Quality PMR Antennas For Cars - Up Close & Personal

A look at the Panorama mobile antennas and magmount I have been using in my recent PMR446 test videos. A few people asked about them, so here's a bit more information.
In this video, I'm looking at the following aerials.
• Panorama MMR Magmount
• Panorama AUGHB-VAR 5/8 Wave 3.5dBi / 1.5dBd Gain
• Panorama AQB-VAR 1/4 Wave 2.0dBi / 0dBd Gain
• Panorama ACUHB-VAR Collinear 7dBi / 5dBd Gain
► Download PDF Antenna Documentation: bit.ly/panorama-docs
► Panorama PMR Antennas: bit.ly/panorama-pmr
Because these products are relatively specialist, a search on Amazon tends to give you nothing but cheap options. They work, but the quality of parts leaves a lot to be desired and, as is common these days, everything is made to a tight budget.
I wanted a mobile antenna built to last. The type that would be installed by a company in their fleet of vehicles and would be expected to have a long life.
Looking on forums related to radio (which is a dangerous thing in itself due to the mass of self-opinionated nonsense on forums) there seems to be a consensus that Panorama make good gear. So I sought out a few different types of PMR antenna and placed an order through Radiotronics.
This kit is beautifully made, simple to use, reliable and performs very well. It's not overly expensive which makes it even better!
Thanks for watching and please let me know in the comments which one you like the best, whether you have ever used these and any great alternatives that I could try.
#panorama #hamradio #pmrantennas #radiotronics
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[@GateKommand]

Just watched the vid mate - thank you it was both informative and enjoyable to watch!

[@jameshurrell]

Great video. In the market for one myself. By the way your videos are so well produced, great sound, picture and content. Thanks for the effort that obviously goes into them.

[@tdcattech]

Thanks James. Appreciate the feedback. This is pretty specialist stuff so it’s good that someone enjoys it 👍🏻

[@peterevans8194]

Interesting video and those Panorama antenna certainly look well made..With regards the 1/4 wavelength, is it only compatible with Panorama mounts? As much as I like the look of the antenna, the mag mount looks over kill for it and I would prefer a smaller mag mount...

[@kenwilliams563]

I can understand trimming a quarter wave aerial to get the SWR right, but a gainy aerial with a coil fitted somewhere, say a half wave or 5/8 I am not so sure about, as the actual coil has to be resonant at around the frequency you are tuning too surely? so on 70 cms the coil would be tuned to that? We cannot get an antenna with a coil tuned to 446, so it only leaves quarter wave antenna that we can tune for optimum on 446. The other antenna with coils will never be quiet right on 446 whatever you do?

[@rogerlafrance6355]

Nice antenna kit to fill most requirements. Gain antennas are fine in open spaces but, lower (unity) gain antennas see to do better in urban and suburban direct communications with UHF signals bouncing, off all sorts of objects. rather than going them to get to your radio.

[@tdcattech]

Yep. The ACUHB is fine for distance stuff but not as good for lower power local comms.

[@grahamjones6712]

I thought pmr446 radios by law had to have fixed antennas (no external antennas)?

[@tdcattech]

You're correct. They do. These antennas are great for 70cm in general though.

[@xenon5]

They have, but in most circumstances the limits of PMR make it useless. That's why people try to improve