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What antenna for local?
- Thread starter Bearcat
- Start date
This Sirio 2016 5/8, if you can still get one, plus they are affordable and handle some decent wattage...
http://www.sirioantenna.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_18&products_id=184
Combined with LMR 400 coax, I consistently hear more folks than I heard with an Imax. The quality of the coax is just as important your antenna selection, just sayin'.
http://www.sirioantenna.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_18&products_id=184
Combined with LMR 400 coax, I consistently hear more folks than I heard with an Imax. The quality of the coax is just as important your antenna selection, just sayin'.
Sirio vector 4000 as long as you don't live in an area with really bar weather. Get one up as high as you can. Mine is only 26ft to the base and it does pretty darn good for me both locally and dxing. Locally I can consistently talk about 65-70 miles on SSB with 100 watts or less depending on the time of day. Some nights I can get out to 70 miles with as little as 10-12 watts SSB.
Other than that, a Shockwave or Mr. Coily 5/8 wave or even the sirio 2016 all work well. The Shockwave and Mr. Coily antennas are going to cost you a bunch though. Best bang for buck, sirio vector 4000. JMHO.
Other than that, a Shockwave or Mr. Coily 5/8 wave or even the sirio 2016 all work well. The Shockwave and Mr. Coily antennas are going to cost you a bunch though. Best bang for buck, sirio vector 4000. JMHO.
The answer isn't so simple. If you're in a valley and everyone else is mostly higher than you then the 1/4 wave with the higher take off angle is going to be the better antenna.
If you're in an open flat area then the 5/8 wave with its lower take off angle will be better.
But in both cases the height of the antenna above the average local ground level will be what determines how well it works locally. A 5/8 wave mounted at a low height isn't going to get as far out locally as a 1/4 wave well up in the air.
If you're in an open flat area then the 5/8 wave with its lower take off angle will be better.
But in both cases the height of the antenna above the average local ground level will be what determines how well it works locally. A 5/8 wave mounted at a low height isn't going to get as far out locally as a 1/4 wave well up in the air.
Omni is best. The nearest hills or the curvature of the earth is going to limit how far you can get long before the signal you put out of the antenna is a problem. Neither of those two problems can be solved without moving.
Physical length and antenna take off angles are all related so to a point they do matter BUT if all you want to do is talk to people in a 20-30 mile radius height is the most important thing over length for determining how well it'll work. Length only becomes an issue for local comms when you start to get to those shortened antennas below 1/4 wavelength long as they get a lot less efficient and an antenna 3ft long will only be putting out a signal 1/4 that of one 6ft long.
I can park my car on the top of a range of hills a few miles from my house where everyone is below me and using the mobile antenna I can talk to people on 4W for 30+ miles. Its all about clear line of sight.
Agreed,... and this thread is about short verticals on 11 meters.... they really, really sux (as far as efficiency goes) on the lower bands.