Radio for Preparedness 101: VHF/UHF HT Antennas

Edit: I inadvertently stated the Signal Stick is a 5/8 wave on 70cm. It's not, it's 3/4 wave. I knew that, so I'm not sure why I said it was 5/8 wave LOL. Sorry about that.

Today we're going to take a look at antennas for your handheld radios. The right antenna can make all the difference. The stock antenna on most radios is passable at best, and a dummy load at worst. We'll look at several different types of antennas from stubby to super long, mono-band and dual (and even tri) band, etc. I'll discuss pros and cons, and what you might want to look for in a good antenna. Keep in mind that there's no single "best" antenna. It depends on what you're doing with the radio and how far you need to communicate. A 2 meter half wave telescoping antenna is awesome for range..........but it SUCKS if you are trying to hike through the woods. Conversely, a little stubby guy is great for strapping to your pack so it doesn't poke you in the eye or get caught on every branch in the woods, but it's about useless if you need to talk any distance. Remember, the antenna is probably the most important part of the whole equation. Buy the best antennas you can. You'll probably need 3 or 4 different antennas for different purposes. Thanks so much for watching. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below and I'll do my best to answer them. 73!

Smiley Antennas: https://www.smileyantenna.com/
Signal Stick Antennas: https://signalstuff.com/products/#sig...
Diamond Antennas: https://www.diamondantenna.net/catego...
Comet Antennas: https://cometantenna.com/amateur-radi...
Gabil Antennas: https://www.gabilradio.com/handheld-a...
Nagoya Antennas: https://www.nagoya.com.tw/en/
N9TAX J Pole: https://n9taxlabs.com/shop/ols/produc...

Evan
K2EJT
WRUE675
buymeacoffee.com/K2EJT
[email protected]