HI Richard, glad to see lots of remarks from folks on the list. I'll add mine as an alternative to egg beaters...
I think an underappreciated antenna of good value is the dual band ground plane from Arrow:
Specifically this one:
$85.00 GP146/440 - 1/4 Wave Ground Plane - (2 Meter) - (70cm OSJ) (FREE U.S. SHIPPING)
Now, put that up outside with a single run of good coax. Dual band, full duplex!
If needed you can add this dual band, VOX capable preamp:
SSB-Electronic GmbH 1032
DBA 270 Duo-Band-Preamp. 2m + 70cm
HRO Discount Price: $289.95*
A BIG negative---if you install the preamp, I don't see how to do full duplex, which we really should use on the birds. Some like Greencube didn't need full duplex. It's rare of course.
Single coax run, nothing moves, hard to break---of course no gain, but you know what? It's better than nothing. I use this for my omni SDR receiving station. I could print some packets from Greencube, and can print AO-73 when telemetry power is up. Not good enough to print MO-122 frames--wondering if that might change when the leaves drop.
Without the preamp, I've used the Arrow dual band ground plane to work Fox birds---yes, full duplex!
Another configuration---get two ground planes, two coax runs, and use one on 2M and one on 70cm. Might only need a preamp on the 70cm side.
And always remember---a good compromise should leave no one happy :)
73,
Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]
AMSAT Director and Command Station
Now that I’ve diagnosed that my AZ rotor has failed I’m wondering, at age 75, if I shouldn’t begin to make life a little easier. We do have a one story house but getting up and down from the roof and managing large antennas is getting more challenging and probably dangerous for me.
I have an old pair of eggbeaters in the garage and I’m wondering if anyone has had any experience in using them, or something else, in an attic? This would make satellite operation more manageable for me, shorten my coax run and put me in a position of not having to find younger club members to help, and those are few and far between!
73
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