Radio for Preparedness 101: VHF/UHF HT Antennas

[@jdhdjhdhdhj3148]

Never seen your channel before . Heading down 14 on top of Seneca heard you guys load and clear. Next day KZbin suggest this video to me.

[@EvanK2EJT]

That's crazy! KZbin is watching us LOL. Glad to have you here!

[@michaelbritt639]

This was an excellent video. Never stop doing this. This is providing an invaluable service to people who don't want to spend money on things that won't work.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@2000gecs]

Love your videos! I always walk away feeling like I have learned some new things from them

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@jeffb5781]

Awesome information. Never knew about reading the frequency information on the bottom of the antennas. Good stuff.

[@lynneftw]

This is a ridiculously informative video for someone like me who considers amateur radio speak to be Greek to me. Even getting your ham ticket won't teach you the most important stuff, which is how to use the radio, understand the repeaters, antenna differences, or understanding frequencies.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you for watching!

[@fshieldsii]

Just starting my radio journey and know little about antennas except that they are probably more important than the radio itself. First time watching your channel. Amazing video! Saved to favorites list and shared with friends. Good to see a video on actual performance & recommendations instead of just antenna theory.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thanks! Yeah, what matters is how does it work in the real world. When I get to HF antennas, that's when things will get kind of crazy LOL.

[@donz7992]

Great discussion of something most of us take for granted. I picked up a Signal Stick for my FT-65 when I was in Dayton. While watching the video I tried hitting a few repeaters in the Metro; I can easily hit most of the VHF repeaters within 10 miles or so. Then I tried one that is 21 miles away and I got an S7 with some frying bacon from my office. Granted I have a walkout so my office is one floor above ground in the direction of the repeater, but from inside the house I think that is pretty good. Now I need more H/Ts! lol! Thanks Evan!

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thanks for watching Don!

[@kurtismeinhardt68]

I lived in Upstate NY for two years, lots in the ADK’s and a bit in the finger lakes, I miss it so much. Great content, I’d follow just to see NY 😂

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thanks! Yeah, it's really nice here certain times of the year.......others, not so much LOL

[@KC2BKM]

Dang! nice view! good timely information.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yeah, the view from up there is pretty sweet for sure!

[@chrissewell1608]

I have recently bought a "Fara-J" roll up J-Pole antenna, for emergencies, travel, and camping. Its incredible and worth the affordable cost. I highly recommend it for using with an H.T. or even a mobile radio.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yeah, I really like the idea of those. Super compact and light. I need to give one a try!

[@TSGEnt]

0:23 beautiful view by the way.

[@peterkunka2694]

Great video describing/demonstrating various antenna performances. I tend to go with shorter antennas on an HT (I use an ID-51 for D-Star, scanning use, etc), and if I need more range I start going towards the ID-5100 mobile in the truck. I'm more of a camper than a hiker, so I could even use my HT into the truck's mobile set on cross-band repeat for longer range work. Another variable to think about... UHF is more urban friendly, and VHF is more forest/woodsy friendly to get signals through... so, choosing your band and antenna depending on environment will make performance gains, too. For mobile use, I use a ghost antenna daily because it goes through carwashes with no problem and clears the garage door while still having 40 mile range for repeaters in the Phoenix area. Road trips, I am really surprised with the Comet B-10 and how much range I can get out of it. My mobile mount location is the 3rd brake light mount from Bulletproof Diesel on my F-150. Good stuff, I'll look for more from you. Cheers and 73! Pete in Arizona - KI7LIL & WRXY843

[@EvanK2EJT]

All great points! Thanks for your input, and thank you for watching!

