Best two-way radio antennas according to redditors
We found 144 Reddit comments discussing the best two-way radio antennas. We ranked the 56 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 144 Reddit comments discussing the best two-way radio antennas. We ranked the 56 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
If you're just looking into radio to see if it's right for you, which it seems like you are, your first port of call should be finding a radio club. It's easy, just go to this page from the ARRL. They'll help you get your license (seriously, wives of hams often have licenses they never thought they'd get), they're some of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, you can go over to their house and they'll let you try their radios out (you can operate a radio even if you're unlicensed, there just has to be a licensed operator with you), and in my experience, they're really generous and will let you borrow radios or just straight up give old ones to you that they don't use anymore. If you find out that radio isn't really for you, they're usually great friends overall and you'll probably be glad to have met them. They're also really great question-answerers.
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Now, if you're already licensed and are looking into getting on 2 meters with a Baofeng, here's what I'd buy:
All in all, you're looking at spending about a Benjamin or less on a proper Baofeng setup.
Hope this helps!
I hope you enjoy the radio Buddy, I have the original UV-5R and love it. I strongly recommend you upgrade the antenna as the stock one isn't optimal for range.
The most oft-recommended antenna is the Nagoya 771: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KC4PWQQ?psc=1
Anything sold by BaoFeng Tech on Amazon is genuine.
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for AnyTone, BaoFeng, and Yaesu https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/
Kenwood TM-D710GA. Best turnkey dual band + APRS + GPS mobile solution available IMO.
Tram 1182Tram 1180 for the antenna. Cheap, well performing, and well built.A Yaesu person will be along shortly to recommend the FTM-400XDR...
Sounds like an HT would be a good first addition.
Well that's $81.32. Remaining could be spent on an extra battery, a power cable for the car etc etc.
> NA-771
This one is the real deal
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ?keywords=NA-771&qid=1540780225&sr=8-3&ref=sr_1_3
Since you mentioned talking with local hams while riding a bike:
Baofeng UV-5r
External mic
This antenna mounted to a metal plate on a rear bike rack, or this antenna and you can just strap the radio to a back pack or your belt.
And you'll need a programming cable.
Use Chirp to program in all of the local repeaters as well as the 2m calling frequency and any other freqs you might want to use.
I didn't do the math, but that's well under $100 (probably around $50 in fact). You can also use the mag mount antenna on your car for mobile ops, I've been doing this for a while, and it works great, but I am finally upgrading to a real mobile with a more proper mobile whip.
Certainly can get out the door for under $100. Here are two examples from Cobra alone. Here's one for $30, even. Factoring in installation by a pro, I'm not sure. I don't know what that would cost. It's incredibly easy to just do yourself, though, particularly if you're going with a cig lighter as your power source and a mag mount antenna.
I use this to analyze and it's very accurate and worth the money but you need the calibration kit. Supposedly it comes calibrated and when i calibrate and analyze i ground off to myself otherwise the waveform seems fishy.
I always get the Baofeng BF-F8HD. Awesome battery life, really durable for trainhopping, and awesome signal strength. I also highly recommend upgrading the antennae to the Nagoya NA-771 15.6inch Whip, as it increases your signal range by several miles.
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Radio:
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174Mhz-400-520Mhz/dp/B00MAULSOK
Antennae:
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=pd_bxgy_107_img_3/142-7386824-8226412?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00KC4PWQQ&pd_rd_r=ee84ff36-27e8-11e9-bd5b-dfbc5f26256b&pd_rd_w=L5Vcb&pd_rd_wg=s6MTU&pf_rd_p=6725dbd6-9917-451d-beba-16af7874e407&pf_rd_r=HYP4G85P8185BF2PNMEV&psc=1&refRID=HYP4G85P8185BF2PNMEV
I added this antenna to my 550 and it about doubled my ranged from ~5nm to ~10 nm. Cheap add on that is definitely worth it.
Saw post on the other sub. Thought you would be here. This one is the one everyone seems to go with. Short of a hard mount and an adapter. There are fakes so be sure to get the real one. Be aware the comments cover all the antennas listed.
That was my intro and I still use it all the time. Look into upgrading the antenna and you will be very pleased.
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_w7kmDbMCTQR9G
Here's how I started:
Boafeng radio
Better antenna
Local repeaters, you're gonna have to search your area.
