Dual band ham antenna recommendations

[tacoclifford]

Hello OB community. I’m looking for any recommendations on a new 2m/70cm antenna that’s flexible. Sort of like a whip style that can bend under a limb and not break the antenna or mount.

Here’s the whole story behind this. I’m sure this isn’t much of a suprise but my antenna keeps hitting low hanging limbs and trees offroad. This is starting to cause some damage. I originally had my diamond 40” antenna mounted on a hood lip mount and suprise suprise, it caught a limb and bent my hood. I now have it mounted on a bracket attached to my hood brackets. But now I bent the antenna. So, I’m in the search of an antenna that is flexible enough to bend around limbs and things of that sort.

Thank you!

 

[RoarinRow]

I use a magnet antenna mount on the root. In my case, I could only image that the antenna would just bend back and disconnect from the root instead of break? Only problem or other problem is that it would hang from the cable until I pass the obstacle or temporarily mount it away from low hanging limbs? Maybe a magnet mount might also help in your situation?

 

[tacoclifford]

I use a magnet antenna mount on the root. In my case, I could only image that the antenna would just bend back and disconnect from the root instead of break? Only problem or other problem is that it would hang from the cable until I pass the obstacle or temporarily mount it away from low hanging limbs? Maybe a magnet mount might also help in your situation?

I thought of that. They tend to bend and then just pop off the roof and swing around on their cable

 

[RoarinRow]

I thought of that. They tend to bend and then just pop off the roof and swing around on their cable

Yes I'm assuming that would happen. In my case my Yakima wind faring is blocking my roof antennas, so this should reduce the chance if the antenna getting knocked off.

 

[tacoclifford]

I thought of that. They tend to bend and then just pop off the roof and swing around on their cable

Yes I'm assuming that would happen. In my case my Yakima wind faring is blocking my roof antennas, so this should reduce the chance if the antenna getting knocked off.

Before having a hard mounted gmrs antenna I had a magnet mount I would throw on there. Even a little 8 or 9 inch magnet mount antenna, it would get knocked off a few times in a day offroad

 

[Sparksalot]

I have an array of options, for my array. I typically mount the dual band on the right side midpoint mount with an NMO style. First pic is a full Larson NMO 2/70. Second is a clone put out by several companies, it’s 1/4 wave on 2m. Last pic, thecopcar on left, is a 4” stubbie. I carry all three and use the one which best fits the use and terrain at the time.

 

[velo47]

I have the COMET-NCG SS-680SBNMO. It has a spring in the base.

 

[Road]

I thought of that. They tend to bend and then just pop off the roof and swing around on their cable

.
I use a couple magnetic mount antennae. I had my CB antenna cable running through the passenger door weather stripping and back to the radio.

I was going through a parking garage once where I knew I had just enough clearance. One of the roof beams was a tad lower and it knocked my CB magnetic antenna loose. As I drove through the garage I could hear it roll on the roof, then watched as it dropped past my passenger window and stuck firmly to the door with the antenna sticking straight out sideways. I'd pass the occasional ceiling support pillar and the antenna would go "boinggg, boinggggg!"

I was laughing so hard I almost pissed myself, as I saw the looks from folks walking back to their cars as they turned their heads to the sound, then saw my antenna sticking straight out from the door. They looked like a bunch of puzzled puppies, tilting their heads with confused looks and mouthing "What the holy ****? Why the hell does he have an antenna on the door?"
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I have the COMET-NCG SS-680SBNMO. It has a spring in the base.

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Spring bases are great for that sort of thing. I keep my weBoost antenna on a magnetic spring base I bought at a truck stop somewhere.
.

 

[slomatt]

I run a Tram 1181 which is fairly flexible and inexpensive enough that if I break it I won't be too bummed.

 

[El-Dracho]

I have a Diamond NR770HB. It is bendable to a certain degree but not really flexible (however, I have o problems with that) and can be folded at the antenna base. Have seen that there is also a version of it with a spring directly above the coil (NR770HSP), which should be more flexible.

 

[tacoclifford]

I have the COMET-NCG SS-680SBNMO. It has a spring in the base.

For some reason I never thought of a spring. I may have to try that. Thank you

 

[94Cruiser]

I was looking for the same thing, but had a hard time finding it. I finally settled on this, it's a Comet.

It is not flexible, but it is designed to bend when you pull it straight up and over.

I find this very helpful when I am loading up my kayaks.

Good luck with that search!

 

[94Cruiser]

The problem with a spring is I think it might mess with your SWR

 

[axlesandantennas]

The problem with a spring is I think it might mess with your SWR

If it is added on afterwards, the way many will do with a CB antenna, it will. However, if it is integrated into the antenna as part of the design, then it should be of no issue.

 

[axlesandantennas]

Hello OB community. I’m looking for any recommendations on a new 2m/70cm antenna that’s flexible. Sort of like a whip style that can bend under a limb and not break the antenna or mount.