[@peterkunka2694]

@@EvanK2EJT No problem. I ordered the Comet CH-32 from your video and it arrived today. Testing it on my ID-51, and comparing it to the Diamond RH3 I was using (both BNC antennas), it performs better in both receiving and transmitting on UHF hitting a mountaintop linked repeater 12 miles away from home. 5 watts was full scale, same as using a whip antenna, but the RH3 was less than full scale. Noticeable difference between the two stubby's. Just wanted to share confirmation what you stated in your video about how good the CH-32 is on UHF. Thank you for the solid referral, and 73. Pete - KI7LIL

[@Uncle_Fred]

In my opinion, the only good antennas for outdoor use are the tuned Smiley heavy duty antennas used by the Canadian SAR crews. They are not cheap, but they are robust enough to handle actual wilderness conditions. As a compromise, the non-SAR versions of the same antennas are also good enough for most backpacking/camping purposes.

[@EvanK2EJT]

The Signal Sticks are pretty much indestructible too. Either Smiley or Signal Stuff would be my go to for most stuff.

[@TerraMagnus]

Get a hold of a N9TAX “slim Jim”. It rolls up easily for EDC. If you can get a line over a branch, hoist that thing up, you’ve now got a J pole up in the air that rolls up about the size of an orange in your go bag.

[@Uncle_Fred]

​@TerraMagnus The issue I have with these longer antennas is a use case problem. In general, I use UHF/VHF radios as handie-talkies to communicate with members of a small hiking group. Where stationary deployments make sense might be SOTA, CW, digital via towers or other means for long distance coms, but that makes more sense for HF, or better yet, satalite communicators like the Garmin Inreach.

[@newsjunkie3000]

Great video with so much info ❤ i am saving this one to my favorites list.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you! I appreciate it

[@robmcfaddin768]

Very good video, information. Also appreciate you not talking down to the viewers. Too much of that going on with other channels. Keep those videos coming

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you for watching, and thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it!

[@RichardEnglander]

0:07 ah man that view is gorgeous ❤

[@KG6UQA]

Thanks for the video, great information and worth tbe watch.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@LoftechUK]

Fantastic video. Great. Thank you.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[@ColoradoGunfighter]

Excellent presentation! Thanks for sharing

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thanks for watching!

[@albertosoto6213]

Thank you for the education brother, just got my GMRS license and I don't know anything about comms...Trying to learn bro.

[@EvanK2EJT]

There's a lot to learn. I actually use my GMRS HTs more than my ham HTs. The thing I love about GMRS is that I can share my license with my family, and that makes it supremely useful. Thanks for watching, and keep learning!

[@longrider42]

What about the Abbree antenna's that fold? The "Tactical" antenna's. I've been using them for a few years now. They come in sizes 13 inch all the way up to 42 inch. I'm glad you use Signal Sticks, they are good antenna's./

[@EvanK2EJT]

I have one as well. The one I have is pretty big. I forget how long it is. The only reason I don't use that a ton it's kind of unwieldy. They definitely work though!

[@jmollo55]

I heard you call out yesterday ... both or all 3 times ... problem is i had no idea what frequency you were on ... by time i got to radio you were gone .... i did hear someone respond to you so i called it good ... maybe when testing give frequency your on

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yesterday I was on 20m and 15m CW, and 146.52 on 2m FM and 446.00 70cm FM.

[@rpcomms1]

Dont forget vhf low 66-88mhz /vhf low low 25-50mhz bands these work extremely well for simplex fm. Good video 👍

[@EvanK2EJT]

They do, but they're not super useful for an HT due to antenna limitations

[@rpcomms1]

I've been testing VHF lo lo FM getting very good ranges on HTs Unfortunately Motorola stopped making the business version while back 29.7-36mhz. So I use President brand 25.6-28mhz N-FM+ctcss worth a look at 👍

[@malenve6vid]

The Smiley 2 MR EFHW antenna is great.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yeah, it really is.

[@marlawhite3682]

what a great view!!!! When did MFJ fold?

[@EvanK2EJT]

Within the past year. You can still find a lot of their stuff for sale though since they made soooo many things.

