HAM tech license

[Craig]

I have a cb swr meter, but the 2 meter radios operate in the 144 mhz range, so I need to find one that goes from say 125-525 mhz so I can tune 70 centemeter/ 430 mhz band too.

I've read were people have used there cb swr meter to tune their 2 meter antennas, but more along the line of looking where the meter dips.
Part of the problem is the radio is a scanner too, so there is never the perfact antenna. I guess somebody must make an adjustable hight antenna so you can tune as needed?

 

[Erik VanRenselaar]

I also forgot to add that in addition to the larsen antenna, I use a comet sbb-5nmo antenna, which is similar to the 2/70 larsen.

As for the vswr as it applies to 2m/70cm mobile antennas: the antennas I mentioned are essentially *pre-tuned*. In fact, you can mess up the larsen's bandwidth by trying to tune it. In the 2m and 70cm bands, the difference between a 1.2:1 and a 2:1 vswr is unnoticeable in practical application, such as repeater and local simplex operation.
Btw, the larsen antenna is a 1/2 wave on 2m.
And, with my technical recommendations, the local races organization purchased several new ft-7800 radios for mobile emergency use. They recently used them in a drill/exercise, and had good things to say about them.

 

[Craig]

I also forgot to add that in addition to the larsen antenna, I use a comet sbb-5nmo antenna, which is similar to the 2/70 larsen.

As for the vswr as it applies to 2m/70cm mobile antennas: the antennas I mentioned are essentially *pre-tuned*. In fact, you can mess up the larsen's bandwidth by trying to tune it. In the 2m and 70cm bands, the difference between a 1.2:1 and a 2:1 vswr is unnoticeable in practical application, such as repeater and local simplex operation.
Btw, the larsen antenna is a 1/2 wave on 2m.
And, with my technical recommendations, the local races organization purchased several new ft-7800 radios for mobile emergency use. They recently used them in a drill/exercise, and had good things to say about them.

Thanks for posting the comet antenna, I really needed a fold over antenna, or I would have to remove it every time. (carport)
I looked at mag mouting the anntena so it would be easy to remove each time. But with a fold over I can leave it up there.

 

[Craig]

Pulled the trigger!!

Here is what I order from hamcity.com
yaesu ft-7800r
comet sbb-5nmo antenna
cable mount and mag mount.

I decide to get both a fix and mag mount. Fixed for the Scout and a mag mount for my other trucks.

 

[Erik VanRenselaar]

Cool beans...

I'm actually using the dual-band comet antenna on the trunk lid of my honda car (drilled hole nmo mount), so the foldover feature never gets used. The larsen antenna is used occasionally on the Scout (hole mount in the aft roof area), but I often use a tri-band (2m/440 mhz/1200 mhz) comet antenna with foldover on the roof. Out here in the bay area, 1200 mhz (23cm band) is active, so I have two kenwood 1200s: mobile and portable.
Mag mounts (imo) are only for very temporary use. They can easily scratch the paint and can fly off with a hard bump or minor collision. The only mag mount I use is for a k40 cb antenna, as the magnet is huge, and I rarely have the cb unit(on a slide mount) in the Scout.

 

[Craig]

Erik, I missed you at the rallye, but did find your Scout sporting a 1/2 dozen antennas

I just got a second call sign this week pg00028400, so now I have my general radiotelephone operator license too.

pick up a 50' crank up tower from a friend for free, so I guess an hf rig is in my future.