Cheap and Easy Base Antenna ???

[Dmusr]

I've got a Cobra 142 GTL circa 1993 and plan to eventually purchase an Imax-2000 for it. In the mean time, is there some type of antenna that I can plug in the back that'll let my 11 y/o son use the radio to talk with me over a short distance. I don't care if it's him in the house and me riding around the block in the car. I just don't want to hurt the radio or purchase the Imax-2000 and install it right away. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

Dave

[sideways]

For something that short just slap a mag mount on the frige. Or give him some range and make a dipole on the peak of the house. I have even used a couple pie plates grounded to the sink in a pinch(with a mag mount). Just be ready when he wants his "own" radio,LOL. Hope this helps

[drdx]

Make a diploe from wire and old coax, hang it in the attic or a tree, or if you have a tall tree, make a wire vertical and forget about buying the imax. All these new fiberglass base antennas are is a wire antenna enclosed in fiberglass, so save your money and spend it elsewhere on station improvements, like maybe a desk mic.

-drdx

[10 Gauge]

102" whips are super cheap and your local Rat Shack should have one in stock.

[causmik]

If worse comes to worse....just get a screw into the back of the radio antenna. Cost ya about 20 bucks and will work well for a few blocks, about like a walkie talkie. Rat Shack probably still has them.

[Dmusr]

Thanks for all the ideas fellas, much appreciated.

[treetall]

im gonna have to say probably the cheapest thing and probably the fastest thing to do other than a wire dipole would be just to get an old magnetic mount antenna and put it on something like a refriderator, old car or something like that or a piece of metal or something on the roof and i would check your swrs and let er rip. it will probably work surprisenly well if u put it up high enough. alrighty then me and my mobile is back quiet

[Grizs50]

I've got a Cobra 142 GTL circa 1993 and plan to eventually purchase an Imax-2000 for it. In the mean time, is there some type of antenna that I can plug in the back that'll let my 11 y/o son use the radio to talk with me over a short distance. I don't care if it's him in the house and me riding around the block in the car. I just don't want to hurt the radio or purchase the Imax-2000 and install it right away. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

Dave

I have built many a dipole and they work real well and they are simple to build. We use a bow and arrow to shoot a fishing line over the tree and pull a line up, then use that line to pull up then antenna, I have talked ll over the world on just such an antenna.

I use 10-12ga copper(Green Ground Wire) and a block of wood or a small piece of pvc pipe, I start with 18 feet and I cut it in half, I drill a hole in each end of the block of wood an thread one end of each piece of wire in opposite ends of the block of wood, and twist is back on itself leaving a tail 3-4" long to attach to a S0-239 I savage out of a junk radio, I solder one wire to the center condutor of the S0-239 and the other to one of the holes in the corner of the S0-239. then I screw it to the block of wood.

Screw a 50' coax to the S0-239 on the block of wood, hang it in a tree and check the swr, it will be high trim an inch at a time from B0TH ends until the swr comes down. should be able to get 1.5.

Then have fun, it's not an imax2000 and it doesn't have the pricetag, but I think you will be quite surprised

It takes longer to explain it then to do it.

[Foxhunter]

The Imax 2000 is really a pretty quick antenna to install depending on what you use to support it or "anchor it" to (pole/mast chimney etc).

But since you want a quick solution with decent results and without getting into antenna-buillding let me suggest this.

Try and locate the radio near a window that's close to your driveway.

Park a car in driveway near/outside that window.

Put a mag-mount antenna on the roof of the car and run the antenna's coax cable in through the window right to the radio there.

Most cables for mag-mount antennas are so thin that the window will BARELY have be open to have the coax go under it. A small towel or something if you like will fill any gap. If you wish when you are done talking unhook & drop the coax out 'til next time.

Just check your SWR but odds are you'll be safe. You & your son have fun and "talk-away"! It WILL work and be extremely easy, and will only take 5 minutes to do. It will give better results than other shortcuts. I myself in times past have even talked skip this way.

Let us know what you think

[Dmusr]

After thinking on this some more and taking a good look in the daylight around the house..........My den aka man-cave is on the 2nd floor back-side of the house. I've got a vent pipe approximately 20 feet from a window. I should be able to mount an Imax-2000 directly to that pipe and it will act as a ground. This'll probably be the easiest way for me to go and have the radio where it's warm and comfortable as long as I get it done before the ice and snow come .

I don't have any trees in my yard but I do have a deck and a pool, more obstacles than I care to deal with, lol. I figure if I'm going to be spending any money I might as well put it towards the Imax. Thanks again for all the thoughtful responses.