[@floid33556]

Another really great practical video. Do you have any great antenna recommendations for mobile (dual-band and/or GMRS)? This is going on a Jeep Wrangler. Thinking about the Anytone D578. I want to occasionally use gmrs on this radio with the local jeep club.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Any mobile antenna that will work on 70cm will also work on GMRS. It won't be perfectly resonant, but it'll be close enough to get the job done (I've done it many times). I run two different mobile antenna setups. The first is a Nagoya dual band mag mount setup. The second is a Signal Stuff BNC mag mount. The Signal Stuff mount is cool because you can put any BNC antenna on it. I usually run a dual band signal stick on it, but I've thrown all sorts of stuff on it before.

[@timfreeeed]

thanks for sharing all this knowledge! do you have swr charts of the good antennas or is it that kind of irrelevant?

[@EvanK2EJT]

I don't. SWR isn't an easy thing to measure on an HT antenna (with a few notable exceptions like the 2m half wave or J pole) since YOU are the counterpoise. Just measuring the antenna alone doesn't mean anything, because you're missing the other half of the antenna. I *have* measured the roll up J pole on a Nanovna, and it looks great.

[@joffito2495]

I‘d like to hear your opinion about the VR-N76 you also show in this video. Thanks for this content. Really nice to watch and useful.

[@EvanK2EJT]

So far I really like the radio. The single thing I dislike is the frequency in use on the screen is red text on a black background. The other frequency in white is the frequency not in use. Red on black makes it a little hard to see in the sun. Aside from that, everything else about the radio is fantastic, and I have zero regrets about buying it.

[@joffito2495]

@@EvanK2EJT thanks, appreciate your comment. Today i bought an ID-50. i like the monochrome screen so much more and the nearby repeater search+waterfall. I had to. I‘d also like to purchase a signal stick. But as a non US resident it‘s hard to get one. Not sure if dual band or mono band.

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@joffito2495 The ID-50 is a fantastic radio! You won't be disappointed. You can actually make a signal stick yourself. All of the components are available on Amazon (and I'm sure other places as well). They're not difficult at all to put together.

[@joffito2495]

@@EvanK2EJT yep will try that at a later point in time. That should be part of the ham radio experience - diy some stuff :)

[@marcusalancate1782]

Very very informative

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@marctlm3636]

Great video. First time viewer. New to ham. Which specific set of antennas would you recommend for the most versatility for an off grid scenario using a FT5DR which lives on the chest. I can keep other antennas in the pack.

[@EvanK2EJT]

I'd get three or four, depending on what you want to do. First, a stubby to live on the radio while it's on you and you're using it for close in comms. Second, a dual band Signal Stick for when you want more range, a 2 meter half wave antenna for when you REALLY need to get out, and you can't string up an antenna, and then finally either a roll up J pole or a dipole that you can hang up in a tree or something and REALLY get some range. If you aren't really concerned with the stationary J pole or Dipole setup, then just go dual band stubby, signal stick, and 2 meter half wave.

[@marctlm3636]

@@EvanK2EJT I ended up ordering the dual band signal stick after watching your video last night. Which specific smiley stubby would be the next one to get. I’ll get this :-) 2 m then that you recommended. Is there a specific J pole or dipole that you can recommend?

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@marctlm3636 If you go the Smiley route, you'll need two antennas....one for 2 meter, and one for 70 cm. They're monoband antennas. They're definitely *much* better than the dual band stubby antennas, but not as convenient. I would go with this: www.smileyantenna.com/shop/p/fnw3258zkpt4fld-zrh97 And this: www.smileyantenna.com/shop/p/regular-duck-aircraft-band-132-136-mhz-89tzw-d8z33-c6nc2-3p5g6-cnfjx

[@marctlm3636]

@@EvanK2EJT perfect those are what I have on my cart thank you so much

[@woodsghost9088]

My only issue with the Signal Sticks is they get real floppy in cold weather. Unless something changed since 2018. But in nice or warm weather, the Signal Sticks are excellent.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yeah, they get limp when it's REALLY cold out. Generally I'll use Smiley antennas in the winter for that exact reason.

