UHF Spring Based Aerial - Which is better; fibreglass or Stainless Steel Whip?

[winniliss]

I sort of need our everyday Aerial to be level or just above the roof height so the missus can get it in the garage w/o constantly hitting the garage door or roof.....By looking at your pics, that might not suit my needs. That's why I enquired about using a connector of sorts.....

I have a 50mm suspension lift an I can get under 2.1m carparks with the short antenna attached.

[rob_macca67]

I sort of need our everyday Aerial to be level or just above the roof height so the missus can get it in the garage w/o constantly hitting the garage door or roof.....By looking at your pics, that might not suit my needs. That's why I enquired about using a connector of sorts.....

[winniliss]

If you wanted to have a "joint /connector" in your coax lead for the ability to swap between different types of aerials (small aerial around town and tall one for outback touring).... what sort of losses would u experience?
The UHF I'm currently using is a commercial grade and puts out 25watts. My main worry would be if there was too much signal reflection that may cause damage to the UHF radio itself....
Anyone has any suggestions in how to switch between different Aerials (long and short ones)
cheers....
rob

I use an Icom Pro 400 (up to 25w output) and I use 2 antenna's - a ZCG ZN3-77-12 black (8.1dbi 2.1m) and ZN3-77-11 black (6.6dbi 1.2m). You won't have any issues with VSWR unless there is issues with the coax or corrosion in the antenna base connector. The reason why I use these antenna's is because they come in black (you won't notice it as much when driving), they are heavy duty and designed to last and the main one I use (the short one) clears the top of the roof for optimal communication. As stated before I achieved comms at 50km, mobile to mobile in simplex mode with the short whip (at 5watts).



Winston

[rob_macca67]

If you wanted to have a "joint /connector" in your coax lead for the ability to swap between different types of aerials (small aerial around town and tall one for outback touring).... what sort of losses would u experience?
The UHF I'm currently using is a commercial grade and puts out 25watts. My main worry would be if there was too much signal reflection that may cause damage to the UHF radio itself....
Anyone has any suggestions in how to switch between different Aerials (long and short ones)
cheers....
rob

[downunder]

On the topic of unscrewing antennae connections due to garage height restrictions, does an exposed coax connection need to be covered from the weather when the whip part is off?

Yes, Like everything exposed to weather it will corrode, and then you will start to loose signal strength/signal distance or no propper connection.

[Madkore]

On the topic of unscrewing antennae connections due to garage height restrictions, does an exposed coax connection need to be covered from the weather when the whip part is off?

[ss--ss]

G'day , Few months back when I traveled through central Aust & Oodnadatta track etc, I had both stainless steel & fiberglass whips snap. They were mounted on the ARB bullbar, I found the GME spring base was not recommended for bullbars, I have not installed the heavier duty GME springbase & it looks like it will do the job without problem.

[winniliss]

I installed a ZCG ZN3-77-12 black (8.1dbi 2.1m) and ZN3-77-11 black (6.6dbi 1.2m) and very happy. I achieved comms with a grader driver at Adelaide River, I was 50kms away when returning from Katherine on the 1.2m antenna. I also got GoPro footage at speeds about 130km/hr and less and passing road trains to see how the antenna would react. So far very happy. Just have to see how it goes with extreme UV.

Winston.

[croozr]

Another vote for the bush comm stinger i have one that has seen hard bush work since 1996 i remember getting it replaced as part of the repairs from a roo going thru the windscreen!

We have an old one on the farm on the roof of the grader that is pre 1990 an that has seen heap of trees.

My current one has survived punching a hole in the windscreen and dash board - high speed 4 wheel drift a low tree!

matthew

[Snaga]

The advert says "not recommended for diesels with bars having excessive vibration" that would mean any steel bar on a Prado!

I emailed prestige comms asking them what was recommended for a diesel prado and they said the CD5000 or CDQ5000 they haven't had any issues with those models but to stay away from the CD900 range as they have had numerous failures of them of diesel cars.

[rob_macca67]

The advert says "not recommended for diesels with bars having excessive vibration" that would mean any steel bar on a Prado!

Was reading the GME site and they had a disclaimer that basically said not to use the stainless steel ones on bulbars due to the vibrations.....

[leachy_9]

Would you say a few, maybe 10 or 15 k's along a beach or a long convoy in the desert would be ok for the 4.5db model?

10km. No Problem.

[MidLifeCrisis]

http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index....roducts_id=635

The advert says "not recommended for diesels with bars having excessive vibration" that would mean any steel bar on a Prado!

[Snaga]

The RF performance of the stinger is excellent. Mine is a 1.1m 4.5dB unit and even in open country I have always had as good or better range than people using other brand 6dB aerials.
Leachy

Would you say a few, maybe 10 or 15 k's along a beach or a long convoy in the desert would be ok for the 4.5db model?

[Snaga]

Where were u looking to see that?

Just guessing based on the pics photoprado linked too...
The whip has a thread and then the shot on the green car shows it attached to the spring.