[net.ham-radio] Scanner antennas

larry@tapa.UUCP (Larry Pajakowski) (10/28/85)

I am considering the purchase of a Yaesu FRG-9600 and would like to hear
others thoughts on broadband antennas for the 60-900mhz. coverage of the
Yeasu receiver.

ai2q@ky2d-2.UUCP (Alex) (10/31/85)

> I am considering the purchase of a Yaesu FRG-9600 and would like to hear
> others thoughts on broadband antennas for the 60-900mhz. coverage of the
> Yeasu receiver.

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
Larry:
You might wish to consider the log-periodic array as a possible
solution to solving the problem of an antenna which will give continuous
coverage over a substantial portion of the spectrum your
FRG-9600 will cover. The log-periodic is successfully used over a narrower
range, typically from about 50 MHz to about 250 MHz in the form of
common TV antennas. These arrays are referred to as "self-scaling" antennas,
that is, they are NOT frequency sensitve, and as such, offer a good match
to a fixed impedance feedline like ordinary coax over thier entire range.
Refer to W6SAI's Radio Handbook for designs spanning 140 to 450 MHz. 
If you need more details, let me know. Good luck es 73 de Alex, AI2Q,
Freeport, Long Island >>AR>>

parnass@ihu1h.UUCP (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) (10/31/85)

x
	    I have a Hustler DCX discone  antenna,  for	 which
	    Newtronics claims a	frequency range	of 40-700 MHz.
	    It's still in the box, so I	don't know how well it
	    works.

> I am considering the purchase of a Yaesu FRG-9600 and would like to hear
> others thoughts on broadband antennas for the 60-900mhz. coverage of the
> Yeasu receiver.
-- 
===============================================================================
Bob Parnass,  Bell Telephone Laboratories - ihnp4!ihu1h!parnass - (312)979-5414

larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (11/13/85)

> I am considering the purchase of a Yaesu FRG-9600 and would like to hear
> others thoughts on broadband antennas for the 60-900mhz. coverage of the
> Yeasu receiver.

	Use a log periodic antenna - they are simple to build for that
frequency range.  Or, if you want to mount something on a rotor for
directivity, try a log spiral antenna - which is also simple to make from
a large piece of PC board stock.

===  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York        ===
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karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (11/19/85)

> > I am considering the purchase of a Yaesu FRG-9600 and would like to hear
> > others thoughts on broadband antennas for the 60-900mhz. coverage of the
> > Yeasu receiver.

All the reaction I've heard to the FRG-9600 has been strongly negative.
I was considering buying myself one until I saw the Icom R-7000. I think
it's worth waiting for (and paying more for).

Phil

wmartin@ALMSA-2.ALMSA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI) (11/22/85)

Not to beat a dead horse, but remember that the Icom R-7000 has the same
bad design as the R-71, and other current Icom products, with a "dynamic"
chip requiring continuous power to maintain the radio's basic operating
system parameters and allow it to work at all. This means mandatory 
maintenance (replacing the backup battery, either by expensive service
long after the warranty has expired, or by VERY CAREFUL self-maintenance)
every 7 or so years (fewer to be safe). I would treat that as enough
to disqualify the Icom from consideration either. It just doesn't strike
me that ANY of these new wide-band scanning/monitoring radios (Yaesu
FRG-9600, Icom R-7000, Regency M5000 or M7000, JIL SX-400, and whatever)
are worth buying now, especially for anything near their list prices.
In addition to the sort of design faults mentioned before, reviews
indicate that performance quality certainly doesn't seem to be good
enough to justify the prices.  I would give the technology a few more
years of development before putting my money on it...

(If everybody realized this, and nobody bought these boxes, those remaining
would be dumped and might be worth buying at under-$100 prices, realizing
that you have to figure long-term high-maintenance costs in addition to the
initial purchase price. Of course, the manufacturers would have to be
told that these were not selling because they just were not good enough,
not that there was no market for such devices. Then they'd have an
incentive to continue R&D and come up with something better to supply
the market. Otherwise they would just abandon the field.)

Will

john@anasazi.UUCP (John Moore) (11/29/85)

In article <3484@brl-tgr.ARPA> wmartin@ALMSA-2.ALMSA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI) writes:
>Not to beat a dead horse, but remember that the Icom R-7000 has the same
>bad design as the R-71, and other current Icom products, with a "dynamic"
>chip requiring continuous power to maintain the radio's basic operating
>system parameters and allow it to work at all. This means mandatory 
>maintenance (replacing the backup battery, either by expensive service

It seems to me that replacing a backup battery is hardly a difficult
job. I replaced the one performing the same function on my Azden PCS-3000
and it took all of 10 minutes. Big deal.

>In addition to the sort of design faults mentioned before, reviews

I would like to hear from someone who has tested the R-7000 since I
am considering buying one. A friend purchased an FRG-9600 for his
communications company, and the RF quality was so bad that they
sent it back. Anyone with good experience with this?

>indicate that performance quality certainly doesn't seem to be good
>enough to justify the prices.  I would give the technology a few more
>(If everybody realized this, and nobody bought these boxes, those remaining

It is true that the R7000, the FRG9600, and the SX-400 (with adapters
to make it wide coverage) are a bit expensive, but they do an awful lot
compared to the $289 class of scanner. The MX-5000 & MX7000, purchased
from mail order houses, are so inexpensive that this comment is completely
wrong.

>told that these were not selling because they just were not good enough,
>not that there was no market for such devices. Then they'd have an
>incentive to continue R&D and come up with something better to supply

Or decide that high performance scanning receivers simply don't
have a high enough demand, and drop the whole idea. Remember the
Bearcat which had computer control? It was dropped because no one
bought it. The manufacturer then concluded that computer control was
-- 
John Moore (NJ7E/XE1HDO)
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