Find your local club and get involved. Find an Elmer. Join the local nets (radio jargon for organized, over-the-airwave, get together)
Once yo've done that, assuming you have your tech license, you want to upgrade to the General. Then find a decent HF rig, a wire antenna, some trees to hang it in, and party on. Obviously the more you spend the better you'll be but you don't have to break the bank. I got a Yaesu 857d which does all bands, plus the accompanying tuner, a G5RV antenna and some feed line for about $1100 and I can do everything my club's shack can do. I've worked Antarctica and South Africa on that gear plus some 60+ other countries so I'm pleased.
The misconception is that you need a 1000' tower to get out but really a simple wire antenna can do you wonders. Though if you gotta choose where to spend the money go for better antennas as they can really make the difference.
Best money spent though will likely be the club membership. You'll meet people, get good deals on stuff people are selling, advice, even free stuff periodically.
We use the Baofeng BF-F9 V2+ with Nagoya 701c antenna and QHM22 waterproof speaker/mic.
While inexpensive, these are full fledged HAM radio transceivers, not toys. You can't just take them out of the box and turn them on like walkie-talkies you buy at Walmart. They have to be properly programmed to talk to each other on the right frequency, including any tone coded squelch you wish to use.
Not that I'm a HAM radio expert or anything, but you do have to kind of know what you are doing to use these. They are capable of transmitting on frequencies you absolutely should not be using, like police, fire, ems, s&r, government, commercial, etc. It's also worth noting that unless you have an FCC license, you can't actually use these radios legally. However if you are just using them for occasionally dirt bike chit chat, using them responsibly, on the correct frequencies, and not pissing off other users, the chances of being caught are basically zero.
Bottom line is that these cheap Chinese HAM radios work great for dirt biking I have had great success, they have much better range and performance than cheap 'bubble-pack' FRS radios. But they do take a little research and effort to learn how to use them.
I've used a couple of these for a few years now, and am happy with their performance... Less than $20.
Tram 140MHz-170MHz + 430MHz-470MHz Dual Band NMO Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IDTJ2KE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kU7VCb0262D9F
A hamstick dipole mount, Some ham stick antennas and an extendable painters pole from the local hardware store would give you a pop up antenna you could stick out of a window or off a balcony and hide away when not in use. Check out HRO's used section, ebay and any local ham festivals for a radio. I know these aren't the cheapest options but it's the best I can think of.
Alternatively... https://smile.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1
17$ delivered to your door.
I have a couple of Baofeng radios and have found a great ham radio network in my area. I don't have my license yet but am working on that as time allows. The repeater system in my neck of woods lets me listen to people several counties over from where I live. I suggest you upgrade the Baofeng antenna to the 15.6” whip
You will learn a lot by just listening. Once you and your wife get set up (licensed) you'll be in a good spot should a natural disaster happen.
Honestly if you are on a stock UV-5R, you may want to consider a few things.
Getting a better antenna for the HT itself.. the UV-5R's stock antenna is pretty lacking. Most people seem to end up with a Nagoya antenna such as:
http://amzn.to/1Y1CcbJ (shorter)
or
http://amzn.to/1Y1Clfg (longer)
Going with a rooftop antenna... Depending on the height of your roof and the risks involved getting up there you could try a simple JPole antenna that you could build (http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/TrainingModules/jpole-dual-band.pdf or http://www.n7qvc.com/copper-cactus-dual-band-super-j-pole-antenna-project/) or buy (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Band-VHF-UHF-Base-Antenna-Ham-Commercial-MURS-GMRS-FRS-DBJ-1-/111884204187) or you could do a commercial antenna if like in my initial case, climbing to the top of the roof involves risking life and limb. I'll defer to others for suggestions on antennas, the Diamond X-30 and X-50's appear to be very popular.
In my early days as a ham I got a commercial dual band vertical which served me very well, but it was also up an insanely high pitch roof so I wasn't going to go up there again anytime soon. In my current setup, I'm quite happy with a simple Ed Fong Modified Jpole design in some PVC pipe on top of a 1 story roof.
Sometimes its a fun project to start building one even if you go commercial, its good to know your base antenna is of good quality and will last, but there is some joy in building it yourself and getting on the air knowing your handwork is the cause of your good signal :)
I would add this flexible antenna
And if you want a magmount, this.
