A better VHF radio

[Teth-Air]

The price definitely looks better. I would like to run of those for a weekend to see if they are as reliable, and have the same reach. We have run with a few groups with Boafang with mixed results. Some seem to work great, and some not so great.

I have tested several Baofengs. They are a decent little radio for the price. The antennas available for them are not equal though. There are fake Nagoya antennas that generally do not work as well as the authentic Nagoya. Do your homework, if it is too cheap it may not work well on all frequencies.

 

[X-it]

I will let you know how this swr meter works ..if it ever gets here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EbbMgfiL4Q

 

[skegpro]

I have tested several Baofengs. They are a decent little radio for the price. The antennas available for them are not equal though. There are fake Nagoya antennas that generally do not work as well as the authentic Nagoya. Do your homework, if it is too cheap it may not work well on all frequencies.

Diamond +6db or bust

 

[X-it]

I will have to admit that that stubby antenna my wife was using on a 5watt uv-5r was pretty impressive shooting through two house walls and communicating with my zastone 9k away. Now which one was it out of the 15 different ones i ordered? Kinnot makes a telescopic antenna that sure pulls in those fm channels in the boonies. I should have kept track of all the antennas i bought over the years and rated them. Nothing much to add to this, but maybe with the swr meter i might be able to add some quality stuff you guys want checked out. Where did you buy your diamond at skegpro?

 

[skegpro]

https://www.diamondantenna.net/Product_Catalog/HT.html

https://www.radioworld.ca/diamond-antenna-srj77ca

 

[X-it]

Have you been into GPS central in calgary? I see they have them for 28 dollars, a few handhelds as well but pretty expensive.

 

[Teth-Air]

I will let you know how this swr meter works ..if it ever gets here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EbbMgfiL4Q

Mine showed up about a month ago. What I realized is that for the power measurement you need a dummy load too as a less then perfect antenna throws out the measurement.

 

[Teth-Air]

Not the greatest for sledding as they are long and could work on the connector but I got 2 of these and the swr readings for both UHF and VHF are super low, very close to 1. I am building a mountain top repeater using one installed inside an ABS pipe. It is 2" diameter for the antenna and 4" for the radio/solar controller/and ultra-capacitor.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08FTBRZ7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also when using the SWR meter to evaluate an antenna try it at the extremes of the 2 frequency bands. Some antennas are only good near one frequency and terrible at others.

 

[X-it]

I got one of those around 2years back it is an abbree if i remember right. One guy said the 42 inch one is unbelievably good.

 

[X-it]

My antenna supply is down a bit but i still had a few to test, only one was below 1.5 on the meter the one farthest left. The next 3 were above 2.0 then it started to sky rocket. Anyone wanting an exact measurement just give me a number from the left.

 

[X-it]

 

[RGM]

I am sure you know that the SWR will totally depend on the frequency you use for testing.

 

[X-it]

Dam i found some more antennas, to lazy to take pictures and put them one here. One of them came in better that the RH 771s it beat the nagoya hands downs the retevis 771 came in at 1.1 to 1.2 amazing

 

[NoBrakes!]

Which one do I buy for my UV-5R... ill spend the 35$ and have that prick out the top of my pack..

I looked at radioworld or through Diamond... no Alberta dealers?

 

[X-it]

I thought gps central had them. I was thinking of ordering one and testing it. I have to clarify the retevis it is a 771 with a male end i have a lot of radios that take the male antenna. The retevis 701 did not fair out so well.

 

[X-it]

https://www.gpscentral.ca/accessories/diamond_antenna/SRH77CA.html

 

[X-it]

Which one do I buy for my UV-5R... ill spend the 35$ and have that prick out the top of my pack..

I looked at radioworld or through Diamond... no Alberta dealers?

I was doing some warranty work for a logging truck driver, he showed me one of his rubber ducky antenna said he got unreal range with it. It was 2 inches long and folded over like a piece of rubber. I order 3 as close to it as i could find. I will let you know how that pans out in about 1 month from now.

 

[skegpro]

https://www.gpscentral.ca/accessories/diamond_antenna/SRH77CA.html

Wouldn't h need the SRJ77CA?

The uv-5r the male sma is on the radio so the antenna would need to be female.

 

[X-it]

Yes he would need a female, i would love to test your diamond antenna. Of coarse there were a lot of antennas i do not have anymore that i would have loved to tested as well... not going to happen though. I have a lot more antennas coming though.

 

[skegpro]

Which one do I buy for my UV-5R... ill spend the 35$ and have that prick out the top of my pack..

I looked at radioworld or through Diamond... no Alberta dealers?

https://www.radioworld.ca/diamond-antenna-srj77ca

Gps central doesn't seem to stock the one you need.