Amatuer Band Antennas - need help choosing

[bangers]

Hi guys...
quite a interesting site you got here
hoping a few of yas can help me
im new to amatuer radio wondering if you could reccommend a decent antenna
my budget is around 300 dollars
at the moment im tossing up between
1. COL6-435 Ground Independent 70cm Base Antenna
2500mm 6dBd 98" long ground independent 70cm antenna for $200.00
2. Comet GP3
any users got/used these antennas and where they any good?

cant really seem to find any sites that have antenna comparisions... which would be helpful

thanks

[VK6ZMS]

Hi mate
What bands do you want the antenna to cover ?

Also eham is a site for reviews

http://www.eham.net/reviews/

[meg]

my budget is around 300 dollars
at the moment im tossing up between
1. COL6-435 Ground Independent 70cm Base Antenna
2500mm 6dBd 98" long ground independent 70cm antenna for $200.00

I can't find anything on this one - is it just 70cm? Do you want a dual band?

2. Comet GP3

This has similar specs to the antenna I have for my base, a Diamond X50. The Diamond sells for ~ $120, so you'd have plenty of change from your $300! Sorry that I don't know the Comet antennas at all, though others on here have them, I'm sure they'll chime in

[bangers]

Both 2m and 70cm
Dont know much about these things yet but
i know i have a 2m repeater around my area (chapman hill) and i think there is a proposed 70cm going up as well
So i gather it will best to use the 144Mhz band
I will mainly use the radio to report back to the farm when im around 10-20kms out in the forest...
and of course to hopefully learn a great deal more and meet new people
the X-510M/N for $299.00 seems to have decent gains

[meg]

OK, 144Mhz is the 2m band, if there's already a 2m repeater in your area (how far away?), you might be using your handheld via the repeater back to your base, or you might be using simplex.

Using the X50 I can do about 20kms via simplex, but I'm on top of a hill. What are your sight lines like - between the forest and your house, and also from both locations to the 2m repeater?

Having read your thread on Whirlpool http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-re ... ?t=1155183, I'd suggest go get your Foundation license first, you'll have a much better understanding of what you'll need for your particular location then It's easy to do, and there might still be spaces on the course running in Mt Barker weekend after this one http://warsug.info/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5582, but I'd suggest getting in touch with them soon

Also don't forget that the person back at the base will also need an amateur license, not just you!

edit: curse my rotten geography - Ham College might be closer for you to do the Foundation Course - it's in Perth
http://hamcollege.com.au

[bangers]

yeh im studying up....takes me back to year 11 physics
unfortunately i wont be able to make the mt barker one...as i will be back at work in boddington for 2 weeks on tues
shame they dont run a online course or seomthing ...

i really dont know where the repeater and how far away it is...
all i know is its in the chapman hill area
as for the sight lines from my place to the forest..... umm not that great unless i get it pretty high
and yeh im not sure on the repeater line of sight as i dunno where it is

[VK6ZMS]

Both 2m and 70cm
Dont know much about these things yet but
i know i have a 2m repeater around my area (chapman hill) and i think there is a proposed 70cm going up as well
So i gather it will best to use the 144Mhz band
I will mainly use the radio to report back to the farm when im around 10-20kms out in the forest...
and of course to hopefully learn a great deal more and meet new people
the X-510M/N for $299.00 seems to have decent gains

Hi mate
There are two 2 meter repeaters near you. VK6RBN on 147.350 MHz thats near Busselton and VK6RBY 146.650 MHz on the scarp overlooking Harvey.
I believe the Harvey 70cm repeater will be on air soon on 438.650 MHz

The Diamond X-510 should suit your needs nicely but make sure you mount it as high as you can and use the thicker RG 213 co-ax.

As meg said everyone needs a license as the penalties can be steep. Even having amateur radios in your possession and not having a license can get you into trouble.

[bangers]

yeh im keen to get licensed up and even got a cool callsign in mind hhaha
once im licensed up and everything would it matter what frequency i transmit on in terms of getting the best possible transmission across to the base back home?
would i be able transmit on the 147.350 busselton repeater frequency or is that not allowed?
Does the cable come free? I gather not .... how much length of cable is necessary u reckon if im going to mount it at a suitable height?

[VK6ZMS]

The cable isn't free.
As a foundation station you can use all of the 2 meter band. Just to talk to your house from nearby you wouldn't need the repeater just pick a simplex frequency.
As for antenna height/ cable length that depends on how high your house is above sea level and how high the nearby hills are above sea level. Turn on the terrain option in Google Earth to find this out.

[VK6ZMS]

Also this book contains the information you need for the foundation license.

http://www.wia.org.au/licences/foundati ... ionmanual/

[bangers]

I shouldnt need the book hey? plenty of online resources to help me out.
I found my place on google earth and it said it had the elevation of 345 Ft and then i found the forestry down the road and it had varied elevation of 370-500 Ft
so how do i work out from that how high i need my antenna?

[Nick]

You cannot talk back to home unless the person there has an amateur license as well

[meg]

I shouldnt need the book hey? plenty of online resources to help me out.

There are plenty of online resources, but reading through the Foundation book will help you to understand them, and figure out the things you need to know - if you start looking generally on the net for info on "amateur radio" you'll suffer complete information overload.

Reading the book and doing the course will give you the knowledge you need to find out what you need to know, as well as the knowledge you'll need to get your license.

[Blinky]

sounds like bangers needs these http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.store ... View/D1764

[bangers]

You cannot talk back to home unless the person there has an amateur license as well

yeh mate i already know....megs told me that.

I have just purchased the book off the WIA bookshop.
I hope it covers a lot more than just foundation level.
megs yeh i was just specifically looking at hamtestonline.com

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