I have the second one(ut-72), and the 771r which is retractable but not flexible. If you want to hold it on your belt, a flexible antenna is better.
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8NRlDbBZFA4ZW
>I have a Baofeng UV-5R, and I really liked the learning curve of it all: CHIRP, the miklor.com site, discovering I can't do IRLP (stupid "D" tone doesn't work on the new Baofeng firmware).
I'm new too, passed my test on 5 July, got my callsign less than a week later. I got the BF-F8+ (which is supposedly the same as a UV-5R).
On my local repeaters there is IRLP, but it isn't set up so that just anyone can use it. You have to have permission. That said, the most popular repeater in my area is connected to the reflector in Denver all the time pretty much.
My community is pretty lively and active in the ARES and other emergency services. I'm listening to how they run nets every week, and actually last night there was a forest fire and they ran a standby net. I'm thinking of volunteering for that too. We have events that the local emergency organizations help with, like recently the Eppie's Great Race. All that you need to volunteer for stuff like that is a HT and a license.
Another thing I did was make an antenna following this tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkmD3Sgz7Q0
I haven't been able to try it over simplex yet. I did try it with my local repeater (N6ICW) but I guess I'm close to one of the receivers because I get reports that I'm full quieting with even with my Nagoya NA-771, so my home made antenna didn't sound any different for better or worse.
It looks like you have a fair number of 2M repeaters in and around Atlanta (I'm guessing that's where you're near). Maybe try listening on a few different ones. http://www.levinecentral.com/repeaters/google_mapping.php
Also I found this: http://www.nfarl.org/repeaters/Atlanta_Area_Repeaters.pdf
On the second page it list a bunch of nets, more than one every day of the week, try listening to some of those to see if there is something that piques your interest.
Also if you are still using the duck antenna, get rid of it and get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Nagoya-Updated-Antenna-BaoFeng/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/
I have an extra programming cable for that radio that you can HAVE. In fact, I have an extra UV-82X that you can have if you promise to pay it forward later when you upgrade. It is 2m/1.25m, not 2m/440. But it's yours if you want it. Find me on QRZ and send me a message and I will mail it to you.
I use a Nagoya 771 with my Baofengs. It makes a big difference.
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BaoFeng/dp/B00KC4PWQQ
NA771 is for sale right now for $12
There will be Baofeng UV5R and UV82 on sale later
Check out the Nagoya NA-771 antenna, its a direct screw on replacement. It will pick up weaker signals the standard antenna more clearly.
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ
If you're referring to transmitting with more power, the best option is to get a repeater. GMRS licensing allows up to 50 watts on a repeater.
Magnetic or fixed mount?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07NV5F1C1
https://www.amazon.com/Vehicle-Antenna-Installation-Extension-Kenwood/dp/B077P26SY3
https://www.amazon.com/Larsen-MHz-Permanent-Mount-Antenna/dp/B007JSE7GO
Get one of these: SO-239 to 3/8", drill the appropriate hole in the bucket, and screw it on.
Get the Nagoya NA-771, a dual-band 70cm/2m whip antenna which will greatly increase your transmit once you are licensed:
http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BaoFeng/dp/B00KC4PWQQ
Check out RepeaterBook.com and add in all your local first responders (police, fire, etc.). You can add in a ton of other things to monitor as well that CHIRP has available, like the weather channels, FRS, GMRS, Marine bands, etc. While you cannot legally transmit on any of them (this radio isn't certified for those bands), if it were a life or death situation, you can use a local repeater, FRS, GMRS, or Marine band to call for assistance, and you can monitor them as well to provide assistance.
Welcome!
The link you posted doesn't work. It got truncated somehow. Try pasting that again in the comments.
I always recommend the Baofeng UV-5R to the budget-minded. It costs $27 and is pretty good in performance (from my use and from what I've heard from others). With the stock antenna on this radio, you should be able to get a few miles of range in open spaces. You can upgrade the antenna to a "quarter wave" antenna to better that range. The higher up your antenna is in the air, the farther out you will be able to reach with your radio -- UHF/VHF radios are all 'line of sight'.
