PMR range doubling tip for UV5R type HTs

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(14 August 2012, 09:11)Paul Wrote: Good reasons for extending aerial length but I always worry about bolt on telescopic goodies not specifically designed for that particular gear. Two reasons.

How can you tell it's providing a good SWR for the transmitter?
Handheld twigs are notoriously hard to tune effectively unless the rig has a built in SWR meter and the bigger the twig the more it's surroundings ( i.e. YOU) affect it's SWR.

Then, especially if there is exposed metal and you're transmitting, one flick against a metal fence, live wire, or something like that and the output transistor could go pop.

Now if your lucky the receiver still works, or not.

What you say is correct Paul.

That's why I'm sharing this information here. I've tested the antennas in question and they appear to be giving correct SWR to the transceivers..... so far so good and no destroyed output transistors. Of course there could be variences between individual antennas, but that's the same even with high end gear. I guess the logic here is to get the extra antennas and test them straight away while replacement equipment is still available.

By the way, it appears that the Thailand based supplier does SWR his antennas as part of the manufacturing process.

You make a very good point about metal antennas coming into contact with metalic wires and other metalic structured. In contact these will become part of the antenna and so detune the whole system with potentially damaging results.

WARNING: DO NOT LET ANTENNAS TOUCH METAL OBJECTS WHEN TRANSMITTING!