ANTENNAS.US QFH Satellite Antennas?
Hi,
I was looking for something on QFHs, and found an interesting set of antennas.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ougah8b
They donated an antenna to the AMSAT Symposium 2-3 years ago, but I have never heard one in use that I know of. Anybody use them, or know someone who has?
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
-----------------------------------
Keep Calm and Carry On
Alan, I have owned the 440 one for several years. Very well made. A sealed unit. Can't tx through them but as I recall, they make a version that will handle 5-10w of tx. I never noticed any better performance than my Elk on a rotor. They would be very conducive to mounting on a car/truck roof if you are into that (or looking for a quick divorce!) I have the 440 one up as a rx only for a separate radio.
73, Ted K7TRK
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Alan Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 11:51 AM To: AMSAT-BB Cc: CC Subject: [amsat-bb] ANTENNAS.US QFH Satellite Antennas?
Hi,
I was looking for something on QFHs, and found an interesting set of antennas.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ougah8b
They donated an antenna to the AMSAT Symposium 2-3 years ago, but I have never heard one in use that I know of. Anybody use them, or know someone who has?
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
-----------------------------------
Keep Calm and Carry On
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Ted,
Thanks for the feedback, and the picture. I see they have a 50 watt version for a few bucks more.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: Ted [mailto:k7trkradio@charter.net] <Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 3:16 PM <To: APBIDDLE@MAILAPS.ORG; 'AMSAT-BB' <Cc: 'CC' <Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] ANTENNAS.US QFH Satellite Antennas? < <Alan, I have owned the 440 one for several years. Very well <made. A sealed <unit. Can't tx through them but as I recall, they make a <version that will <handle 5-10w of tx. I never noticed any better performance <than my Elk on a <rotor. They would be very conducive to mounting on a <car/truck roof if you <are into that (or looking for a quick divorce!) I have the 440 <one up as a <rx only for a separate radio. < <73, Ted <K7TRK < <-----Original Message----- <From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On <Behalf Of Alan <Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 11:51 AM <To: AMSAT-BB <Cc: CC <Subject: [amsat-bb] ANTENNAS.US QFH Satellite Antennas? < <Hi, < <I was looking for something on QFHs, and found an interesting set of <antennas. < <http://preview.tinyurl.com/ougah8b < <They donated an antenna to the AMSAT Symposium 2-3 years ago, <but I have <never heard one in use that I know of. Anybody use them, or <know someone <who has? < <73s, < <Alan <WA4SCA < < <----------------------------------- < <Keep Calm and Carry On < <_______________________________________________ <Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of <the author. <Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur <satellite program! <Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb < < <
At the time we had SO-67, AO-27, AO-51, and SO-50 available, I owned one of those antennas. I probably made somewhere in the vicinity of 250 contacts with it from my car.
For reception of all those birds, I would rate them as follows: AO-51 - Worked modestly without preamp, excellent with preamp, even in motion SO-67 - Almost as good as AO-51, even in motion AO-27 - Didn't work very well unless I was completely stationary, even with preamp SO-50 - Barely usable unless I was completely stationary and it was the *right* pass
I wasn't active on the linear birds at the time but I suspect it would work a lot better for FO-29 than any of the FM's. I sold it before I added full duplex SSB to my mobile station.
If you are looking for something mobile/portable, there are much more cost effective solutions with similar or better performance. I have experimented with a number of antenna combinations over the past three years.
If you're dead set on a fixed omni, it is hard to beat a 19" whip combined with a receive preamplifier. There are pro's/con's to it. Personally, I almost always use a vertical for mode J uplink mobile and a 3-element yagi w/preamp for downlink. For mode B, I transmit into a dual-band vertical on the trunk lid and listen on a 2m Arrow or simply use the whole Arrow out of the window. (it can be done, albeit peculiarly)
Please tell us the application for which you are looking into using the antenna...Mobile in motion? Fixed portable ops from car?
73 Clayton W5PFG
On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 1:50 PM, Alan wa4sca@gmail.com wrote:
Hi,
I was looking for something on QFHs, and found an interesting set of antennas.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ougah8b
They donated an antenna to the AMSAT Symposium 2-3 years ago, but I have never heard one in use that I know of. Anybody use them, or know someone who has?
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
Keep Calm and Carry On
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Clayton,
Yesterday I had 25 years of antennas destroyed, including the tower, and am toying with seeing what can be done with omnis rather than rebuilding what was essentially a P3 station. Fortunately the preamps survived. An array of multiple antennas with selectable polarization would be interesting. It almost always made a difference with beams, sometimes a dramatic one. Lots of time between now and Dayton to ponder. :)
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: Clayton Coleman [mailto:kayakfishtx@gmail.com] <Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 4:11 PM <To: Alan Biddle; AMSAT-BB <Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ANTENNAS.US QFH Satellite Antennas? < <At the time we had SO-67, AO-27, AO-51, and SO-50 available, I owned <one of those antennas. I probably made somewhere in the vicinity of <250 contacts with it from my car. < <For reception of all those birds, I would rate them as follows: <AO-51 - Worked modestly without preamp, excellent with preamp, <even in motion <SO-67 - Almost as good as AO-51, even in motion <AO-27 - Didn't work very well unless I was completely stationary, even <with preamp <SO-50 - Barely usable unless I was completely stationary and it was <the *right* pass < <I wasn't active on the linear birds at the time but I suspect it would <work a lot better for FO-29 than any of the FM's. I sold it before I <added full duplex SSB to my mobile station. < <If you are looking for something mobile/portable, there are much more <cost effective solutions with similar or better performance. I have <experimented with a number of antenna combinations over the past three <years. < <If you're dead set on a fixed omni, it is hard to beat a 19" whip <combined with a receive preamplifier. There are pro's/con's to it. <Personally, I almost always use a vertical for mode J uplink mobile <and a 3-element yagi w/preamp for downlink. For mode B, I transmit <into a dual-band vertical on the trunk lid and listen on a 2m Arrow or <simply use the whole Arrow out of the window. (it can be done, albeit <peculiarly) < <Please tell us the application for which you are looking into using <the antenna...Mobile in motion? Fixed portable ops from car? < <73 <Clayton <W5PFG < <On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 1:50 PM, Alan wa4sca@gmail.com wrote: <> Hi, <> <> I was looking for something on QFHs, and found an <interesting set of antennas. <> <> http://preview.tinyurl.com/ougah8b <> <> They donated an antenna to the AMSAT Symposium 2-3 years <ago, but I have never heard one in use that I <> know of. Anybody use them, or know someone who has? <> <> 73s, <> <> Alan <> WA4SCA <> <> <> ----------------------------------- <> <> Keep Calm and Carry On <> <> _______________________________________________ <> Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of <the author. <> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur <satellite program! <> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb <
participants (4)
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Alan
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Alan
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Clayton Coleman
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Ted