Radio antenna tech question

[So Fla Cop]

If a Motorola XTS2500 operating on an encrypted 800MHz system with a long antenna has a green dot on the bottom of the antenna, can a shorter "stubby" antenna with a red dot on the bottom be used if the antenna is also 800Mhz? What is the difference?

[Jim1648]

Radio Antenna Tech Question

https://www.commserv.ucsb.edu/faculty_and_staff/support/xts2500.pdf

Take a look at the above URL.

NAF5037
NAF5042
NAV5080

are all isted for that radio. The longer, half-wave antenna could be swapped out for the quater-wave stubby antenna.

[Iowa #1603]

An 800 MHz antenna is a 800 MHz antenna---------------the only difference is the connector

MOST manufacturers provide "stubby" antenna's for various applications

[CCCSD]

That's what she said...

[BaylorBearSW]

At my first agency we converted to digital and got tha APX6000 radios. When they arrived they have long ***** antennaes on them. My agnecy opted for the "stubby" antennae. When we did, we learned that when we hit the red emergency button with the long antennae, dispatch was provided with our location on a map, as the antennae had a built in GPS module of some sort. When we switched the small antennae, we lost that "perk".

Not sure if the radio in question here has that fucntionality and if it's a concern for your agency, but I thought I would chime in.

[kermit315]

Should work fine. I use the same radio in my county. If I am in the south end (close to the Main SO and the repeater) I keep the stubby on it. If I work the north end, I switch to the longer antenna. Seems to get out better.

[So Fla Cop]

Thanks for all the responses.

[11B250]

Funny you bring this up...

we just switched over to APX6000 and it came with the long antenna and a stubby on the shoulder mic.

one of the officers got the short version of the long antenna (not a stubby, but slightly shorter) that has the GPS and everything built in.

It seems to work fine, but the person in charge of doing the radios flipped his lid when he went and got a shorter stubby.

myself and the radio person in charge understand radios and know the differences between a short and a long antenna (quarter and half wave antennas) you will loose some strength (tx and rx) with the shorter, but it should work well.

so far the guy with the stubby has been testing it, and he really likes it. issue became to reality because our radios are on our vests and the long antenna is extremely annoying.

but yes, there is a specific one that has the GPS antenna built into it. it will say 700-800 GPS on it. I don't see red or blue dots on our brand spanking new APX6000s

The big issue is that at places where you might not get great coverage, the short antenna MIGHT work. and the concern is, do you wanna go out in the field with equipment that MIGHT work? (he uses the example of owning a gun that MIGHT work) no risks need to be taken.

[So Fla Cop]

The BSO radio shop didn't want deputies to use the short antenna on the MTS portable, only on the mic. If you used the short antenna, you sometimes got the "busy" beep or would hear nothing while sitting in the car IF you didn't have the shoulder mic attached. That was only in the area where there was no close repeater. I just wanted to know if the XTS radio was any different, that is all.

[JLittle0808]

Sorry to dig up an old post, but I couldn’t find anything more recent or specific. I recently moved to a new agency and we now use Harris XL-185s with the straight wire shoulder mic with the antenna. I was issued a radio with a full length antenna as well as the shoulder mic antenna. No one seems to be able to give a straight answer, so do I actually need both antennas? From what I can find, it seems like the shoulder mic antenna helps get better reception, but does the radio antenna serve any purpose when used simultaneously?

Thanks for any help.

[westside popo]

Sorry to dig up an old post, but I couldn’t find anything more recent or specific. I recently moved to a new agency and we now use Harris XL-185s with the straight wire shoulder mic with the antenna. I was issued a radio with a full length antenna as well as the shoulder mic antenna. No one seems to be able to give a straight answer, so do I actually need both antennas? From what I can find, it seems like the shoulder mic antenna helps get better reception, but does the radio antenna serve any purpose when used simultaneously?

Thanks for any help.

I'm not too familiar with Harris radios. I scanned through the manual for your radio and it states the lapel mics with antenna are "not approved" for your radio. However that may be pertaining to the intrinsically safe aspects of your radio. I would suggest leaving the antenna on the radio and contacting the vendor that sold the radios to your department. You can also go to their web page and download the manual for your radio.

[JLittle0808]

Thank you, I'll look into it!