Hi Folks,

I have a GME 4705 and it is just that bit too high for my garage. I was wondering if I could trim a bit off the top and reduce the height. BUT if I do this I'm afraid it will detune it and make it pretty crap (not that it is overly good anyway). Otherwise I need a really heavy duty antenna that is between 4.5 and 6db and 700-1000mm high. Need to be used for a mix of flat and hilly driving (mostly hills).

Cheers,

All UHF antennas are tuned to length, if you cut them, you'll make them really poor performers. I have the 4705 and find it very good, are you sure you don't have an issue with the cabling or radio? Why don't you get a small rubber ducky UHF antenna for around town and use the longer one for the bush, that's what I do.

Cheers

Ray

What type of antenna do you have.

Is it a fibre glass type whip

Is it a metal rod, as the metal ones are usually a bit shorter.

Rays correct in his comment regarding the tune to length.

Effectivly a antenna is a pice of wire that is cut to the required frequency - i have made antennas out of fencing wire in the past.

mk tank - It is a GME 4705.

I also have a small whip (think its like 1.5db and about 150mm tall including base). Connections for the 4705 and the GME radio are standard and unchanged. It just doesn't work as well as the Uniden with the 1.5db whip for closer proximity chat.

The 4705 is a heavy duty gibreglass pole co linear about 1200 high I think from memory. U could take 5-10mm off the top but no more

I got the 4075 too and it stays off unless I intend to use it, as I cant park it in my garage and shopping centres are a no no too...

as it is, my 'troll only just, and I mean just, clears the roller door(few mm)...

the 4075 is the shortest mast that fits into that base as I've already looked into it...

you can get a base attachment that can be allow the aerial to preposition backward on an angle, but its too much of a hassle for my liking...

I had a fibreglass GME one and after a few too many knocks the tip broke off about 60-100mm. The wire is just a flat ribbon in plastic inside the fibreglass tube. I took the rubber cap off the busted bit and simply tucked the little bit of wire sticking out back in trimmed the top and siliconed it back onto the remaining antenna. Had no noticeable issues with reception or tuning length etc, however the actual antenna wire was never shortened physically, just maybe folded back on itself? At the end of the day the antenna was now no higher than the roof, and it never hit anything again whilst still worked good for what I needed.

Brett, what are these base attachments you speak of? Are they quick to use?

Sooty_10, So you lost 60-100mm on yours and it still transmitts and receives ok? Interesting.

Have a look on the gme site heyhey. Im pretty sure they hve them on there. It undoes and folds back at an angle. Sorry mate I'd link it but I'm on my phone again.

I just got bored and put my fibreglass antenna back on i'll take some photos of the gme aerial I usually use tomorrow. I have had no issues of reception at all. I just found out with the 4075 on its over 2.2m tall without a lift

Gme 4013 screws onto the 4705 spring base and is 30cm long 1/4 wave 2db antenna good for around town

This is one that I've thought about replacing my fairly old rubber ducky with either this one:

http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=371&products_id=2116

or this one:

http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=371&products_id=2163.

as I think both fit the 4705 antenna base.

Cheers

Ray

I use a simalar antenna from RFI that has 3 db gain and is a GPI.

Mines is the same as mikegq

http://www.gme.net.au/products/antennas/land-477-mhz/AE4013

the base for the 4705 is AS004 http://www.gme.net.au/products/accessories/accessories-antennas-springs/AS004

the SO239 base has a different attachment system...

I cant find the adjustable mounting block that (cant remember where) the 4b shop showed me, but I didn't like it...

unless the aerial Rays talking about just sits in the base and doesn't thread in then i cant see how it would work???

the base for the 4705 is AS004 http://www.gme.net.au/products/accessories/accessories-antennas-springs/AS004

the SO239 base has a different attachment system...

I cant find the adjustable mounting block that (cant remember where) the 4b shop showed me, but I didn't like it...

unless the aerial Rays talking about just sits in the base and doesn't thread in then i cant see how it would work???

S0239 refers to the UHF style connector on the spring base. So as I said the 4013 screws on dispite the fact the spring is as004

I contacted Prestige probably over a year ago and they said one of these two fit the same base as the 4705, ie screw in, but I can't remember which one.

Cheers

Ray

These are the fold downbrackets I was thinking of but it looks like they aren't cheap.

http://www.pefabrica...ome.php?cat=249

Edited May 11, 201213 yr by gottheshits

Mine screws on to to the centre thread of the aerial not to the actual spring base thread

Exactly right big rig. And only 30 bucks retail

small screw in for round town.

Now I don't have to go get a photo tomorrow cheers gottheshits

Good work mate that's th 4013

By some strange coincidence the tip of my RFI 6db on its mount is a couple of mm higher than my roof cage. It doubles up as a warning guide for me when entering carparks or drivethroughs :-)

Sent from my GT-P7100 using Tapatalk 2

This is my day to day antenna, a rubber ducky shielded by an alloy housing a mate of mine had machined up, so that it locks in the same way as the 4705 and can't be pilfered:

I just wanted to add that years ago, before I had this made up, I'd contacted GME Electrophone in Melbourne and asked them if it was possible to make a shorter antenna with the same base as the 4705, just so that it could be used around town and not interfere with carparks, garages etc. I was met with a resounding no, there's no point. Excellent Australian innovation, not.

Cheers

Ray

Edited May 12, 201213 yr by Ray!