"What PMR homebased antenna should I use?"

This question was asked on the Monday Night PMR net, so here is my take on what might work for someone coming into the PMR radio hobby.

I would first see where the antenna is going to be placed. Will it be on a chimney, pole in the garden or a pole on the side of the house and at what height?

With the location decided, this is the choice you have.

A Diamond/Sharman "white stick" antenna. There are many versions out, X30, X50, X200, etc. These are dual band antennas for the amateur bands but do work on PMR and the general rule is the bigger the number, the bigger the antenna and DB gain.

White Stick

Sirio make a couple of antennas that can be used on PMR, the weird looking CX-440, a Di-pole, there take on the "white stick" and beam antenna's

http://sirio.store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=85

http://sirio.store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_15&products_id=100

Thinking of a beam? Well once up, it will look like a TV aerial which will keep the neighbours happy and guessing if they see it moving round.

http://sirio.store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_15&products_id=103

The last choice would be to build your own. A little GPA can be made for next to nothing and will look small when viewed from the ground.

https://m0ukd.com/calculators/quarter-wave-ground-plane-antenna-calculator/

Hope this is some help.

Good luck and welcome to the hobby

Best 73

Ray 2290

Quote from: CT4013 on Mar 06, 2026, 03:35 PMThis still has me puzzled, after my post I had no noise any evening until Wed 4th (5 days) when it returned from 18 to 30MHz!
Yesterday listening on the SSB net it was clear with only S1-S2 all evening.

My thinking is that if the solar panels were the cause it would be the same every evening, or am I wrong?

This is the worse kind of interference, as it comes and go's at irregular intervals.

Does it cover all of the HF band or just different portions of it?

Hello and welcome

Here is my report for the Southern Area & South Coast SSB net held on Thursday 5th of March 2026

My location for the net was a Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌳 Forest in the county of East Sussex, where the weather was cool, cloudy and breezy. My estimated height above sea level is 213m or 699ft.

The net is held on channel 39 on the mid-block or 27.395 MHz and uses the LSB mode. The scheduled start time is close to 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and continues to 23:00 Hrs 🕙 or beyond. Local UK time

My set up for the net was an older version of the Anytone AT-6666 (no amp no power mic), powered by a car battery 🔋 and a Solarcon A-99 antenna on a 3m pole.

Here is my list of check in's and who heard and or worked who

TE 310 aka 3 to the 1 to the 0 - Kevin - Leigh on Sea - Essex 🥇
CT 3696 - Dave - Isle of Wight
RC 002 - Tom - Blackheath - Southeast London
CT 700 - Dave - Crawley Down - West Sussex
163/26 RU 08 - Rod - Brecon Beacon - Wales 🐉
RHP 342 aka Bartman - Andy - Reigate Hill - Surrey
TC 383 - Scott - Gillingham - Kent - Welcome to the net 👍
CCA 20 - Charlie in the Workshop - Hassocks - East Sussex
CT 1829 - Dean - Edenbridge - Kent
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick - West Sussex
AM 167 - Dave - Maidstone - Kent - Welcome to the net 👍
GE 2020 - Matt - Ore Village - East Sussex
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey
TC 614 - Tim - Butts Brow - East Sussex
GE 167 - Murphy - Eastbourne - East Sussex
Joker aka RHP 285 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
OS 403 - Slywek - Wimbledon - Southwest London - Mobile 🚗
CT 4515 - John - Somewhere on Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - QRP 5 watts
Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - Shotgun with QRP John
RM 427 - Mark - Dorking - Surrey
CT 5363 aka Shaggy - Shaun - Lewis - East Sussex
WT 148 - Tony - Hailsham - East Sussex
OP 525 - Dennis - Mereworth - Kent
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 5147 - Paul - Buxted - East Sussex - Mobile 🚗
FB 228 - Martin H - Hellingly - East Sussex
LT 01 - Jake - Highgate - North London
LT 555 - Jimmy - Chingford - East London - Welcome to the net 👍
009 - Tom - East London
LT 727 - Dave - Elstree - Hertfordshire
and me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest aka Radio Corner - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in a busy night. Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, please try again Thursday night.

