - Stephen F (VIC) replied:

Lucy, your dead right up high on the roof racks, should have looked thru the archives a lot of info in there also a lot of positive comment about the little curly aerials.
Would i be right in saying because i'ts up high i don't need such i long aerial.
Reply 3 of 6
FollowupID: 516701   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 23:01

Member - 'Lucy' posted:



I think I have just figured out who you are, and if correct I'll tell you all about such things which you can see for yourself - when I see you on Saturday.

I am pretty quick off the mark (not) aren't I {LOL)

Shut up BONZ and Roachie
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FollowUp 1 of 3
FollowupID: 516754   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 10:56

Member - Stephen F (VIC) posted:

Yep that is i Ken, i think i will hold back on the aerial purchase until i find out a little more got a good price on the radio $375.
See you Saturday
FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 516850   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 20:27

Member - DOZER posted:

Be aware the mounting brackets are extra...and they come with a front cover...to make it din size...

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FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 255552   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 02, 2007 at 21:42

Member - Doug T (W.A) replied:

Stephen
Very god choice of radio, put a good antenna to it and you'll be fine. you will find some very handy info in the website link
Just beware about the Icom though, unbeknown to you unless someone realisesit can send out a blip signal about every 30 seconds and can annoy the crap out of everyone else, the only way you will know if it doing it is you will notice the little Tx Icon in the top left of the screen will blink on , If you don't know how to stop it will be difficult, I have had mine do it twice and after playing with settings I got it to stop, now I can't remember how I did it but it's very simple

Site Link
Along the Gibbie Creek Track
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Doug & Dusty
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Reply 4 of 6
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AnswerID: 255642   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 12:03

Member - Stephen F (VIC) replied:

Thank you all for the info i believe i am now on the right track. Doug i checked your web site and could not find any more info apart from your 2 way radio link. thanks for the site link the info was helpful, you should and this site to your web page.
I will fill you all in on what i decide when i get it.

Cheers

Steve
Reply 5 of 6
AnswerID: 255733   Submitted: Friday, Aug 03, 2007 at 20:43

Muddy doe (SA) replied:

I too have the IC400PRO with a 6" (150mm) black stubby 1/4 wave antenna mounted on the corner of the roof rack. Seems to work just fine.

Best part is the antenna only cost less than 15 bucks to replace if some low life swipes it or a low branch wipes it.

Cheers
Muddy

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Reply 6 of 6