Mobile Mobile antenna choice

[357magnum]

Thanks Marconi , I always wondered , I did it because I had the whip & it looked cool w/ that Red whip on top ! Did it make a difference ? Back then I wasn't involved in the antenna research like you & others on here have done . Like you said probably didn't make any difference . Mine was a 2 piece . Only good thing I must say is they & A-99 & I-max do stand up to New England Wx . 73 & God Bless ,Leo

 

[rabbiporkchop]

previously I noted that all the antennas that are marketed all advertise the same bandwidth.
which then I asked what antenna would be a more narrow bandwidth.. I'm still waiting for that answer.

Move the stinger of each antenna out 1/2 inch, and whichever antenna has the worst match at that point will be the more efficient antenna once you drop the stinger back to where it was, assuming both were resonant to begin with.
My money will be on the Skipshooter.

 

[Highway Man]

I've seen antennas advertise how many channels it will be resonant on with a particular tune even though it's advertised 26-30Mhz

 

[Highway Man]

Highway , Mag mount , out of the box , dropped whip in ..... Perfect & it crashes ! First contact on 28am through the BS running & old 140gtl , Turner + 2 ( old ) & my OLD KIng Bee 250 . Always had a hard time w/ Dx on 28 w/ my old Crappy RS antenna . No more !

I ordered one, should be in tomorrow. It looks to me like it will light up from the picture on Stryker website.
I got a seemingly good deal on it. $91 to the door on fleabay.
I bought it blindly on your recommendation.

 

[357magnum]

Highway , IMO , You won't regret your purchase ( I hope for my sake ) I've had mine over 2 years & it's performed flawless ! Think I paid $99 off Fleabay so Good Deal ! One I got mine a Friend saw mine on My Explorer , He liked it & bought one . He has one of those Colossal Ba$e antenna's , So $ was no object to him . He loves his also . Good Luck & maybe " Yours will light up Blue on transmit .

 

[M0GVZ]

I've seen antennas advertise how many channels it will be resonant on with a particular tune even though it's advertised 26-30Mhz

That's because the matching coil will provide a match over that frequency depending on the length of the whip but the bandwidth it'll cover won't be sufficient to cover the whole lot and to be honest I'd avoid any antenna that claimed it could cover that much in one go as it'll be quite lossy.

 

[Highway Man]

if that thing lights up I may run over it. Seriously.
I don't want any antenna that lights up.
None of the product information says that

 

[357magnum]

As said before , mine does not . However , I've seen some newer models light up Blue when keyed though the clear plastic panels on the base of the coil .

 

[530]

I can't tell you the bandwidth, efficiency, or the "Q" for any of these antennas. However, based on my own personal experiences years ago with my mobiles...I would guess all these 1/4 waves would likely perform pretty close to the same. That is assuming good installs with all comparisons made on the same mobile setup...within a reasonable time frame considering obvious conditions locally.

Other than for antennas with substantial matching losses, I can't tell you why some antennas seem to operate quieter than others. I seem to recall, "quite receive" is not a quality that is always consistent either. However, with that said and within reason...I don't believe all the claims we often hear repeated...about plastic vs. metal in antennas.

530, I voted for 5'-6' Skipshooter, simply based on your reporting to us that the Skipshooter worked fine and made lots of good contacts. I figure the Predator 10K is an equally good antenna. However, based on its low cost...the Skipshooter is just more practical in every way as I see it.

I think you have both these antennas, what do you think about their differences in noise?

I kind of like the quietness in the receive as long as it's quiet because it should be not because of the antenna type and being covered with whatever plastic the Skipshooter wire is covered with. With that being said on my tests the transmit was the same for both but the test station was local and as far as skip shooting with these antennas really not easy to test but both do get out there. My thing is from what I read that the top loaded coil should actually be better than Center load and my kind of confusion is, is the Predator a better antenna to use because of all the metal or is the skip shoulder better to use because being top-loaded but also keeping in mind that is covered in plastic. Again I like the quietness of the skip shooter witch isn't really that much but noticeable but is it because of it being less efficient because of being wrapped in plastic.

 

[530]

Move the stinger of each antenna out 1/2 inch, and whichever antenna has the worst match at that point will be the more efficient antenna once you drop the stinger back to where it was, assuming both were resonant to begin with.
My money will be on the Skipshooter.

The skipshooter changed more than the Predator.

 

[530]

after all that I wonder how the 102 fits in

I have a 102 inch with a 12 inch riser when I tested it locally my Predator with the 27 inch shaft actually beat the 102 by a hair on the needle in transmit. Receive of that local station was the same on the meter but on the whip the receive sounded a little quieter.

 

[Oatmeal]

I liked the Predator 10K myself, I had the single coil, 27" shaft, and mounted it on the back side of a toolbox in the back of the truck I had, and the coil was 8" above the top of the cab, worked alot of DX on that antenna, those Predator antennas, are hard to beat..

 

[530]

I've seen antennas advertise how many channels it will be resonant on with a particular tune even though it's advertised 26-30Mhz

With my Predator with the 27 inch shaft on my anytone at-6666 highest and lowest Channel goes to 2.3 from 1.0. on 1, 40, and 20.

 

[530]

if that thing lights up I may run over it. Seriously.
I don't want any antenna that lights up.
None of the product information says that

If you're talkin about that Stryker antenna I do believe the newer ones light up blue and people are already warning about checking state and local laws on getting stopped and ticketed because you have a blue flashing light on the top of your vehicle.

 

[530]

I liked the Predator 10K myself, I had the single coil, 27" shaft, and mounted it on the back side of a toolbox in the back of the truck I had, and the coil was 8" above the top of the cab, worked alot of DX on that antenna, those Predator antennas, are hard to beat..

My main antenna has been with Predator 27 inch shaft although I do use some of the other shafts when I needed a little bit shorter length and i have also read the 17in is the one to use because of the shaft length and above coil shaft length so i use that driving around. My next best antenna would be the skip Shooter 7 foot and I use different lengths to that as well. I have tried all the other over many years and besides the stainless steel whip to me these other two antennas are the best, bar none. Granted others will work but facts are basically, shorter is less, covered is less, lower coil is less, from what i have learned and tested over many years.