[VHFcontesting] Looking for a good VHF/UHF rover antenna

[jcplatt1 at mmm.com]

This might not be at all reasonable; I don't know about this antenna, but
Tennadyne (http://www.tennadyne.com/specs&prices.htm) has a log periodic
good from 6m to 23cm, on a 12 foot boom.  The tradeoff of course is gain,
about 6dB they say.  But it is one antenna, covering 6 bands.

I'm curious what folks think of this.  6dB at 1296 scares me--but then
again
it would allow for a small rover to cover the most common VHF bands.

--STeve Andre'
wb8wsf  en82


Hi Steve.

Yes, its nice to have just one antenna but it may be a less than optimum
compromise.    A 12' boom is fairly big for roving, especially for only 6
dB.

Going the single band looper route, on 1296 a 3' boom provides 15 dBi while
a 6' boom provides 17 dBi.    These end mount designs will go down the road
at 70 mph no problem.

In my humble opinion short boom yagis/loopers with boom lengths of three to
six feet will beat the snot out of any log periodic or stack of omni loops
and they are not overly difficult to mount on a rover.   In addition their
pattern's are relatively broad so aiming is not overly difficult, even at
1296.   Another choice is the "cheap yagi" designs.   The cheap yagis are
inexpensive to build and work well (high performace to cost ratio).

73, Jon
W0ZQ