Base setup

[Jonc]

I am new to this still so Im sorry if I dont sound too smart. I am thinking of setting up a VHF radio at my house to talk to different trucks(friends) around my town. I found an antenna on ebay for $52 and wasnt sure if it was a decent antenna for the price. The antenna will be ontop of a 10ft pole on the very top peak of my roof. Also can anyone help me out with finding an SWR meter that isnt too pricey?
Ebay antenna:
VHF BASE STATION ANTENNA HAM BUSINESS COMMERCIAL | eBay

Does anyone have any feed back on this antenna or has anyone ever used this?
Thank You

Im in the town of Oxnard, CA. Anyone else anywhere near me?

 

[wa4gch]

I am new to this still so Im sorry if I dont sound too smart. I am thinking of setting up a VHF radio at my house to talk to different trucks(friends) around my town. I found an antenna on ebay for $52 and wasnt sure if it was a decent antenna for the price. The antenna will be ontop of a 10ft pole on the very top peak of my roof. Also can anyone help me out with finding an SWR meter that isnt too pricey?
Ebay antenna:
VHF BASE STATION ANTENNA HAM BUSINESS COMMERCIAL | eBay

Does anyone have any feed back on this antenna or has anyone ever used this?
Thank You


Im in the town of Oxnard, CA. Anyone else anywhere near me?

It is like the JETSTREAM JTB5 antennas sold by R&L Electronics .... I have had several of them they work well.

R&L Electronics

my old one liiked like this ... it is the one to the back and on the right ...

 

[Quiksilver]

What frequency are you planning on using the SWR meter. You may be hard pressed to find one that covers HF & VHF/UHF. A MFJ 259B analyzer would be a good choice, but not cheap...
JMO...

 

[wa4gch]

What frequency are you planning on using the SWR meter. You may be hard pressed to find one that covers HF & VHF/UHF. A MFJ 259B analyzer would be a good choice, but not cheap...
JMO...

My meter does

It covers 1.5 to 450 mhz abd is sold by R&L Electronics

 

[FatHam]

Consider this one...

DUAL BAND BASE ANTENNA 144/440-2M/70CM-6/8 db-UVS-200 JTB2 1480 FREE SHIPPING | eBay

$59 delivered and it's dual band.

I've had this antenna up for about 6 months and it works great on both 2m & 440. I originally bought it in the name of cheap, thinking I'd step up later, but I've really found no need to. It hits any repeater I want to hit on 30W. It's only about 20' (at it's base) off the ground. SWR is under 1.5:1 across 2m and is anywhere between 1.2:1 - 1.8:1 on 440.

I got a Diamond dual band SWR/Power meter at HRO for about $60.

 

[Jonc]

Thank for the info guys. I dont plan on using it in the 440Mhz. mainly just 151.700 is what we'll be running. and up or down a few.. Im not looking for any crazy meter just one that'll give me a good reading so i know im not damaging the radio or anything else..

 

[W5LZ]

"...mainly just 151.700 is what we'll be running..."
Then I would suggest getting a radio approved for that band, not an amateur radio. The only reasonably priced one that I've had any experience with is one of the 'Wouxun's, an HT. As for an antenna, you could probably cut down an amateur 2 meter band antenna and have it do just fine.
- 'Doc