Sidebar Sidebar
  • You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

FRS EXTERNAL ANTENNA

unit_399

unit_399

EL CAPO
Jun 17, 2008
2,123
3,029
273
ALEJANDRIA, COLOMBIA SA
On our farm, we use FRS radios for communication. Everyone carries a radio, which are inexpensive Cobra or Uniden models.We have a Cobra MicroTalk Model # PR4250WX that we use as a base radio at the farmhouse. Cobra claims that this is a 5 watt radio. I was able to get a schematic, and have wired in a hand mike, and an amplified external speaker. The batteries have been replaced by an external supply. I want to improve the range and reception, so I built a simple vertical ground plane antenna using plans in the ARRL handbook as a guide.

NOW... How do I connect the antenna to the radio???? Can I just solder a short piece of RG58 to the point where the rubber duckie was connected, and then put an SO-239 on the other end to hook to the antenna coax? This seems logical to me, but I've not had much experience with vhf, and I don't want to blow the radio. If anyone has input on this I would REALLY appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

- 399
 

Sounds like you have it figured.

Not that I suggest worrying about it, but what are the laws for FRS there.
 
741N -

The deal here is "run what ya brung." As long as I don't interfere with any official government communications, I can pretty much do what I want. However, if I add any new equipment, I have to have the local policia commandante check it out...which is no problem because I suck up by tuning up and repairing all of their radio equipment. Hey... it works for me.

- 399
 
you need to locate the rf ground return trace on the transceiver's printed circuit board. (the dc & rf ground returns may be one and the same) once you locate it just extend the connection from the pc board to the ground side of the connector (so-239 or "bnc") and the antenna output to the center pin. if the dc & rf board grounds are separate you'll see rf bypass capacitors connected between them. if you find this is the case let me know, i can tell you what needs to be done. you usually won't find this to be the case since dc & rf ground isolation was reserved for equipment to provide the option of operation from both positive and negative ground vehicles.
 
However, if I add any new equipment, I have to have the local policia commandante check it out...which is no problem because I suck up by tuning up and repairing all of their radio equipment. Hey... it works for me.
Click to expand...

When in Rome.....
 
Listen to .. Wire Weasel

He said it best
Also Alinco makes very good radios indeed.
Plus then with such a radio there is no need to modify a HT for a Base antenna.

I would however perhaps change to a high gain Dual Band antenna
( like a Comet GP-9 )

With the Alinco dual band and modified to go out of band
Then you can use MURS as well as GMRS-FRS

With such a set up you will get pretty good range indeed
 
unit_399 said:
On our farm, we use FRS radios for communication. Everyone carries a radio, which are inexpensive Cobra or Uniden models.We have a Cobra MicroTalk Model # PR4250WX that we use as a base radio at the farmhouse. Cobra claims that this is a 5 watt radio.
Click to expand...

To reiterate what others have said, this seems to be a lot of effort for not much return. Sure it will work, but this is a 0.5 watt radio...NOT a 5 watt.
 
SSB-109 said:
To reiterate what others have said, this seems to be a lot of effort for not much return. Sure it will work, but this is a 0.5 watt radio...NOT a 5 watt.
Click to expand...

You're right . It's not a 5 watt radio. It's .5 watt in the low power mode and 3 watts in high power mode.

and WIREWEASEL

I used a cheap handheld because it's what I had on hand. If there are any CB/Amateur radio dealers around here I haven't found them yet. One thing I've learned from living here is that you do the best you can with what you got.

Using Freecell's instructions, I got the external antenna connected to the radio, and I installed the antenna on the ranchhouse roof. Now I can talk to the ranch from town (about 10 km away as the crow flies) using my uniden handheld which is exactly what I wanted to do.

- 399
 
MOD

I found the mod, no problem.......................

I am now in the process of finding a antenna for GMRS, since the j-pole is not as efficient as I though it was, although the dual band antenna is fine, I would say the SWR would be close to 2 or so if used on MURS and or GMRS, since most are preset for the amateur band.

Anyone have usage of a dual band antenna, it would be interesting to see the comments on such...

DOCTOR/795
 
The Comet GP9NC would make a pretty good MURS/GMRS dual bander, I think. A little pricey, but less than many of the "commercial" antennas like Antennex and such.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.


      Top Bottom
      Back