Here’s the whole story behind this. I’m sure this isn’t much of a suprise but my antenna keeps hitting low hanging limbs and trees offroad. This is starting to cause some damage. I originally had my diamond 40” antenna mounted on a hood lip mount and suprise suprise, it caught a limb and bent my hood. I now have it mounted on a bracket attached to my hood brackets. But now I bent the antenna. So, I’m in the search of an antenna that is flexible enough to bend around limbs and things of that sort.

Thank you!

Here is a video of a radio and antenna install I did for a customer last week or so. We mounted a Comet SS680SB onto a Comet RS730 mount. It's a really good combo that has good tune range and dual band as you requested. The nice thing about the mount is that is is foldable. See the big knob in the link I am including? If you make it just barely tight enough to stay upright, a branch hitting your antenna should knock it down without damage. I install quite a few of those and they are made to go just about anywhere on a vehicle.

Mount: Comet Antennas RS-730 Comet RS-730 Mobile Antenna Adjustable Lip Mounts | DX Engineering
Antenna: Comet Antennas SS-680SB Comet Mobile VHF/UHF Vertical Antennas | DX Engineering
Youtube: (I talk about the antenna at 2:05)

 

[tacoclifford]

Hello OB community. I’m looking for any recommendations on a new 2m/70cm antenna that’s flexible. Sort of like a whip style that can bend under a limb and not break the antenna or mount.

Here’s the whole story behind this. I’m sure this isn’t much of a suprise but my antenna keeps hitting low hanging limbs and trees offroad. This is starting to cause some damage. I originally had my diamond 40” antenna mounted on a hood lip mount and suprise suprise, it caught a limb and bent my hood. I now have it mounted on a bracket attached to my hood brackets. But now I bent the antenna. So, I’m in the search of an antenna that is flexible enough to bend around limbs and things of that sort.

Thank you!

Here is a video of a radio and antenna install I did for a customer last week or so. We mounted a Comet SS680SB onto a Comet RS730 mount. It's a really good combo that has good tune range and dual band as you requested. The nice thing about the mount is that is is foldable. See the big knob in the link I am including? If you make it just barely tight enough to stay upright, a branch hitting your antenna should knock it down without damage. I install quite a few of those and they are made to go just about anywhere on a vehicle.

Mount: Comet Antennas RS-730 Comet RS-730 Mobile Antenna Adjustable Lip Mounts | DX Engineering
Antenna: Comet Antennas SS-680SB Comet Mobile VHF/UHF Vertical Antennas | DX Engineering
Youtube: (I talk about the antenna at 2:05)

It seems like that’s the antenna I may go with. The spring is a good feature.

 

[Prerunner1982]

That must be one rigid antenna. I have run both the Browning BR-180-b dual band antenna and the Larsen NMO150-b 2m antenna on both the roof and the front fender with no issues and they get smacked against trees daily. If there was a large branch right at roof level I may have an issue but smaller branches haven't been a problem.
I also run a Browning BR-140 CB antenna on the fender, a Tram 1181 on the roof for GMRS, and a 102" whip. Since the Tram is the smallest it is quite a bit more rigid than the others, I left it on the roof going into a parking garage and it scrapped the concrete support beams but other than losing some paint it was fine. All the other antennas are very flexible stainless whips and if you are mounting it on the front fender it will have no problem bending over much lower than the roof line. If you have a branch that is low enough to break the antenna at the base while mounted on the fender I would be worried about breaking the windshield.
One thing I didn't like about the Browning dual band was the enclosed coil in the middle of the antenna that caused it to whip around a little more due to the weight. The Larsen 2/70 has an open coil though that could get caught on branches so pick your poison I guess.
Since 2m is my primary I went with 2m antennas without coils but carry a Browning dual band antenna just in case I need 70cm.

 

[Downs]

Don't try to make one antenna cover all of your needs. Antennas take up very little space. On my XJ I keep my extra antennas on the floor next to the driver and passenger seats. Not to mention different gain antennas can do different jobs for you based on your terrain. I keep both high and low gain antennas in the Jeep. Normally I just run my high gain antennas since where I live is relativly flat. But when I go up and head into the National Forests I swap on my lower gain antennas, this typically means a much shorter antenna less likely to be caught on trees and whatnot but also better performance in rough terrain.

 

[Boort]

Hello OB community. I’m looking for any recommendations on a new 2m/70cm antenna that’s flexible. Sort of like a whip style that can bend under a limb and not break the antenna or mount.

@tacoclifford

I have not used it but what about the Super-Elastic Signal Stalk from Signalstuff (Super-Elastic Signal Stalk) I've heard nothing but good things about their HT antennas. and This comes with a lifetime warranty.

Boort

 

[M Rose]

The problem with a spring is I think it might mess with your SWR

You trim the antenna base to account for the length of the spring to bring the SWRs back into specs. I’m running two 108” SS whips trimmed for 10m and CB on 8” springs. my 2m antenna is a modified Lil-Will magnet mount with a 4” spring. The Lil-Will has been in my roof for 8 years and I haven’t knocked it off yet. I hear it rolling around from time to time, but never has it come off.