Switch Panel and Antennas

[dpfirerescue]

I am wiring up a new Dodge Dakota... I am looking for opinions on a good switch panel to use for approx. 5 functions? Any recommendations?


Also, We use a band of VHF that goes up to 174. Looking for a good low profile antenna like the one attached..

 

[Pimp]

The antenna you pictured is for a UHF system. The low profile VHF antennas are usually fatter.





I have some to choose from here, but none that go higher than 160 MHz: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=6798





PS - Welcome to the board!

 

[dpfirerescue]

Thank you! That is perfect! I will be getting with you to place an order!

 

[aberfitchguy2472]

As far as switchboxes go Sound Off has quite a few that would work well, but if you just need one with 5 or so switches I'd go with the Sound Off 600 Series, which has 6 switches. PM me if you want some more information or a quote.


http://soundoffsignal.com/warnamber/switches/sw_600.htm

 

[john9912]

Low profile VHF antennas similar to the one pictured have a VERY narrow band width. They usually only provide 1MHz of usable bandwidth. They have to be tuned for your frequency. If you tune the antenna to 155.500 MHz as your center frequency, the antenna will work from 155.000 to 156.000 and THAT'S IT. Because of it's direct shunt to ground design, it will not even receive out of your tuned usable frequency range. If you are only using one channel or a couple of frequencies right near each other then they seem to work well. Since VHF highband wavelengths are about 3 times as long as UHF 450 band, a VHF version of the antenna in the picture will be larger. They are about the size of a Campbell's soup can. Antennex Phantom TRA or ETRA (European look) and Larsen Mirage LPNMO series are a couple of models.


John L.


Sparta NJ

 

[nrplowguy]

Just a heads up the pd in my town used to use the low pro antenna and had nothing but problems they couldn't even hit dispatch 14 miles away there is a reason antennas are the way they are to get the signal up and away from the ground