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

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Guys....


On our outback outing I never got time to install a spring base to our UHF Aerial and I paid the price with the aerial snapping off due to the corrugated roads..... it's now time to look for a replacement and was wondering which way to go for "durability".....

Do I get a spring base aerial with a Fibreglass aerial or a stainless steel whip? If I go Fibreglass, do I get the fibrelass aerial where the wire is wound externally or internally (ie the thicker/bigger ones)?

your helpful advice would be much appreciated......

rob

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Get a Bushcomm Stinger, it will be the least UHF antenna you will buy.
http://www.bushcomm.com.au/index.php/products/whips

[raydes Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close raydes]

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

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

Gme 4705/4706 is a pretty heavy duty aerial. Only time I've seen one break is hitting a tree at substantial speed, and it only broke when it hit the car haha.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Don't waste your time with a stainless whip, I got talked into getting one after my fibreglass whip broke following 6 years use on 3 vehicles. The stainless whip lasted less than 200k and less than 24hrs.

Cheers Andrew

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Don't waste your time with a stainless whip, I got talked into getting one after my fibreglass whip broke following 6 years use on 3 vehicles. The stainless whip lasted less than 200k and less than 24hrs.

Cheers Andrew

Thanks Andrew.... U confirmed my thinking.....

I was leaning more towards the Fibreglass ones but didn't know which one to get. The one where the wire is coiled externally or the bigger/thicker ones where the wire is coiled internally. I have heard that the ones where the wire is coiled internally can suffer on corrugated roads where the internal wire becomes loose and rattles around inside the fibreglass aerial.....

Anyone experienced this at all?

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

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

That link that posted had this down the bottom:

** Recommended for highway use and medium 4WD use.
** Not recommended for diesel vehicles with excessive bullbar vibration **

So, I might give that one a miss considering the movement u get on corrugated roads

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

Thanks Andrew.... U confirmed my thinking.....

I was leaning more towards the Fibreglass ones but didn't know which one to get. The one where the wire is coiled externally or the bigger/thicker ones where the wire is coiled internally. I have heard that the ones where the wire is coiled internally can suffer on corrugated roads where the internal wire becomes loose and rattles around inside the fibreglass aerial.....

Anyone experienced this at all?

Never had any problems, one of mine has done ~600,000km (maybe more) and it's still cool.

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

That link that posted had this down the bottom:

** Recommended for highway use and medium 4WD use.
** Not recommended for diesel vehicles with excessive bullbar vibration **

So, I might give that one a miss considering the movement u get on corrugated roads

I can attest to that. My CD900 whip broke just inside the black section last trip.

Replaced with a CDQ5000 today.

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

Get a Bushcomm Stinger, it will be the least UHF antenna you will buy.
http://www.bushcomm.com.au/index.php/products/whips

x2 for a Bushcomm Stinger

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Get a Bushcomm Stinger, it will be the least UHF antenna you will buy.
http://www.bushcomm.com.au/index.php/products/whips

WOW.... do u have one of these? They look VERY Sturdy. 4.5DB, is that good enough distance wise??

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

x2 for a Bushcomm Stinger

One thing I noticed from the pics.... it looks like u can't remove the aerial from the base.... is that correct? This might be a bit of a PITA when not using the UHF and driving in and out of your garage...

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

It is on my 'to do' list for the next big trip. I have seen one and they are very good and out perform any antenna on the market. The whip is removed from the spring which stays on the vehicle.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Get a Bushcomm Stinger, it will be the least UHF antenna you will buy.
http://www.bushcomm.com.au/index.php/products/whips

x2 for a Bushcomm Stinger

Pity I didn't know about these before ordering a new arial a few days ago, SWMBO told me I had to get the GME 4705 as they look tough! Who am I to argue

Cheers Andrew

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

My Bushcomm has stood up to a beating. In the time I've had it I've seen every other brand/type of aerial fail. They are expensive, but you will not be replacing it regularly like other aerials and it wont leave you without a radio mid trip.
The whip unscrews from the base if you have garage height restrictions. But the since the cable connects into the whip and not the base when you remove the whip the end of the cable hangs loose. Just put a rubber cap over the connection and strap it to the base.
Leachy