A Clever Solution for Stainless Steel, Crimping Caution, and More

摘要

Screwdriver antennas are neat multiband mobile radiators, but because of their length, they can be problematic when it comes to using your garage. In my case, I had to unmount the antenna when entering and then remount when leaving (see Figure 1). Even if I put the upper whip on an antenna spring or a fold-over detent, it wasn't going to fit. Because my screwdriver antenna mounts to an SO-239 connector, I realized that I could make a short vertical antenna using a mating PL-259 connector. It would be short enough to make it into the garage, yet long enough for me to check conditions on the bands while driving around town. If I discovered decent conditions, I could stop and mount the screwdriver antenna. Otherwise, I could just continue listening.