[@woodsghost9088]

@@EvanK2EJT that is fantastic information. You did a great video. I need to grab some Smilys. It gets pretty cold in my area. I've dealt with the limp antenna a lot.

[@sanjuan4942]

Great stuff keep doing it!

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@lavinmlavin904]

are there any aftermarket HT antenna for 6M? My fire dept uses what is colloquially known as 'low band', essentially 48-50mhz. Question 2. Do you know of any BNC adaptors to adapt Motorola propreatary HT antenna jacks out there? DE N2NET

[@EvanK2EJT]

There *are* 6m antennas, but they're a HUGE compromise. A 1/4 wave antenna on 6m would be about 5' long LOL. Most of them have a huge loading coil to make the antenna electrically long enough. They will work, but won't be very efficient. Any antenna should receive 6m well enough, it's transmitting that's the issue. As far as Motorola adapters, I honestly don't know. The only antenna manufacturer I can think of off the top of my head that makes Moto compatible antennas is Smiley. There may be others, but I'm honestly not sure.

[@AlexSwanson-rw7cv]

How much benefit do you see with non-default antennas on UHF vs VHF? My use case is just UHF at ~446MHz and I was looking at a 771 but I read that most of the improvement would be for VHF. Do those stubby UHF antennas improve on a stock rubber duck antenna in performance or are they just smaller/more convenient? For reference this is for a Retevis RA89 specifically.

[@EvanK2EJT]

I've found the performance on the really stubby antennas to be somewhat worse than the stock antennas, with the exception of the Smiley stuff. The big advantage is size. Generally, a 1/4 wavelength antenna is probably going to be your best all around antenna for an HT for portable use. The 70cm Signal Stick is quite a bit better than the stock rubber duck is, as is the full length one.

[@AlexSwanson-rw7cv]

@@EvanK2EJT Thanks for the advice!

[@joemarchinski914]

Just found your channel, I am kinda new to radio and have bought a pair of Ailunce HAG1's with extra batteries, chargers, external mic/speakers, ear pieces and Nagoya 771 antennas, they can be unlocked, and also TID H3's with all the same extras and they are factory unlocked for 2 meter and 70 centimeter ham and gmrs and just bought a Radioddity QT80 10,11,12 & 15 meter for my truck but I am looking for a good antenna that will work for 10,11,12 I know 15 will be a different antenna, I have asked other radio you tubers for advice and have been ignored.. I watched dozens of videos with it being used in vehicles with amazing results on all bands but none of them will say what antenna is being used, and they wont give me any advice, almost like newbies are not welcome into the exclusive club...its frustrating, if you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it, sorry for rant, and after watching a few of your videos I did subscribe 👍👍👍 very well presented, Blessed Be to you and your family my brother, oh and being in western Washington state not far from the coast I also have an old school handheld marine radio all north American and international channels, NOAA and channel 16 which is coast guard emergency frequency, and handheld 40 channel old school cb all of my radios are 12 volt ,120 volt charging and the new handhelds are also USB c

[@EvanK2EJT]

So here's the long and short of it. No antenna will be resonant on all of those bands unless it's an adjustable antenna (like a screwdriver of some sort like a Tarheel). A CB antenna would be resonant on 11m obviously, and *might* work on 10 and 12, but I have the feeling the SWR will be pretty high. You could get Hamsticks for each band, and swap them out when you want to change bands. That's a pain, but it'd probably be the least expensive option. Most of the mobile antennas you see people running on HF are either mono-band like the Hamsticks, or a screwdriver like a Yaesu ATAS or a Tarheel. The Tarheel would work on 15m too, so that would kill four birds with one stone, but they're EXPENSIVE. www.tarheelantennas.com/

[@Dap8998]

Saturday I was at Iona visiting my daughter. I received a bunch of Ham Alerts about you being at Sugar Hill. RBN had you at 24wpm. If I were home I would have made the attempt to get in touch. KE2CQF,73

[@EvanK2EJT]

Heck yeah, I'd appreciate the contact!

