Batboard

8505644V02 VHF Helical Antenna 150-162 7.3"
or
8505834W02 VHF Antenna 150-162 5"

Which antenna would be better? I use an XTS5000 and XTS2500, primarily in the 150-160 range.

before anyone suggests, got a bunch of the 8.1" Dipole wideband antennas, and I don't like 'em.

Andre

The 8505644V02 VHF Helical Antenna 150-162 7.3" is the better choice.

Andre wrote:
before anyone suggests, got a bunch of the 8.1" Dipole wideband antennas, and I don't like 'em.

Why not?

They're friggin huge! I have one on an HT1550 (with the SMA antenna adaptor), it pokes you in the arm pit

The bigger the better, but the down side is that the larger ones put stress on the connector, tickle your underarm whilst worn on the belt, and are pretty much not worth the effort unless you are in a fringe area.
But they are great for poking kids in the ribs with.

8505644V02 VHF Helical Antenna 150-162 7.3

This is what I have on my XTS2500 and it works great, even better than the dipole which was just a huge pain.

-Nick

That 5" you mention was initially intended for the Visar but wound up also as a low profile Jedi antenna when many complained about the Jedi length.
I did informal testing of this antenna (Base station with 'S' meter and using about 15 test locations switching antenna's back and forth). When you got to the outer fringes about a S2 difference became apparent. Worked for us as this was acceptable after noticing some of the guys were actually bending the larger antenna's over in an upside down kinda U
and taping them in place this way

Really the huge armpit tickling wide band dipole mounted on
a PS speaker mic has to be the ultimate hamsexy ! Phrawg

RadioSouth wrote: Worked for us as this was acceptable after noticing some of the guys were actually bending the larger antenna's over in an upside down kinda U
and taping them in place this way

Arrghh!!! Some of our guys were coiling the speaker mic cable about half way up their VHF duckies,,,, no clue!
Good strain relief for the spkrmic cable I suppose.

Max-trac wrote: Arrghh!!! Some of our guys were coiling the speaker mic cable about half way up their VHF duckies,,,, no clue!
Good strain relief for the spkrmic cable I suppose.

Yup, the police explorers do that and wonder why the radio does not talk to well. Hint: RF feedback into the spkr/mike cable.. Not good on the PA with the mismatch.

Thanks for all yer input