You will also be able to use local ham radio repeaters in your area to talk to people around you. Repeaters will greatly enhance your range as they are typically built on tall towers or hill tops. You can look for repeaters in your area on RepeaterBook. Under "band", select 2m or 70cm (the UV-5R supports both bands)
However, you're going to need a ham radio license (at least a Technician class) to transmit. Also, your family is going to need ham radio licenses to transmit. If this does not work for you, I would recommend FRS/GMRS radios or CB radios which can be used without a license.
For the UV-5R a Nagoya 771 as it is good and has the Female SMA that Boefengs require.
Be careful of counterfeits however. You should pay over 15-20 dollars for a real one.
Also this is good for the BF-F8HP as it has a maximum of 10 watts and the F8 puts out 8 watts.
https://smile.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_g1405964225?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8
For mobile 2m/440, I simply picked up a unity gain TRAM NMO mount mobile antenna https://www.amazon.com/Tram-140MHz-170MHz-430MHz-470MHz-Dual-Antenna/dp/B00IDTJ2KE/ with a trunk lip mount. I'm sure you could quickly find a NMO lipmount or front hood mount or fender mount. It's an unobtrusive short antenna that I easily hit repeaters with upwards of 50 miles away on 5 watts (I live in a valley so the repeaters are all line of sight on mountaintops.)
If you're looking more for HF antennas, your options grow narrower since it can't be "ugly" and HF antennas, even the loaded coil hamstick types, tend to be fairly conspicuous. A self-tuning antenna is the best compromise in those situations (e.g. a ATAS-120A). But I think you're looking for a normal VHF/UHF antenna.
I have seen antennas mounted between the cab and bed, and I cannot speak for their loss, but I imagine it's best to get it on the roof of the cab or on the edges of the vehicle somewhere for optimal performance.
A simple discone would do better for you since it's omni-directional.
Something cheaper, which says discone and supports the frequencies your looking for would be fine.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanants/0312.html
http://www.amazon.com/Taurus-D1000-Scanner-General-Coverage/dp/B019UMHNQ2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1456923310&sr=1-2&keywords=discone
Ok, First, you should read. There's a lot of information available online, but this is a good physical reference:
https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Radio-License-Manual-Spiral/dp/1625950829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541695126&sr=8-1&keywords=ham+radio+license+manual+2018
Second, a repeater is a station that takes in a signal and rebroadcasts it. Usually it's at a much higher power or better elevation. Elevation, power, and quality of antenna can all make a difference in average distance. Frequency can also make a difference. The radio you're looking at is a 2 meter band / 440 meter band radio. It broadcasts in the VHF (Very High Frequency) range and has a lower range than something in the HF (High Frequency) range. That probably means nothing to you right this moment because you don't have any context to base your knowledge on. But that should give you a couple terms to google.
The next thing you have to know is what repeaters are in your general area. That's a tough one. I am lucky enough to have some awesome ones in my area maintained by some really knowledgeable people. A good reference for what repeaters are in your area is here:
https://www.repeaterbook.com/
Third, the antenna. I got this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541695485&sr=8-3&keywords=nagoya+na-771
It works well.
The way I get that much range is that one of the better repeaters is within 30 miles of my house and is both line of sight and I'm in it's range pretty much all day. Line of sight to the repeater can also make a difference. I'm sure others can suggest various other reading material for you about radio wave propagation and online study guides.
Feel free to PM me with any questions. I'm always happy to help!
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-SRH805S-SMA-F-Antenna-Baofeng/dp/B01BDAKDJS
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-701C (Commercial Frequency Tuned) 8-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (155/455Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AX3AYOK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bb9PBbJ916DPC
Or
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-717 8.5-Inch Super Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XQAY7WI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9a9PBbJC50SVF
TRAM 703-HC Center Load CB Antenna Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IP3WV4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.IaKDbCBM2M2P
MIC / Microphone for 4 pin Cobra / Uniden CB Radio - Workman DM507-4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004T4180O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PKaKDb08KJJ5B
TruckSpec TSPSCBH-3CP Platinum Series 3-Pin Plug and 12-Volt Plug Fused Replacement CB Power Cord (3 Wire) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0169LNN7K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sNaKDb6DG1TZB
This will get ya started. You can upgrade later if you enjoy it.
Yep. Nagoya 771.
