VHF antenna advice

[tubadudewill89]

Hello everyone,
i just purchased an iCom 2100 VHF radio. Frequency range is around 133-170. Would someone please advise me on a proper antenna to purchase and install in my vehicle for use with this radio?

Thank you in advance!
-Will

[m0bov]

Hi there, welcome to the forum. Firstly please introduce your self in the approprate forum so where know a bit about you.

Now the radio you quote sounds like a PMR radio, are you a licensed "ham"?

[tubadudewill89]

Hi, i will surely go over and introduce myself on the forum. No, i am not a licensed HAM yet, i am in the process of getting ready for testing. I am however a Firefighter in Houston, TX. I am using this radio for that application.

Thanks!
-Will

[5B4AJB]

The frequency you stated is a bit specialist, maybe buy a 2m antenna and trim it down to resonance with the help of a VSWR meter.

An old CB meter should do the trick, provided your transmitter isn't 50 Watts!

[KC4UMO]

Will,
Depending on the frequency ranges you want a quarter wave antenna will work fine for receive only. They are tunable through out the VHF spectrum. Plus they are cheap.

The reason I say “receive only” is the radio mentioned is not certified to use outside of its normal frequency range of 144 to 148 mhz.

[tubadudewill89]

Can you please explain more as to 'not certified' to transmit outside of this range?

Thanks!
-Will

[KC4UMO]

Can you please explain more as to 'not certified' to transmit outside of this range?

Thanks!
-Will

Ok, I will see what I can do :)
Now first. Do not think I am trying to be the "Ham Police" or anything. Just sharing some detail with you. I am sure there are lots of folks that would look the other way or bash you to death..

Amateur radios are not “type accepted or certified” by the FCC. On the other hand commercial radios such as the ones in the fire trucks and CB radios are certified.

Amateur operators can build their own equipment and use on the ham bands. They can also take other service type radios and modify to use on the ham bands. You can take your Motorola VHF fire radio and convert it to 2 meters (150 mhz to 145 mhz). Or you can take a CB radio and convert it to 10 or 12 meters.

Certified means that the radio has been approved by the FCC for that band. So we can not legally use Amateur radio outside the ham bands.

Go to the FCC websites and look up parts :
§§47CFR, Section 95.603(g)
§§47CFR, Parts 90 and 95

A ham doing this could be fined or slapped on the hand for the first time.
Or,
The fine could be as much as $11.000 a day.
Lose your ham license and never be able to obtain another.
Have all equipment seized by the authorities.

I hope this explains a little better for you.

[tubadudewill89]

that was actually a very, very good and informational answer to what i was asking, i appreciate it!!

-Will

[KC4UMO]

No problem Will

73