[@813sierravictor]

Could you do a video talking about programming the TYT MD UV 390? I have a couple and was able to program them, but have had multiple problems. Scan doesn't work, no way to front panel program, etc. Thanks for the videos!

[@EvanK2EJT]

Oh man..........I can, but that's a WHOLE different ballgame. DMR radios are way more complicated than analog stuff is. You can front panel program them, but it's a pain in the butt. The programming software is convoluted too. I'll put it on my list of stuff to shoot, but that's gonna be a pretty niche video LOL.

[@813sierravictor]

I'm aware that it's niche, that's why I'm asking.😄 Appreciate your straightforward video style.

[@jeremyt1917]

Thanks for the video for us newbies. Whst bnc adapternbrand do you recommend?

[@EvanK2EJT]

I haven't really found much of a difference in brands if I'm being honest. The ONE exception to that is the adapter I use on the FT5. The only one I've found that fits correctly is the one that Signal Stuff sells. Aside from that, it doesn't really make much of a difference.

[@gunplaytv]

Thoughts on the tape style antennas? Alot of shooters opt to use those due to their flexibility and the fact they can be folded. But I've seen some people say they've cut one open and it was nothing but a tape measure inside

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yeah, that's literally what they are inside. They work just fine, but they're very bulky for what they do. I'd rather just use a Signal Stick. They're WAY lighter, smaller, and much more flexible.

[@MultiTestPage]

Amazing video!

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

An issue about "resonance" that I cannot understand is why 5/8th of an inch antenna wire can resonate. Half or quarter wavelengths make sense - but anything in between is not logical to me.

[@EvanK2EJT]

This might help some: practicalantennas.com/designs/verticals/5eights/#:~:text=The%205%2F8%20wave%20antenna%20has%20a%20bit%20more%20conductor,the%20radiation%20at%20the%20horizon.

[@Town101]

Been looking for this type of information. But you did not say what makes one antenna good, bad or great???? can you see a great antenna? or do you just have to try it kinda like microphones?

[@EvanK2EJT]

Honestly, it's a hard thing to measure on an HT. Generally, I look at signal strength and range. That kind of has to be tested. They're all pretty durable (aside from the telescopic ones), so it comes down to efficiency. It *can* be measured, but not easily. I'm pretty much speaking from firsthand experience with all of these antennas. "Good" also depends on your intended use. A 2 meter half wave antenna is GREAT for range, but horrible for hiking around with it attached to your radio. Conversely, the little stubby antennas have abysmal performance, but they're convenient for hiking around with, and work well enough in close quarters.

[@zanado11]

Great video. I do have a question. I have the VGC radio and the adapter that goes on the radio but looking at amazon the SMA to Male BNC just didn’t look right. Can you suggest where I can ride the proper adapter? Thanks in advance and 73 w8rlp

[@EvanK2EJT]

Here are some from Amazon I use that work well: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C36N2V7L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 If you want the exact same black one I have on the radio, I got it here: signalstuff.com/product/sma-f-to-bnc-f-adapter/

[@zanado11]

Thank you for you fast response and suggestions. I opted to order from Signal stuff. Thanks again and continue you videos. I am subscribing. 73

[@chadcavalier1113]

I just got my GMRS ticket now I am looking for 2 decent radios that have pretty good range and that are fairly easy to use looking for something for my wife and I to operate there are repeaters in the area but I don't know if I could hit them any suggestions on radios

[@EvanK2EJT]

There are SO many options. The first two questions are what is your budget, and do you require things like IP67 intrusion resistance? If you let me know what kind of money you want to spend, and what kind of environments you'll use them in, I can give you some suggestions.

