Author Topic: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?  (Read 1148 times)

primitive

Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« on: February 26, 2020, 01:54:51 PM »
Wondering if anyone can recommend a particular make/model of roll-up style J-pole antenna that could be used to maximize the range of a basic radio like the UV5R? Or any other type of antenna that would be good for that purpose. Here are a couple options I've found, but I don't really know anything about this stuff:

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-1730 Mentioned in a previous post

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DELUXE-MODEL-ROLL-UP-2M-70CM-ROLL-UP-J-POLE-SLIM-JIM-ANTENNA-WITH-10FT-COAX-/190898779511 There were a couple videos about this one on Youtube.



Country Singer

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2020, 03:01:42 PM »
I have a couple of the ebay model, it works well.  In fact, I need to order a few more so that I have the SMA male connectors for some of my other handhelds.
“Our country demands all our strength, all our energies. To resist the powerful combination now forming against us will require every man at his place.
If victorious, we will have everything to hope for in the future. If defeated, nothing will be left for us to live for.”

RWS

  • Bugged Out
  • *****
  • Posts: 2803
  • Total likes: 1738
  • It's Weird being the same age as old people
Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2020, 03:40:27 PM »
MFJ  makes a nice 2 meter roll up.  I keep one in my camper.  Throw a line over a tree limb and pull it up.  Works great!  Has BNC connector.

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-1730

primitive

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2020, 05:37:18 PM »
@RWS: Is the 2 meter the version the one you would want for getting the most range out of the UV5R? I guess I would need an adapter to go from BNC to the UV5R?

@Country Singer: Is the default SMA female the version I would want for the UV5R? Could you use an adapter to go to male, or do you lose gain with adapters?

@anyone: Do you think getting a dedicated 2M antenna from MFJ would be superior to the 2M/70cm ebay version, or are they effectively the same thing? I guess I should probably get one of each and see how it goes. I'm just on a budget.

Thanks for the help!

RWS

  • Bugged Out
  • *****
  • Posts: 2803
  • Total likes: 1738
  • It's Weird being the same age as old people
Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2020, 06:10:38 PM »
@RWS: Is the 2 meter the version the one you would want for getting the most range out of the UV5R? I guess I would need an adapter to go from BNC to the UV5R?

If you could find a roll up in dual band then that would be ideal.  Use hat ever adapter is needed.  It's the j-pole that makes the antenna work good.  I am not familiar with a dual band j-pole.

Country Singer

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2020, 07:40:27 PM »
@Country Singer: Is the default SMA female the version I would want for the UV5R? Could you use an adapter to go to male, or do you lose gain with adapters?

@anyone: Do you think getting a dedicated 2M antenna from MFJ would be superior to the 2M/70cm ebay version, or are they effectively the same thing? I guess I should probably get one of each and see how it goes. I'm just on a budget.

Thanks for the help!

Yes, the female version fits the UV5R.  You can get an adapter to go to male if you need, and it shouldn't hurt anything gain-wise.  I just see an SMA adapter as a very small piece of gear that I'd be prone to dropping and losing in a field environment.
I'd go with the dual band to optimize the full frequency range of a 70cm/2M radio.
“Our country demands all our strength, all our energies. To resist the powerful combination now forming against us will require every man at his place.
If victorious, we will have everything to hope for in the future. If defeated, nothing will be left for us to live for.”

primitive

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2020, 09:11:05 PM »
Thank you all for the advice.

cope

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2020, 11:06:55 AM »
This is the goto guy. MFJ isn't made as well as this guys. I have both. N9TAX is better made.

http://www.n9tax.com/Slim%20Jim%20Info.html

primitive

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2020, 01:11:30 PM »
Thank you, I'll check it out.

elandil

Re: Roll-up J-Pole Antenna Recommendations?
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2020, 06:49:17 PM »
I was thinking about this at the HAMfest last weekend.... Talk about serendipity  :D
http://www.georgiacarry.org Member and Recruiter

 Lord if today is truly the day that You call me home, let me die in a pile of brass.

KM4CUY

R-1

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal