HiddenSound Posted July 1, 2021 Report Share Posted July 1, 2021 Hello all, I have some lectrosonic 411a receivers (smqv tx) and I want to extend the range on them and am looking for some good antenna to try out. There are a lot of options out there so any suggestions are appreciated greatly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungo Posted July 1, 2021 Report Share Posted July 1, 2021 Bag, cart or installed setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenSound Posted July 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2021 36 minutes ago, Mungo said: Bag, cart or installed setup? Going to try for my first cart setup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trey LaCroix Posted July 1, 2021 Report Share Posted July 1, 2021 1 hour ago, HiddenSound said: Going to try for my first cart setup! Sharkfins are very popular because they have an increase in sensitivity in the front and reject from the back. Raise them up and you will typically get great range. You can even strategically point them away from problematic RF sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungo Posted July 2, 2021 Report Share Posted July 2, 2021 7 hours ago, Trey LaCroix said: Sharkfins are very popular because they have an increase in sensitivity in the front and reject from the back. Raise them up and you will typically get great range. You can even strategically point them away from problematic RF sources. +1 The 411 doesn't support active antennas I guess which is not necessary at all on a cart with short RF cables. Take a look at the technical specs. Expensive doesn't always mean better in this case. Seems like Zaxcom is cheaper than Shure and even Remote Audio (huh?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted July 2, 2021 Report Share Posted July 2, 2021 13 hours ago, Trey LaCroix said: Sharkfins are very popular because they have an increase in sensitivity in the front and reject from the back. Raise them up and you will typically get great range. You can even strategically point them away from problematic RF sources. What Trey said is bang on. You don't need powered antennas (although if you're going to remote them far away, it is handy) Even if using Lectrosonics SNA600a dipoles, just simply getting them up high will improve performance a lot! But even better (depending on purpose, of course) is getting shark fins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted July 4, 2021 Report Share Posted July 4, 2021 Sharkfins are nice, small, and they have a cool name. But if you have the room on your new cart, no other passive antenna can beat PW’s helicals. These smaller ones are ridiculously awesome. Around corners, through metal, I’ve really only had issues with being stepped on or like 400’ away. Not cheap, but you won’t ever have to replace em! https://www.professionalwireless.com/product/domed-helical-antenna/ Dan Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 On 7/2/2021 at 7:27 AM, Mungo said: Seems like Zaxcom is cheaper than Shure and even Remote Audio (huh?) Remote Audio isn‘t a cheap brand… But you’re only referring to whip antennas, right? Because Remote Audio only make whips… On 7/4/2021 at 9:03 PM, Izen Ears said: no other passive antenna can beat PW’s helicals So do you have two of those for diversity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted July 15, 2021 Report Share Posted July 15, 2021 On 7/8/2021 at 4:47 PM, Constantin said: Remote Audio isn‘t a cheap brand… But you’re only referring to whip antennas, right? Because Remote Audio only make whips… So do you have two of those for diversity? Yep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Milne Posted July 24, 2021 Report Share Posted July 24, 2021 Seeing your cart Izen, which has two of PW's helical antennas on it, reminds me of a conversation from the good old days I had with a physicist - unaffiliated with any manufacturer - on the use of twin helical antennas on diversity receive systems. Some of your probably know that helical antennas come in two basic flavors determined by their polarization: whether the winding of the "helical" element turns to the left, or, to the right. E.g. whether the antenna wire within the helical housing spins clockwise or counterclockwise. In the antenna industry (and in PW's product terminology last I checked), helicals are designed as either "Right Hand Circular Polarized" (abbreviated as RHCP) ,or, "Left Hand Circular Polarized" (abbreviated as LHCP). He (physicist) was of the opinion that using an intentionally opposing pair of (1) RHCP helical on diversity channel A, and (1) LHCP helical on diversity channel B, is the best possible configuration for avoiding dropouts. Restated: a diversity pair of RHCP + LHCP helicals might be a great upgrade vs. whips toward maximizing range, minimizing dropouts - under a given set of RF conditions. If you have the cart space, anyhow. Hope everyone's staying safe out there, -Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyman Posted July 25, 2021 Report Share Posted July 25, 2021 On 7/15/2021 at 6:47 AM, Izen Ears said: Yep! Is the creepy two headed doll a sacrifice to the RF gods in hopes of having a clear scan and no drop outs every time? I've never considered helicals before for a cart setup. Seems interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted July 26, 2021 Report Share Posted July 26, 2021 On 7/24/2021 at 1:32 PM, Alex Milne said: He (physicist) was of the opinion that using an intentionally opposing pair of (1) RHCP helical on diversity channel A, and (1) LHCP helical on diversity channel B, is the best possible configuration for avoiding dropouts. Restated: a diversity pair of RHCP + LHCP helicals might be a great upgrade vs. whips toward maximizing range, minimizing dropouts - under a given set of RF conditions. Oh wow! I have to check these, I bet they’re both wound the same way. If so, I will probably get see if they can reverse one of em. 20 hours ago, codyman said: Is the creepy two headed doll a sacrifice to the RF gods in hopes of having a clear scan and no drop outs every time? The creepy dolls are all donations, and I feel they’re more of a messed up mast head than a sacrifice. Maybe if I was having a rough RFI day, I could burn one and see if it clears up haha! Dan Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Rillie Posted July 28, 2021 Report Share Posted July 28, 2021 This opinion about left and right hand wind helical is just an opinion, and not one held by all experts in my experience. PWS recommends both antennas to have the same wind for a diversity pair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlw Posted July 29, 2021 Report Share Posted July 29, 2021 FWIW the way I've understood to best use RHCP and LHCP antennas is to use one type on your receivers, and the other on your IEM/IFB transmitters (assuming you're using helicals for that purpose) because of the resulting inherent slight attenuation of the IEM/IFB signals getting into the receive antennas (the polarizations "cross" at 90 deg. which is akin to having your transmit antenna vertical and your receive antennas horizontal). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek H Posted July 30, 2021 Report Share Posted July 30, 2021 I would think a lot would depend on how the diversity arrangement of your particular wireless works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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