new vhf antenna

[mattttt25]

is there a difference in performance between a 3db 3' ss whip antenna and a 3db 4' fiberglass antenna? thanks-

 

[mattttt25]

Re: new vhf antenna

^

 

[mattttt25]

Re: new vhf antenna

^

 

[snapperbait]

Re: new vhf antenna

I think not.. About the only advantage the s/s whip antenna has is it's a lot tougher to break...

 

[mattttt25]

Re: new vhf antenna

it's not a big deal to me. i have the 3' whip on my hardtop, and will be installing a new 4' am/fm antenna. i thought it would look better with a matching 4' fiberglass vhf antenna. maybe a waste of money, but i've done that before.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: new vhf antenna

Yes. The difference will be about a mile of range. By the way, its a lot easier to break a stainless antenna than it is to break a glass one. You lean on a metal one and it will kink and break. You lean on a glass one and it will bend and rebound.<br /><br />Thom

 

[mattttt25]

Re: new vhf antenna

thanks tom. no worry on breaking either, as they sit high on my hard top. i'll probably make the switch to the 4' glass. thanks-

 

[seaswirl54]

Re: new vhf antenna

I though that the higher that your antenna is the further the reception would be. If I was going to put a new antena up I would go with a 8 ft. I had a 3ft and moved up to a 8ft 6db it made a difference.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: new vhf antenna

hey williamstown- grey up in glassboro.<br /><br />yeah, i know thew 8' would be better, but it would look awfully funny on top of my hardtop covering a 20' center console.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: new vhf antenna

What's worse than how it would look up there on a hard top is how difficult it would be to put up and down. I do not personally like antennas mounted on hard tops for just that reason. Partucularly on CC boats its often hard as hell to even reach the antenna mount on a hard top let alone actually get the antenna up and down. Its a lot easier to do with a lighter weight short antenna than an 8-foot one. I know this shouldn't be a primary concern, but its a concern none the less. Its alos one of the things that starts to make those stainless whipps more attactive. If nothing else they are easier to move around and on top of that they offer less wind resistance and so they tend to stay up. The foot difference really is meaningless becasue even the smallest of waves will make more difference than a foot of antenna height will in the real world.<br /><br />Thom