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ezTYDb743RPVG
Assuming your coax has a PL-259 connector, you will need something like this. It's an adapter with female 3/8-24 and SO-239 jacks on it. There are others like it on Amazon and other sites, so may want to look for the best deal.
If you need a way to attach the whole thing to the flagpole, you could use something like this mount.
You might even be able to find a mount like that which comes with the SO-239 / 3/8-24 adapter.
Hopefully that helps.
I have three of them and they're great.
Get the USB programming cable.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RZJHJU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Don't bother with the software that comes with it. Just get CHiRP which is free and works well. I set all three of mine up with a basic configuration with FRS/GMRS stations programmed, all my local 2-meter stations, weather, etc. all sharing the same channel numbers so they can be used more or less as emergency radios.
I've swapped the antennas for this one. Im not sure which model you have, but they were a definite improvement over the stock rubber duck on my UV5R
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I've also got a couple of these extended batteries:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ATTVKFQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Getting a better antenna is well worth it. I went from only having two or three miles range to having 15 with a better antenna. I got the two antennas listed below when I ordered my Baofeng.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C4ZBM38/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DTQ4A6M/
It's a cheap mag mount
This one > https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DTQ4A6M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Yea i just programmed my local SARnet repeater and have been getting some traffic there luckily. I have a relatively small antenna right now (Nagoya NA771) but will get this on Thursday.
Yes, if he also gets the BNC adapter, I ended up getting the adapters for my Nagoya. much easier to change to another antenna like http://www.amazon.com/Original-Hypario-Antenna-baofeng-Sma-Female/dp/B00DTQ4A6M?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 with this http://www.amazon.com/2pcs-coaxial-coax-adapter-female/dp/B00CVQK466?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02 and this http://www.amazon.com/Valley-SMA-Male-BNC-Adapter/dp/B00AWELKJE?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
I bought this one. It is genuine if bought from Baofeng Tech.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ
https://www.amazon.com/N1201SA-Vector-Impedance-Antenna-Analyzer/dp/B06VVVCKN8
I've been looking at this one for awhile.
HYS Tactical/Foldable Antenna Dual Band 144/430Mhz SMA-Male Connector 31.5inch/800mm
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RP72HRT/
he has a firestik antenna and the firestik mounting stud.
the fire-ring will work fine with that setup. thats exactly what its meant for.Edit: My mistake. i thought OP had this mount stud. not the coax screw stud
Well at least you won't run into any rust on it, but i'm curious, what other issues does it give you?
On the antenna front, the firestik NGP setup just relies on the quarter-wavelength of coax to be the "ground plane", though it's really more of a counterpoise at that point. This would require the coax to be straight mostly and not coiled up, a challenge with the ~9 feet of coax it will take.
Another option is to get a 3/8th stub dipole mount and two firestiks or other CB whips. One to be the hot element, the other to be its counterpoise.
Having owned the 771 with their spectacular 0dBd of gain, I've been singing the praises of the Diamond RH770 recently having recently got one and been completely blown away by its performance. :)
The city I live in is very hilly and hence full of RF dead spots. S0 to my shack at home, 3mi away, in one of these dead spots with the stock ant, a very weak S1-2 with the 771... S8 collapsed and S9+ fully extended with the 770.
It is heavy in comparison though, weighing almost as much as the radio; and a bit more expensive than the 771, but worth every single last penny.
Amazon is also a terrible place to pick up the 771, it's difficult to find a genuine one on there. Of 64 results returned from a search only one was selling the real deal...
You could also use the top of the microwave as the counterpoise.
You could also take two Tram 1185 elements (which are available without the magnetic base on Amazon I see), plus a dipole mount (there are certainly cheaper options available) and have a full dipole going.
> I have made a 12 mile contact though the forest.
Yeah, what antenna you using?
Cause I head out to the forest all the time (I'm in Oregon), and I own all 3 of these and I just did another series of radio testing this week.
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/
https://www.amazon.com/HYS-Tactical-Foldable-SMA-Female-Connector/dp/B07NN5XTB8/
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Genuine-Nagoya-UT-72-Magnetic/dp/B016SIJX28/
They're all kinda dog shit unless you tone down the unrealistic expectations from online forums.
