VK Logger Ham Radio Forum Archive

Since my Outbacker Outreach doesn't have a 6m tap, can anyone recommend a good 6m mobile antenna? Hopefully with a 3/8" stud fitting to go straight onto my spring.

73 - Rob VK2GOM

Make your own 1/4 wave whip for less than $10.

Obtain an old CB helical at least 1.3m long - should be able to find some lying around unused surely?
Strip off old heatshrink, and carefully uncoil winding.
Keep a "bit" of a coil at the bottom, and wind very loosely up the fibreglass.
Keep the excess tinned copper winding a tad on the long side, until you get a feel for how much needs to be pruned off each time.
Experiment here, (part of the fun), and sweep across the band until the best SWR lands where you want it to.

I tuned the whip + spring base for 50.200MHz.
Without the spring base, the best match is around 53MHz (suited for FM work)... but then again, with the TS-480SAT internal tuner, it doesn't really matter.

Once you are happy with the whip, cover it with new heatshrink.
Annoyingly, the heatshrink from Jaycar comes in 1.2m lengths.
Just a bit short, so I purchased a length of the (cheap) standard heatshrink and used the full length of it from the top > down.
The base section was then covered with the (more expensive) adhesive type heatshrink.
This means there was a seal to the upper section of heatshrink, and to the ferrule itself.

For a ready-made solution, you can press a 2m 5/8 whip into service as a loaded 1/4 wave.

Hi Adam,

Thanks for the info - that definitely sounds like an option. Might watch Ebay for a suitable donor antenna.

73 - Rob VK2GOM

Hi Rob.

I use a standard 1/4 wave tapered steel whip . readily available from any R F Industries supplier . Cost should be less than $25.00

I also use this whip on 20M mobile although a little short with the ATU .

73

Joe
VK7JG