What is a good external ham antenna for BaoFeng handeld?

[redquatquat]

During my last trip I got way too much static while in the car, have have a BaoFeng BF-F8HP handled. What would be a good external antenna to mount on the roof rack?

And does the coax cable length will impact negatively the quality of transmission?

Thanks

 

[KF0APA]

I have this one mounted on my Yukon with a lip mount on the hood. You'll also need a n adapter to go from the Pl-259 to the correct connection for your radio.

 

[old_man]

There are losses with any coax cable. The better the quality and match, the less the loss. Even with the loss, the antenna gain will more than make up for it.

I would run RG316 coax. The antenna above looks good. Ideally, mount it to a good grounded bracket , ideally mount it in the center of the rack.

 

[RoarinRow]

I got this one - Amazon.com: Authentic Genuine Nagoya UT-72 Super Loading Coil 19-Inch Magnetic Mount (Heavy Duty) VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna PL-259, Includes Additional SMA Adaptor for BTECH and BaoFeng Handheld Radios: Electronics

 

[Road]

I bought the 21-Inch Magnetic Mount VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios, though not sure that link leads directly to it anymore.

You can search amzn for "Authentic Genuine Nagoya UT-308UV 21-Inch Magnetic Mount VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios"

Also really handy is the BL-5 Battery Eliminator that allows you to supply power to the BF-F8 and UV-5R series BaoFeng radios directly from your car when needed, and the Extended True Capacity Battery when away from the vehicle.

edit:

There was a guy on expeditionportal that was making and selling these brackets for Baofeng radios a while back, for installing on your dash or wherever:



No idea if he still is, though if I run across them again I'll try to remember to update this post or add another.

I have the two in this image, and it fits the radio nicely, though have never really used them, or the radios (I have two), antenna, and accessories. To be honest, just never really needed them, as I usually wander solo and have other coms for emergencies.

.

 

[LostInThought]

During my last trip I got way too much static while in the car, have have a BaoFeng BF-F8HP handled. What would be a good external antenna to mount on the roof rack?

And does the coax cable length will impact negatively the quality of transmission?

Thanks

I paired my BF-F8HP with a magmount Diamond MR77SMA and I was pretty happy with the results.

Be aware that whatever you buy, you'll also need an SMA-to-SMA adapter too (the BF's idea of an appropriate antenna-jack connector is the opposite gender from the rest of the world). These are easiest to find in small sets, typically for ~$10

 

[redquatquat]

Thank you all for the answer, very useful informations !

 

[M Rose]

I run the same antenna as @RoarinRow
I also use an external speaker mic and a mounting device similar to the one posted by @Road.

Check out my list on Amazon

www.amazon.com

 

[KF0APA]

You might also look into this. It will increase your power output.

 

[M Rose]

You might also look into this. It will increase your power output.

By the time you buy that, you might as well spend $20 more and get a Yaesu FT2980 80 w radio

 

[madcratebuilder]

During my last trip I got way too much static while in the car, have have a BaoFeng BF-F8HP handled. What would be a good external antenna to mount on the roof rack?

And does the coax cable length will impact negatively the quality of transmission?

Thanks

I put a 15.6" Nagoya NA-771 antenna on mine, no static and good range, still portable.

 

[Road]

For those who are interested in Baofeng radios, I'm selling my Baofeng Handheld with a bunch of extras; all brand new, never used or installed, except for the antenna.

Listed here.

 

[Sparksalot]

A cable will be anywhere from 12 to 17 feet, and no big deal.

style of antenna will depend where you can mount it and what overhead obstacles you may encounter. I change mine depending on the Trip and terrain.

The center roof antenna in the first pic broke due to parking garages. It was a dual band vhf/uhf piece.

the second pic shows my current setup. The short stubby on the right is also a dual band, and gets used for gmrs as well. The SWR was acceptable for both uses. The center roof antenna is a quarter wave vhf whip. The rear antenna is for 10 meters and can double for cb.

last pic was a road trip to Utah and Wyoming. Wide open terrain and long distances to reach anyone, so the stubby was changed out.