Dumb question from a noob, would this work ? https://www.amazon.com/Taurus-D1000-Scanner-General-Coverage/dp/B019UMHNQ2/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1523546555&sr=1-9&keywords=scanner+antennas
I have one of these. https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BTECH/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1517706255&sr=1-3&keywords=na771
I also have a 19 inch copper wire with a ring terminal on one end attached to one of the screws that holds the belt clip on. Full wave length. sort of. Works great though.
This one: https://www.amazon.com/N1201SA-Vector-Impedance-Antenna-Analyzer/dp/B06VVVCKN8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3UKPH65NI4Y56&keywords=antenna+impedance+analyzer&qid=1550593532&s=gateway&sprefix=antenna+imp%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-2
You probably want a discone antenna since they're pretty wide band.
Take a look at one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Taurus-D1000-Scanner-General-Coverage/dp/B019UMHNQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459224042&sr=8-1&keywords=discone+antenna
For race track comms you would not need the updated gear. It is for pulling in weak signals from farther away. But if you really want them:
https://www.amazon.com/DHT-LLC-AD075-Convert-Adapter/dp/B00CVQK466/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539919285&sr=8-3&keywords=baofeng+bnc+adapter&dpID=512eaHTlUAL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
and
https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-HYS-771N-BNC-Handheld-Radio/dp/B01N5Y8H9L/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539919513&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=2m+%2F+440+antenna+with+bnc+connector
> http://www.amazon.com/TRAM-1465-Mobile-Ground-Plane/dp/B004PGMFGM
Thanks for the reply, can you give me the ELI5 of this ground plane it?
The manual doesn't mention anything about CTCSS or DCS. I'm using an external antenna similar to this one: https://www.amazon.com/TRAM-703-HC-Center-Load-Antenna/dp/B002IP3WV4 (mine looks a bit taller). I wanted to rule-out the scanner being too old to receive APRS packets since it's analog.
Also I highly suggest upgrading the antenna to either the Nagoya 8", or 15" antenna and a relocator cable.
8" antenna
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-701 8-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBZLOHC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_n-ABCbED2D68M
15.6" antenna
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_f9ABCb8JQJ3EQ
Relocator cable
YOTENKO 6.5ft Extensional Cable SMA Male to SMA Female Coax Adapter WiFi FPV Antenna Connector SMA Extension Cable RG174 2M https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0744FZ93R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_O8ABCbT4RTSTM
Yes. MFJ makes a thing to make it easy https://www.amazon.com/MFJ-347-HAMSTICK-DIPOLE-MOUNT-HAMSTICKS/dp/B00KGHZ2FU . Others have said efficiency drops as you fall in frequency below 14MHz; this is a function of the mobile whip's relatively short length.
These already exist?
I just purchased this radio and this antenna for my car.
Do I need anything else? I intend on ordering the cable, CD, and chirp soon.
Any people here in the SoCal/San Diego area?
Thanks a ton for the advise, I didn't even think about possible counterfeits on Amazon. Are the NA-771s from NAGOYA on Amazon also possible counterfeits or should they be fine? If there's a risk I can go with the BaoFeng but is almost twice as much (which also makes me wonder about a fake...).
I looked into the programming cables some more as well and will likely go with the more expensive one to avoid any hassle.
Thanks again!
Sorry about the shopping list, but I also have this radio, so I just wanted to explain my setup.
First I removed the original antenna and added this SMA to BNC adapter.
Now with it being BNC I can switch between my stubby, my big whip, and magmout (with an adapter.)
In my mind, I am happy I am not constantly spinning the SMA connector. If the BNC starts getting flakey I can replace it.
Edit: Here's a picture of it with the orange antenna on it.
my uv82 is programmed for 469.550mhz, if i get this nagoya 701c thats tuned for 155/455, would that affect my tx/rx? im trying to replace my stock antenna for better signal. does 155/455 mean just those two frequency or frequencies around them?
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BaoFeng/dp/B01AX3AYOK/ref=pd_rhf_sc_p_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=D6SBZ6PC67ZVTZRQ7612&th=1
I've been playing with 2m antennas for my UV5-R so I'll list some options I've played with starting from cheapest on up.
First get the antenna outside and as high as you can. Seems like a no brainer but it really increases your range. More so than a better antenna.
Add a counterpoise (aka tiger tail, rat tail, etc). Really just a piece of wire connected to the ground of your existing rubber duck and will cost almost nothing. If you search you'll probably find mixed reviews. I've noticed a marginal increase in range and reception.
