antennas [slightly off topic]

Location : chiswick. london Spotter Watch Member : no

Hi al
on another site there were some referances to a racal RA-978 antenna.The jist of the e-mails I saw was that it improved reception dramaticaly. My question is did any one get the address and price of this antenna?
I had computer trouble at the time and ended up with about 300 e-mails and must have deleated the relevant e-mail.
mike.p

Subject: Re: antennas [slightly off topic] 2009-08-04, 12:40

Hi Mike,have moved this to the "Scanners" section,hope you don't mind.

Location : Lincolnshire Spotter Watch Member : Yes

mike.p wrote:: Hi al
on another site there were some referances to a racal RA-978 antenna.The jist of the e-mails I saw was that it improved reception dramaticaly. My question is did any one get the address and price of this antenna?
I had computer trouble at the time and ended up with about 300 e-mails and must have deleated the relevant e-mail.
mike.p

Here is the email

Quote :: Managed to buy (£100) a Racal RA 978 antenna and had it installed
yesterday.

Now got fantastic reception on Mil Airband.I am in Droitwich and can receive
Lyneham ATIS!

If you ever see one available on a military surplus site , I recommend you
grab it.

Have a look here on the Racal site.

http://www.racalantennas.com/products/ground/omnidirectional/uhf/ground-to-air-monopole-225-400mhz.aspx

Email from Alan Smith from MilScanners

HTH Gary Smile

Location : various

Such e-mails are meaningless without reference to what he was using before. A rusty nail versus the RA-978? A wideband birdscarer versus the RA-978? Or a 'high' gain dedicated UHF airband aerial? Same coax and connectors?

The RA-978 is a small, robust low-gain aerial that works well on transmit as well as receive.

I love the smell of burning snake-oil when there's no Jet-A available.

Location : West Midlands Spotter Watch Member : No

In fact it has zero gain and some attenuation of certain frequencies within its coverage which is true of any 1/4 whip or discone antenna.
In short, an adequate rugged wideband uhf mil transmit antenna that costs a lot of dough when cheaper alternatives exist.