Now for the Numbers of the Night

0 Coffee's drunk as was too busy
31 In the log
2 Countries worked (26 & 163 division)
8 Counties worked
3 New operators welcomed to the net
4 London boroughs worked
1 QRP station worked

That brings my report to an end, and if you have spotted a spelling mistake or worse, I have left you off my log, let me know so I can put it right

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper & pen 📝

This still has me puzzled, after my post I had no noise any evening until Wed 4th (5 days) when it returned from 18 to 30MHz!
Yesterday listening on the SSB net it was clear with only S1-S2 all evening.

My thinking is that if the solar panels were the cause it would be the same every evening, or am I wrong?

I like using military and FRS radios on 4 metres
 

Hello & good day

Welcome to another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night Channel 14 PMR Net held on Monday 02/03/2026

and did you know that on this date in history. . . . .

Queen Victoria escapes an assassination attempt while boarding a train at Windsor and the 1st surface crossing of Antarctic is completed after 99 days

Now on with some information about the net

The net is scheduled to start at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and finish anytime from 23:00 Hrs 🕙 UK time onwards

My location was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌲 Forest in the county of East Sussex, which is near the town of Crowborough. The weather on the night was cold, clear with some scattered cloud that allowed the full Moon 🌕 to cast Moon shadows across the car park.

The net is held on PMR analogue channel 14 or 446.16875 MHz. We don't use any kind of tones or codes to join the net and even if you are a listening station thinking of joining to the net, you don't need a callsign or handle, just call in with your name and location.

My set up for the net was the "Dean" made Di-pole on a fibreglass pole, transmitting about 10 watts from a battery 🔋 powered CRT SPACE U

With the when, where, what time and weather forecast done, on with the list of check in's and who worked and or heard who.

CT 5464 - Matt in the Garden - Hailsham - East Sussex - Using a handy 🥇
CT 5159 - Neil - Hastingleigh - Kent
CT 1829 - Dean - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
CT 940 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Dragon Slayer #1 - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Richard
KP 441 - Steve - Mobile - West Sussex
CT 4610 aka RHP 342 - Andy - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex - 1st location of the night
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
Luke - Horsham - West Sussex
TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
London Calling - Mark - East London
Ratty 248 - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
Witchy Women - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
RHP 285 aka Joker - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex - Using a handy & Umbratenna
CT 4362 - Chris - Reigate Town - Surrey
Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
GE 167 - Murphy - Eastbourne - East Sussex
R J - Reigate Town - Surrey - In the loft with a handy
GE 2020 - Matt - Ore Village - East Sussex
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
Phil - Wanstead - East London - 10-5 by Mark
CT 4515 - John - Brighton - East Sussex
CT 5502 - Paul on the Patio - Outwood - Surrey - Working a handy
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
Split Sac - Paul - Forest Row - West Sussex - Welcome to the net and in the bakery with a handy 👍
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
RHP 342 aka CT 4610 - Andy - Reigate Hill - Surrey - 2nd location of the night
and me
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and to the listening station.
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, it was a busy night as the Scores on the Doors will show.

Topics of the night, the dog/human fouling 💩 at Radio Corner by a horrible minority, and can we make a piece of string soaked in salt water, into an antenna??

The Score's on the Doors

2 New voice's heard on the net
28 in the log. Which meant an average of 1 call in, every 7 minutes!
5 stations using handie's
4 counties worked
2 London stations heard/worked

That brings this episode to an end and if you have spotted a mistake, let me know and I will correct.

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the hammer, chisel and piece of granite.

Philippe from Cherbourgh was blasting in to me 5/9 @ 2.30ish.
He was in a QSL with Charlie (from Brighton) although I don't know where he was TX'ing from as I couldn't hear him.

I don't see the diagonal lines on the video waterfalls that I had so undecided.
I checked 27.395MHz again yesterday evening and no noise again!
My plan is to check each evening until/if it happens again. It has to be someone near me as I always have the same power bricks/supplies on whenever I'm on radio, Also 'Station Manager' always has the same for the LED lighting etc.

Thank you Toby & Ray for another test net. Also well done for your contacts on other frequencies, eg. Brazil  

ps. James Stapleton replied to the post I added to his Sunday Morning Net Group:

QuoteJames Stapleton
didn't see this until now otherwise i would of jumped on earlier

Hello Chaps

I look forward to future plans for 10m net Mr Ray 2290/M0KXU Under supervision    .
Once again Thx for both of your support on my activation .

Cheers John