HF multi tap - what are they worth??
Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:11
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Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha)
I have been offered a barret HF at what sounds like a good price without the ariel or spring base. I have priced a spring base at $147 and a multi tap with the vks freq for $330 from a reputable and (fairly) local company is this a reasnable price? (i am not interested in mucking about all over the country trying to save 40-50 bucks) or better yet does anyone have any of this stuff available at a good price
Reply By: GOB & denny vic member - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:26
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:26
goodday davoe
doesnt sound to bad but you can look up the prices thru the vks site and links
as some aerials have more tappings than others therefor more expensive
steve
AnswerID:
135067
Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:28
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:28
Yes
I paid about $300 4 years ago for my aerial and recently paid $145 for new base after a minor accident that stuffed it.
They both came from Steve at VKS HQ at Elizabeth SA
Cheers Pesty
AnswerID:
135068
Reply By: BenSpoon - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:43
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 16:43
$4-500 was the norm for a brand spanker terlin or bushcomm whip and spring I found (both in
Perth). I only looked at brand new tapped whips as they seemed to be a similar price to 2nd hand and I'd rather go with a guaranteed
shop warranty rather than trusting some bloke telling me it all "works" just to save $40. Check ebay for
the springs- I have seen them on there now and then for $20-$50
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:10
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:10
Took your advice and the price i got was through terlin outback
FollowupID:
389041
Reply By: res.q.guy - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 17:34
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 17:34
Hi Davee
I bought a s/h
hf radio without an antenna similar to you.
I bought a s/h spring base on ebay for $65 and about to buy a new vks tapped whip antenna this week, for $120 from the Mornington Peninsula Radio Club.
You can see the antenna at : www.qsl.net/vk3frc/club_projects.htm
Regards
Neil
AnswerID:
135076
Reply By: VK3CAT - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 17:39
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 17:39
Davoe, try the antenna from
FAMPARC
They work
well & are heaps cheaper than the prices that have been mentioned thus far. They are more flexible than the Terlin type.
Cheers Tony VK3CAT - not affiliated with FAMPARC in any way!
AnswerID:
135078
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:14
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:14
Thanks will check it out more thoroughly when back at work with access to proper email and free phone calls
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Tim HJ61 (WA) - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 23:05
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 23:05
Davoe,
I bought one of these. Worked fine, good price.
I did not leave it mounted the whole time and only screwed it to the base when I wanted to make contact. Bit of a hassle, but at least I knew I had a good antenna undamaged by trees, emus, or low car parks.
Tim
FollowupID:
389088
Reply By: Footloose - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:14
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:14
It depends on what you want your radio to do. If happy with just 737 then the aerials from Victoria are just fine. Need to access RFDS direct ? You'll need something with more taps. Need to access the public phone service ? More taps and different networks etc.
The main thing is to make sure that whetever aerial you end up with has the correct taps for the frequencies that you wish to use.
AnswerID:
135086
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:40
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 18:40
I am not the most sociable fella at this stage i just want it for the next time the faeces hits the fan. I understand the rfds channels are not essential as vks helps out there anyway. I am not crazy about radtel as i have seen it used and it appears a total distant 2nd to satphone. I figure if I get the basics it will prob do me but if later i decide i want more out of it i can flog the multi tap and get an auto tune. My experience using them at work is you only use 2 channels and even then 85% is done on 1 channel
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Martyn (WA) - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 21:40
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 21:40
Davoe,
What you say about the channels is the same for me, I predominantly use 5455 and 8022. Hardly ever missed at sked times and I've heard that in poor conditions you can get up to 30% better performance out of a multi tap versus an auto tune. This is my experince and one reason I've never changed to an auto tune. I got the multi tap as a part of the purchase so I don't know about the price, sound close though, better than $1500 for an autotune.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 20:27
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 20:27
Davoe
I bought a 20 tap aerial in
Adelaide for $300(includes VKS channel of choice and other RFDS channels), $80 for new spring(already had the base, and $10 freight.
Company is Transceiver
Services....email: transceiver@senet.com.au
AnswerID:
135118
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Wednesday, Oct 19, 2005 at 00:03
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2005 at 00:03
blimey is there room for 20 taps??? i am going to check out a 2nd handy from a guy at the 4wd club tomorrow but i am getting plenty of options -
well worth the post
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Reply By: techo2oz - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 21:24
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 21:24
G'day Davoe,
I may have one of these items in my collection in the shed. From memory it has a spring base, and is multi tap. I can check tomorrow to see what the frequencies are and see what condition it is in.
If this will help, email me at techo2oz at dodo dot com dot au .
Cheers mate.
Peter
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Luxoluk - Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 22:03
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005 at 22:03
Hi Davoe. Ring Bushcomm and get a price on their VKS 737/RFDS antenna and base. They are in your state and I reckon their antenna product is good. I bought a Barrett 550, whip and base from them which is now in reserve as I opted for a new Codan 9350 which I bought recently (ex-telstra, new and unused) for $2K. I reckon the Barrett with the Bushcomm whip is probably better but I was interested in channel surfing without getting off my ar*e to change tappings. Cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: DeanoNSW - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 19:06
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 19:06
G'day,
I have a multi-tap antenna and communicate on amateur HF freqs. The performance difference between a dipole made of a $50 balun and a pair of wires, plus a co-ax is amazingly better than the mutlitap whip. I only every use the whip for mobile use(whilst rolling).
There a numerous reasons why a dipole will work much better than a short whip, whiich I wont
bore you with here. My advice is simple. Look up a local amateur radio club by visiting the wia.org.au website, contact one of the club members and seek some advice on how to build your own. You will really be amazed how easy it is. You will probably spend less than $70 and learn a heap along the way.
The only downside is you won't have HF comms on the move.
Deano
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