More money I could have saved but I am a rookie.
I bought a Comet SSB Single Mag mount to use as an indoor unit. It works great on a tall file cabinet on my 2nd floor office. $100+ and I was happy.
I had been hearing about a 2 meter vertical antenna called the Duck Buster, made by a local fellow, Dave WA4AIW in the NC mountains. I arranged to meet Dave at the Hamfest. We hooked up the antenna compared it to my Diamond "enhanced" rubber duck. It would not move the signal meter, and the Duck Buster pegged the thing. I bought one for me and one as a gift for my buddy that's ready to get his ticket.
Amazing. I am picking up 4 more repeaters that my indoor OR mobile Comet 790A would not touch, USING my HT. One repeater is 60 miles away. I hooked it up to my old Icom 225H base unit and all of the far away repeaters compared my signal to high dollar rigs with towers. I still have note hooked the thing up outdoors yet. I ordered 2 more today, one for my barn & deck. Dave sells the entire antenna so cheap there is no need toting antennas around.
The antenna is a short vertical antenna. You can buy the antenna alone (all coax & ladder wire with the connector. It has a connector on the end with a loop. I hung mine on the molding around the ceiling with a Map pin, since it's so light. It coils up to 6". Perfect for a Go Bag.
He offers a 3 piece mast, all plastic. The mast is 54" assembled. It sets on a 4" diameter base, and can be broken down to 3 inches. You attach the antenna to the mast with 4 small Cable ties. NO ground plane needed. I used it on m kitchen table, and on my picnic table, just move it to get the best signal.
I made a few pictures for Dave. His email is wa4aiw@gmail.com. Contact Dave for details, and he will ship.
I have NO financial interest in this. Thought many of you would be interested in a dirt cheap antenna that works better than my $100 & $150 antennas.
I bought a Comet SSB Single Mag mount to use as an indoor unit. It works great on a tall file cabinet on my 2nd floor office. $100+ and I was happy.
I had been hearing about a 2 meter vertical antenna called the Duck Buster, made by a local fellow, Dave WA4AIW in the NC mountains. I arranged to meet Dave at the Hamfest. We hooked up the antenna compared it to my Diamond "enhanced" rubber duck. It would not move the signal meter, and the Duck Buster pegged the thing. I bought one for me and one as a gift for my buddy that's ready to get his ticket.
Amazing. I am picking up 4 more repeaters that my indoor OR mobile Comet 790A would not touch, USING my HT. One repeater is 60 miles away. I hooked it up to my old Icom 225H base unit and all of the far away repeaters compared my signal to high dollar rigs with towers. I still have note hooked the thing up outdoors yet. I ordered 2 more today, one for my barn & deck. Dave sells the entire antenna so cheap there is no need toting antennas around.
The antenna is a short vertical antenna. You can buy the antenna alone (all coax & ladder wire with the connector. It has a connector on the end with a loop. I hung mine on the molding around the ceiling with a Map pin, since it's so light. It coils up to 6". Perfect for a Go Bag.
He offers a 3 piece mast, all plastic. The mast is 54" assembled. It sets on a 4" diameter base, and can be broken down to 3 inches. You attach the antenna to the mast with 4 small Cable ties. NO ground plane needed. I used it on m kitchen table, and on my picnic table, just move it to get the best signal.
I made a few pictures for Dave. His email is wa4aiw@gmail.com. Contact Dave for details, and he will ship.
I have NO financial interest in this. Thought many of you would be interested in a dirt cheap antenna that works better than my $100 & $150 antennas.