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Old 05-14-2019, 04:05 PM   #1
FIRE UP
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 4
Default Newly installed Kenwood TM-281 VHF, and, mag mount antenna?

Gang,
Wow, this part of the forum sure doesn't see much action. Well, just in case anyone's watching, I just finished installing a brand new Kenwood TM-281A, 2M VHF in our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP. I thought I'd get away with a PulseLarsen Glass mount antenna. I did it that way initially 'cause I used a glass mount antenna on an '04 VW diesel bug with my ICOM IC2000 and, it seemed to work just fine, waaaaaay back then.

So, fast forward a dozen or more years and, we have todays situation. I got the antenna installed and, took the big beast out of its cave for a test. Well, I contacted a friend who, was probably no more than a couple of miles away and, he said I sounded just great, on low power. But, he's got a lot more experience than I do and strongly suggested that I get an SWR reading on my setup. So, I ordered a meter.

Well, I got the meter and, did a test. WOW, NOT GOOD!! My reading is 10:1. So, he came down and we tried a couple of things. In the end, it was determined that I cannot use that glass mount antenna due to the fact that there is some window tinting, built into the glass. Something that my VW bug didn't have. But, while my buddy was there, he had something that he thought he'd try, just for grins. He broke out a mag mount NMO base. On that base is a Diamond NR 72B 14" antenna.

Well, we first did an SWR check with that antenna. 1.4 : 1, Yahoooooo! And, the second check was a transmission/reception. That went just as good as the SWR check. He called a fella about 35 miles away and the conversation was flawless. Now, maybe a 14", magmount antenna is not the best combination but, based on the fact that I've got only about 18" of header to RV roof clearance in our RV garage, it's gonna have to do. I'm not looking to contact Mars or Jupiter, just some other folks while traveling or, maybe while we're camped in some town/city/countryside.

Anyway, that's my latest install, we'll see how well it works, when we travel in a week or so.
Scott
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__________________
Scott, Karla and Sophie, the mini Schnauzer
Retired SDFD 30 yrs
'04 Itasca Horizon 36GD, CAT C-7 330HP
'18 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports DCT
'15 Jeep JKUR
'11 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4
HAM KI6OND
Yeasu VX-170
Baofeng UV-5R-8
ICOM 2000 VHF (in Jeep)
Kenwood TM281 VHF w/Diamond NR-72BNMO on a mag mount.
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