[@chadcavalier1113]

@@EvanK2EJT I guess no more than $100.00 dollars it also can be waterproof or resistant,simple to use with decent range needed, wife's work 18 miles from my work,camp to house 13 miles,to my nephews house 9.4 and I think there is a repeater about 18 miles on a very high bridge all these measurements strait line with swamp trees very little of anything in the way don't know if there is anything with that kind of range out there in GMRS handheld I don't know

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@chadcavalier1113 I have two of these, and they work great for the money: www.amazon.com/BAOFENG-Weather-Receiver-Rechargeable-Headsets/dp/B0B3DRG9GC/ref=sr_1_4? They're not water resistant, but they're type-c charging, come with two different antennas, etc. If you want something water resistant, something like this would fit the bill: www.amazon.com/Retevis-HA1G-Handheld-Rechargeable-Waterproof/dp/B0CHRJ3PRS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?

[@ranchosinnombreannjimmy8427]

great info

[@EvanK2EJT]

Thank you!

[@danielm.2491]

Hi, a freind of mine and me are planning to buy radios with a view to communicating in an emergency. we are seperated about 7 Kilometers beeline and a smaller hill + a little wooded area. My plan was to buy a yaesu ft65 with a better antenna. Do you think that this would be sufficient to communicate when stepping on our rooftops or do we need a solid stationary solution for that purpose? sorry to ask that stupidly, however i am a novice at that field. we are located in germany and obiously do not have any licence at all. thank you for the video btw, very nutricient

[@EvanK2EJT]

It's honestly hard to say whether it will work or not. 7km is well within the range of the radios. It will come down to obstructions between the two of you. The only way to know for sure is to try it and see if it works.

[@MourningConstitution]

Thanks!

[@EvanK2EJT]

You're welcome!

[@kenlassiter-km8sw]

I have the uv-5r, Quansheng uv-k6, and other handhelds. I changed out the stock antenna with the nagoya 15 inch one that was recommended by others. I'm going to order one of the signal sticks. My question is does that antenna work good for vhf, uhf and the 2 meter and 70mm bands? Or do I need to put different antennas on for different bands?

[@EvanK2EJT]

That antenna (the 19" long one) will cover both the 2m VHF band as well as the 70cm UHF band. I've also used it on GMRS and MURS with no issues at all.

[@19TC504]

nice video,but have to say,i have a few baofengs and quansheng radio,s i talk over 30km with stock antenna,s on 433.200(thats free band here) i have to say the stations i talk to are home or mobile but still :)

[@EvanK2EJT]

I'm not saying the stock antennas DON'T work, but they're far from great. A. Good antenna can make the difference between getting through and not getting through

[@rickrybacki4145]

Can those antennas work in apartment building? No room here for any other large antenna.. Your help I need, Thanks.

[@EvanK2EJT]

So any antenna will work indoors, but the signal will be attenuated by the walls. Depending on what the building is made out of, it may be minimal, or it may be like a giant Faraday cage. Being next to a window will help dramatically as well. If you need to penetrate walls, you're going to want the most efficient antenna with the most gain you can find.

[@69Saluki]

Does what you went over apply to an IC-705? Or would you have a recommendation on attennas for range, height, general use?

[@oliverallen5324]

yeah man it'll work on the 705. It's essentially a giant handtalkie.

[@69Saluki]

I’m new and getting into this. Not totally green, but… I’m going to watch some more of your videos as I’m in the middle of setting up a 705 using Rt systems programming software, and a couple of baofang uv5rs for disaster use and on the farm. Would you mind if I had a couple more questions?

[@EvanK2EJT]

That's an excellent question. On my IC-705 I have used a full length Signal Stick with a 19ish inch counterpoise attached to the ground lug on the side of the radio for 2m, and a 7ish inch long one for 70cm. Without the counterpoise, your SWR will be crazy high. With the counterpoise, it's below 1.5:1, and works remarkably well. I use a 90 degree BNC adapter to get the antenna to stand up straight. The BEST VHF/UHF antenna I have for the 705 is that roll up J pole. That's currently attached to my 705, which I use as my base station VHF/UHF radio. That's right around a 1:1 SWR across most of the band, and it works fantastic.

