UHF Ariel

scoota · Veteran Member

UHF Ariel

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Bit hard to guess without details of the antennae and the radio. Is it 5W?
A bull bar is not an ideal mounting position. The car will produce a dead area. On the roof would be better. And what is around you? Trees and buildings will block reception. These frequencies are essentially line-of-site.
What frequencies are you listening on? Try an open scan.

I generally use small rubber 1dBa gain antennas mounted on the roof. They are suitable for the clearest short range (up to 10km) transmission and reception. I don't want to hear everyone within a 30km radius.
Cheers,
Peter

scoota · Veteran Member

Yes I believe it is 5 watts Ariel is stainless steel 630mm long with a sprung bottom. I to only want it more for upto 5 or 10kms just to talk with trickiest etc when on dirt tracks etc.

Possum3 · Guru

Magnetic base antennae would be the go similar to www.banggood.com/UT-106UV-Dual-Band-VHF+UHF-Magnetic-Vehicle-mounted-Antenna-UT-106-SMA-Female-for-BAOFENG-Nagoya-Two-Way-Radio-UV-5R-TG-UV2-p-1809345.html
I used to use one when changing several vehicles daily. they do as good a job as any fixed mount.

scoota · Veteran Member

Yes I believe it is 5 watts the Ariel is stainless steel 630mm long with a sprung bottom. I to only want it more for distances around 5 or 10kms just to talk with truckies etc when on dirt tracks or tight roads.

SoloMC · Senior Member

Be careful using magnetic based antenna.
Dust/sand gets in and you can get a lovely circular patch of sanded paintwork.
Place a sheet of plastic between the base and car

Mike Harding · Guru

I don't think your antenna is a UHF CB antenna.

UHF CB is at 477MHz which equates to 63cm wavelength, Likely antennas for that would be a half or 5/8 wavelength long.

Try your shorter antenna and/or buy a proper UHF CB one.

Also, as a test, you could cut a piece of stiff wire about 16cm long attaching it, somehow, to the central pin of the antenna connector and mounting it vertically.

Dick0 · Guru

scoota wrote:
Hi I just fitted my old Uniden UH 088 in the car. I had a existing Ariel and lead all set up that I found in my shed so installed that as per photo its is 630mm long. My Questions are Ive not heard much chatter on it, my wife held a small hand held one and we could talk to each other. I do live in the city though . Also I do have another Ariel laying next to it but I dont have the connections for that.
Whats any gurus thoughts? will what I have installed be good enough. If so what sort of range would one normally expect to pick up and talk to people.
Thanks
scoota

This may be the better way to go with a UHF CB Antenna. Great reception and transmission in my setup. Most setups seem to be this way.

scoota · Veteran Member

Re length are you saying if it was shorter it could work? If so Ill just cut it down. Is there a calculation.

Cheers

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

scoota wrote:
Re length are you saying if it was shorter it could work? If so Ill just cut it down. Is there a calculation.
Cheers

If you cut it it will be wrecked. They must be tuned accurately with an instrument.

A new short one will be under $20.

Cheers,

Peter

Mike Harding · Guru

If you have no other use for the antenna you may as well give it a go.

Initially try with a 5/8 antenna so as the wavelength at 477MHz is approximately 630mm cut the antenna so the the length of the vertical from where it connects to the socket on the end of the antenna cable is 400mm - this is a touch longer than 5/8. If it works cut another 5mm off. If it performs better cut another 5mm off then leave it alone.

If the above is no good cut it down to a quarter wave, so the vertical portion needs to be 160mm long. If it works, leave it alone.

If it doesn't work there is probably something wrong with your setup.

Let us know how you go.

Mike Harding · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
They must be tuned accurately with an instrument.

Not really and especially not on a UHF CB which will have foldback protection on the output stages.

Just find a station to receive and chop the antenna length for the loudest signal - it's useful to do this using scrap wire in order that when you have cut too far you can substitute the real antenna now knowing what length it needs to be.

We are not dealing with a high power sensitive transmitter here.

PeterD · Guru

With that coil on the bottom of the straight wire, I doubt that it would be suitable to cut down in length. Get yourself a suitable whip to suit your base, a base to suit the other whip or preferably a new complete antenna.

Mike Harding · Guru

The coil may help with the 5/8 trial Peter but it's very much a suck-it-and-see exercise but if he has no other use for the antenna he may as well try and if all else fails a bit of fencing wire cut to 160mm will do the job.

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

You mean aerial. I was wondering why you were attaching a gazelle to yoir car.

Long Weekend · Guru

A gazelle? I thought Ariel was a mermaid!

Murray

Mike Harding · Guru

The last Ariel I knew was a rather sexy dominatrix... but that's another story....

I rapidly hasten to add that our relationship was platonic and I don't think she knew anything about antennas :)

Possum3 · Guru

In the kingdom of Atlantica where music is forbidden, the youngest daughter of King Triton, named Ariel, discovers her love of an underground music club and sets off on a daring adventure to bring the restoration of music back to Atlantica.

Buzz Lightbulb · Guru

ariel: A kind of mountain gazelle native to the Middle East and North Africa. Those others mentioned are fictional, possibly even the dominatrix.

PeterD · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
The coil may help with the 5/8 trial Peter but it's very much a suck-it-and-see exercise but if he has no other use for the antenna he may as well try and if all else fails a bit of fencing wire cut to 160mm will do the job.

Having another, closer, look at the antenna, it looks more like a spring. The turns of the coil appear to be touching each other. There also looks to be something soldered to the bottom of the straight section, is this a length of braid that would short out the coil?

The antenna is of doubtful use to convert to a UHF antenna. Just put your hand in your pocket and purchase something that will be suitable from the start.

Mike Harding · Guru

Buzz Lightbulb wrote:
Those others mentioned are fictional, possibly even the dominatrix.

I strongly suspect she would have given you a run for your money you never expected.

Aaron · Veteran Member

Where abouts in QLD are you ??? just the nearest town - don't post your address here

PeterD · Guru

Where abouts in Old is who?

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

I think Aaron is asking what city, town that scoota lives in.
scoota, my advice would be to visit a dedicated radio communications shop & seek their advice about your aerials. While they "might" be UHF CB aerials, they could be the old 27Mhz or VHF aerials too.

PeterD might be able to assist once he gets himself re-orientated.

landy · Guru

scoota wrote:

Hi I just fitted my old Uniden UH 088 in the car. I had a existing Ariel and lead all set up that I found in my shed so installed that as per photo its is 630mm long. My Questions are Ive not heard much chatter on it, my wife held a small hand held one and we could talk to each other. I do live in the city though . Also I do have another Ariel laying next to it but I dont have the connections for that.
Whats any gurus thoughts? will what I have installed be good enough. If so what sort of range would one normally expect to pick up and talk to people.
Thanks
scoota

You may have already tried this but do you have a squelch control and is it turned low enough ( or is that high enough ) to allow in the weaker signals .
To see if your set up is working try going to channel 40 at a busy time of day and calling for a radio check.
If your being picked up someone will normally come back to you with your working mate or your working in Preston high street etc to give you an idea of distance.
Landy