Nagoya NA-771 is an inexpensive ($17) whip that is definitely better than the stock antenna you're using. No guarantees but it may have the extra gain you need to hit that repeater.
N9TAX roll up slim jim is portable antenna that you can throw in a back pack and deploy anywhere you can hang it - in your bedroom, from a balcony, etc. I've taken fishing line and a weight thrown them over a tree branch and hoisted it 10 feet in the air. Way better than your rubber duck and only $30 delivered with 16ft of feedline.
Building your own j pole will probably run you more than any of the previous options unless you have all the tools (torch, solder) and have scrap copper pipe laying around. That being said you might be able to make the slim jim yourself for a bit less (but not much). Building your own is lots of fun and you can learn a lot. It isnt always cheaper though. Try(http://www.hamuniverse.com/ke4nu450slimjim.html)[this] if it you're interested.
If it's not in your camping gear already, firestarting gear. In particular a fire steel, since they can't get waterlogged. It's late spring early summer, but if you really kill the jeep offgrid, exposure can still sneak up fast.
I'd also recommend some kind of radio. Vehicle mounted would be the best, but that requires more knowledge, time, and money to set up. Regular FRS/GMRS 'walkie-talkies' is also good to have, but range is limited. For a 'cheap insurance' option, the baofeng uv-5r variants are cheap and powerful hand sets. I'll link some gear below. Keep in mind, these are HAM radios; you need a license to use them normally, but you won't get in trouble if you have to send out an urgent mayday if you're in danger. The range is much better on these thing over CB; before you take it out, pop on some YT vids about how to program in frequencies, and lookup local freqs that are used for emergencies.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Transceiver-400-520MHz-65-108MHz-Upgraded/dp/B00YMN0SCG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=uv5r5&qid=1556650528&s=gateway&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=psdc_764460_t1_B071JR2LZK
Can't speak for IMS, as I've never been there, sadly. But I can hear them all the way around Phoenix.
The stock antenna is useless. It might as well be a 50 ohm resistor soldered to an SMA connector. I use a Nagoya 771.
Here. Haven't put it through particularly rigorous testing, but the form factor is nice.
Here are some pics of mine. I run an Icom ID-880H and Yaesu FTM-100DR and love them both. I am running the I am running the Diamond NR73BNMO antenna on the ID-880H and get great range on it. On the FTM-100DR I'm currently running the Tram dual-band because I cheaped out. Don't do that. I will be swapping it for a Diamond NR770HBNMO this weekend.
I have had good luck with this Tram 703-HC. Absolutely no issue with stability of mag mount and antenna itself is sturdy.
this one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KC4PWQQ/ is where i got mine
I think the flightaware dongles block everything that isn't 1090mhz.
You could try buying a nagoya antenna with a suitable sma cable which would be pretty good for public safety, ametuer, business, aircraft and broadcast fm. You could also get something like this where you can adjust the antenna for the target frequency.
If you get poor results try taping to antenna to the side of your apartment and run the coax through a window. That or put it on your balcony, (if you have one).
This is a knockoff?. It's sold by "Baofeng Tech." Seems legit.
I have bought and checked with meters and it seems to be good. I'm pretty sure a diamond antenna I've bought in the past was a knockoff, actually.
I have never measured SWR. Is trim used literally? As in cut the antenna?If it matters, here is the antenna I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IDTJ2KE/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
the stock antenna,
i'm planning to buy either this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AA3MGRC7F9EI2&psc=1
or this, maybe both,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AX3AYOK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AA3MGRC7F9EI2
this, (including a large battery pack) might accomplish what i need it to.
+1 just get a new magmount with the proper connections that can handle 50W. (If you are not yet prepared to drill a hole...which is the "best" option).
Personally a huge fan of getting an NMO magnet mount and an NMO antenna.
The total cost is about $30. Why go this route?
Basically, you get many options down the road.
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I recently got a Baofeng BF-F8HP. Its my first ham radio and it is serving me very well.
I also got the Nagoya NA-771 Antenna, and this programming cable.
The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual is the book I bought to study.
I am using CHIRP to program my BF-F8HP.
I am new to ham radio and I would like to get my license too.