[@nine7295]

Signal Stick is a 5/8 wave on 70cm? Did i hear that right?

[@EvanK2EJT]

Sorry, I misspoke. They're 3/4 wave, not 5/8 wave. I'm not sure why I said that. I *know* they're 3/4 wave, but for some reason my brain was telling me 5/8 that day.

[@lynneftw]

I replaced my uv-5r rubber duck with a Signal Stick super elastic antenna 👍

[@EvanK2EJT]

Definitely a wise choice!

[@jeremymccook742]

I grew up in Otsego County, lived in Broome for a few years. I went to Broome Community College and worked at Wilson hospital in Johnson City. I live in Florida now. Got my tech in 2014, general in 2016. km4bxq.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Small world man!

[@ATR_Mid-TN-WX]

Excellent video. A lot of good Information now I have to spend money on 1/2 2m antenna lol. On a serious note. Do you know of a ht antenna that will handle 25wTts? I’m putting a anytone 25watt dual band radio in a backpack for SAR. Needing an antenna I can leave on the radio while it’s in the pack. A collapsible would be best but if not I will manage. Thank you for input K4YAG

[@EvanK2EJT]

The Signal Stick antennas are good to 100W with a 50% duty cycle, or 50W on 100% duty cycle like digital.

[@ATR_Mid-TN-WX]

@@EvanK2EJT just a regular signal stick? I have the glow in dark one to be precise? Will handle the 50watts as well?

[@ATR_Mid-TN-WX]

@@EvanK2EJT I’m setting up a chest rig with a 8ah battery and a 25watt dual band radio. What do your recommend on distance to keep the antenna away from your head or does that matter?

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@ATR_Mid-TN-WX Yep, just a regular old Signal Stick will handle 100w at 50% duty cycle (CW), and 50w at 100% duty cycle (digital). Voice is a lower duty cycle than either of those, so you're good to go and then some. Those numbers are straight from the Signal Stick webpage.

[@ATR_Mid-TN-WX]

@@EvanK2EJT thank you sir. I already have my antenna. What about the antenna near my head? I know the old timers say it’s bad. If so how far away do I need to keep the antenna away from my head? I’m running this as a chest rig with 8ah battery and dual band 25watt radio.

[@phonicbeast302]

So if you're making a trip somewhere, you have to find the repeaters you'll be near online and program them in the radio before you go

[@EvanK2EJT]

Yeah, that's generally what I do. Icom radios will actually show you the repeaters based on your GPS coordinates, which is pretty awesome.

[@daniellbrinneman]

What is the coax spec that you are using with your J-pole 400 ohm dual bander?

[@EvanK2EJT]

The J pole is RG-58. It comes attached to the antenna directly from N9TAX. Not the greatest coax as far as loss is concerned, but it's small and light enough it packs easily, and the run is so short the loss is minimized.

[@daniellbrinneman]

@@EvanK2EJT N9TAX who’s on eBay? Have you tried RG-8X? It’s smaller than RG-58 and lossless compared with RG-58.

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@daniellbrinneman Yes, the same N9TAX. His antennas work great. I've used RG-8X as well. I run ABR 218XATC on my shack antenna, as well as my 100w field setups.

[@daniellbrinneman]

@@EvanK2EJT Thank you.

[@daniellbrinneman]

@@EvanK2EJT I decided finally to go with a dual bander from N9TAX.

[@michaelhill5822]

Hey, is there any chance I could get the name or possibly a link to that black BNC adapter?

[@EvanK2EJT]

I'll give you a link to both the male and female ones I use: Female: signalstuff.com/products/adapt-smaf-bncf/ Male: signalstuff.com/products/adapt-smam-bncf/

[@michaelhill5822]

@ thank you so much!

