Nelson Antennas 2m rollup antenna review
Review of the smallest portable 2m antenna on the market producing full size dipole performance and stows into your pocket.
2m
Articles including references to the 2m VHF amateur radio band.
Diamond Antenna NR770HBNMO with K515SNMO mobile antenna review
After three years of mobile operation, I review the Diamond Antenna NR770HBNMO with appropriate K515SNMO mount including pattern measurements.
Roof-racking VHF antennas on SUV
Thule roof rails increased my VHF antenna mounting options on my Subaru Forester.
BOB, the battery operated “beacon” for APRS
I built a prototype APRS beacon, dubbed Thor Hammer (big), to test back-packable APRS 2m beacon concepts.
Not all mobile antennas are the same
Mobile antennas have been around for decades, but assuming they perform the same is, sadly, a poor assumption as this comparison of Laird and Larsen VHF NMO EFHW aerials reveals.
Antenna radiator decoupling stub flub?
Measurements and analysis suggest why quarter-wave stubs fail to completely isolate radiator conductors on multi-band antennas including the popular rollup 2m/440 J-Pole products. Possible improvements are shown.
EFHW HT antenna functions without additional counterpoise
EIRP measurements of the 2m end-fed half-wave HT antenna from MFJ aids understanding a dipole is a dipole no matter where you feed it.
When antenna tilt matters
We test a popular VHF/UHF dual band antenna at various angles to reveal antenna tilt on a vehicle matters only in certain circumstances.
Diamond NR770HBNMO vs. Comet M-24M
The Diamond Antenna NR770HBNMO paired with their K515S insulated luggage rack mount provides measurable and observable upgrade for my 2015 Subaru Forester 2m/440 mobile.
Radials mitigate feedline and mast currents, tests reveal
Antenna patterns from a Diamond X50NA reveal how radials of proper size mitigate current running down the feedline and mounting structure.
Passing ARRL Field Day messages the easy way with packet radio
Here is a video of a Virginia amateur radio group passing field day bonus point messages off site using packet radio.
The limits of aluminum antenna tubing
Aluminum comes in varying grades and the Diamond Antenna CP22E demonstrates why not all aluminum is created equal.
Low profile 2m/440 mobile installation
Video showcases a nice, clean, professional installation of a 2m/440 transceiver into Hyundai sedan.
Runt radials
Antennas shipping with ineffective antenna decoupling are on the rise as manufacturers daringly advocate 1/12 wave radials work.
Diamond CP22E Antenna Review
Despite some antenna gain hype, the Diamond Antenna CP22E 2m base station antenna is a remarkable design achieving 5 dBi directivity in a slim low-profile design.
KX4O 1B-Battery VA Field Day 2015
Despite a weak battery and few contacts, our 1B-Battery effort verifies a 40m small-loop and packet-radio NTS messaging using quick deploy antennas.
Diamond X50 Antenna Measurements
I measured the SWR and Return Loss of a loaner Diamond X50 antenna.
Repeaters, Antennas & Trigonometry
You need an antenna with energy at high take off angles to hit the hill top repeaters… right? Well, not likely. Let’s review the details and do the math to understand what’s needed for VHF terrestrial radio communication.
Baofeng UV-5R HT – Low Cost, High Value
The Baofeng UV-5R provides modest quality with a low price yielding high value. This HT can literally be a Christmas stocking stuffer.
EME on a Budget – Part 3
Moonbounce for the rest of us, part 3 of 3, introduces first steps to take in 144 MHz EME operation.
EME on a Budget – Part 2
Moonbounce for the rest of us, part 2 of 3, showcases a basic 144 MHz EME station including equipment costs.
EME on a Budget – Part 1
Moonbounce for the rest of us, part 1 of 3, introduces EME and highlights operational basics and propagation.
Of Horses and Hams
One example of how amateur radio provides safety and service to the pubic providing otherwise impossible communications using the “Magic Band.”
SWR of Several Mobile Antennas
I had occasion to test four popular amateur radio mobile antennas. Here are the results of SWR and Return Loss of a Diamond SG7900ANMO, Larsen NMO 2/70, Cushcraft CS-270M and Laird QW144.