Handheld antenna question

[BurbanAZ]

I just passed my technician at the expo this year. I am looking into which rig radio I want to get but that will take a little while. I ordered one of the UV-5r handheld Chinese ones, just for a cheap one to mess with till then. I ordered the NA 771 antenna with it (I actually thought I had ordered the NA 701 but accidently got the 771).

The new antenna doesn't seem to fit though. The base is a little too big to fit inside the opening on the radio so the antenna doesn't thread all the way down to the bottom of the connector. It threads on some but I can't tell how far the actual connection is seating into the antenna. I could shave a little of the rubber off the base of the antenna around the outside no problem and it would probably fit fine. I can't tell if it's working, I was trying to hit a local repeater yesterday but am still figuring out setting it up. Also I haven't gotten a call sign yet so I can't transmit, so I was trying to just listen but I wasn't hearing anything. Hopefully I'll get my call sign soon.

My question is, do I need the antenna threaded all the way down to the base of the connector? Should I just shave a little to get it to fit? Also is there a way to tell if I'm reaching a repeater if no one is speaking on it?

 

[robgendreau]

The question is whether the inside of the SMA female (I think that's the connector) is making a connection, or if there is no, er, penetration. The threads on the outside sound fine, it's the mating of the inside. I've tested the ground on an antenna with a multimeter, but not sure how you'd do a test with the UV5R. Those antennas aren't too expensive, so maybe just get one that fits well. After a bit of knocking around you may not get an effective connection with one that doesn't fit.

Since you don't have your license yet you can't tell if you can reach a repeater, since you'd have to transmit to it. And you might be able to hear it, but not talk to it, since it probably has more power, a better position, and a better antenna than your Baofeng. So it's a better transmitter.

And congrats on the license. How long is it taking to get your license up on the web site?

 

[BurbanAZ]

The question is whether the inside of the SMA female (I think that's the connector) is making a connection, or if there is no, er, penetration. The threads on the outside sound fine, it's the mating of the inside. I've tested the ground on an antenna with a multimeter, but not sure how you'd do a test with the UV5R. Those antennas aren't too expensive, so maybe just get one that fits well. After a bit of knocking around you may not get an effective connection with one that doesn't fit.

Since you don't have your license yet you can't tell if you can reach a repeater, since you'd have to transmit to it. And you might be able to hear it, but not talk to it, since it probably has more power, a better position, and a better antenna than your Baofeng. So it's a better transmitter.

And congrats on the license. How long is it taking to get your license up on the web site?

Yea I think I'm just going to file a tiny bit off around the base of the antenna, should be a very small amount but then at least I will know it's seating down all the way. I took the passed the test on Sunday the 17th, still nothing on the website. They said 7-10 days so hopefully one of these days soon.

 

[Oldmancrash]

I am sorry I don't know anything about the handheld your talking about. But Congratulations on passing!!!

 

[uli2000]

I've got a UV-5R and a Nagoya 771. That is normal, wont affect it at all. If you are worried about the gap, you can find a small plastic washer to put under the antenna base.

 

[BurbanAZ]

Yea I filed some down so it would screw all the way down, then there was a little gap so I put an o ring there. Right after putting the new antenna on I picked up a bunch of conversations through repeaters in the area that I wasn't hearing with the stock antenna

 

[racemedic]

Don't know anything about the HT that you got but it sounds like to got it figured out. Also congrats on getting on passing

 

[BurbanAZ]

Thanks, after having CB on rigs for years and never once using it cause no one was ever in range I'm looking forward to getting a good HAM setup in the 4Runner.