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@michaelhill5822 Not a problem at all

[@NJtoAzMountainBiker]

Do you loose any output with the connectors.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Probably a little bit. I've never actually measured it, but there is likely some loss. If you were concerned about it, just run the correct SMA connector on the antenna and that eliminates that possible loss. I just run the BNC because it keeps the SMA jack on the radio safe, and makes swapping antennas easier. Thanks for watching!

[@NJtoAzMountainBiker]

@@EvanK2EJT I was curious if you noticed anything. It does make it easier to swap around to which I see is more than I thought. Cheaper to replace the connector then having the sma jack replaced\ soldered.

[@CMDR_Shokwave]

More height = more fars.

[@EvanK2EJT]

This is 1000% the case

[@flipside21]

What's that tan unit?

[@EvanK2EJT]

That's an VGC VR-N76. The Btech UV-Pro and Radioddity GA-5WB are also the same radio. The VGC radios come in a pile of colors including that coyote tan.

[@flipside21]

@@EvanK2EJT thanks! How do you find it stacks up to the lineup?

[@EvanK2EJT]

@@flipside21 I'll be honest, it's probably my favorite HT currently. The Yaesu FT5 is a more capable radio, and the receiver is better, but it's more than twice as expensive so it should be a better radio. The VGC is a great package. USB-C, APRS, GPS, IP67, full KISS TNC capabilities, and the app works great. Overall I really like the radio.

[@flipside21]

@@EvanK2EJT sounds like a full-featured unit. Thanks for taking the time to give me the scoop.

[@moparman8254]

u cant beat a 5/8 th wave bace station like a j pole or a slim Jim & a 45-80 watt mobile radio i a emergancy situation it will help u to get out way farther ifu r useing a ht only then a 1/2 wave antenna

[@EvanK2EJT]

That's absolutely true. Definitely less portable though lol.

[@piNokiaa]

Retevis ra89 top 💪 tyt uv58 🤜

[@gimpyoldhunter]

Oddly enough I just received my tech license and I live in NY and my call sign is only 1 letter away from yours.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Awesome!

[@gimpyoldhunter]

@ Mine is Kilo Echo Two Echo Juliet Tango . They just added a letter

[@EvanK2EJT]

@gimpyoldhunter LOL yeah, I figured that was the case and looked you up on QRZ to confirm

[@Anon-q2x]

Instructions unclear. Broke Baofeng.

[@EvanK2EJT]

Throw Baofeng in garbage. Buy new radio lol (seriously though, I hope you didn't actually break your radio... I'm assuming this was a joke)

[@antenas]

32 minutos para dizer aos que gostam de antenas bonitas que é melhor ter antenas com ganho 😂😂😂😂

[@EvanK2EJT]

LOL the people I'm gearing these videos towards have no idea what gain is

[@nexthubbins]

❤❤❤. A little confused here☹️. The Smily has a triband that adjusts for frequency like you show but is only 16.5 in extended. Then they have the 2 meter 1/2 wave that is 36 in long but does not mention adjusting for frequency. And guidance?😅. MFJ website looks up and working but says long ranger is out of stock but you can be on back in stock list. 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

[@EvanK2EJT]

So the tri-band antenna is a quarter wave on 2 meters fully extended (as well as a quarter wave on 70 cm fully collapsed, a quarter wave on 1.25m four sections down, and 5/8 wave on 70 cm with two sections down), while the 2 meter half wave is.....well.....a half wavelength lol. The 2 meter halfwave is a mono band antenna. It *only* works on 2 meters, and *only* works fully extended. The tri-band works on 2m, 1.25m, and 70cm, depending on how long you have it adjusted. They can't really be compared though. The 2 meter half wave antenna is going to be the most efficient antenna you can get for your HT, so if it's range you're after, that's the antenna you want.