PCTEL Maxrad MUF450 VS Larson NMOWB450C GMRS Antenna

[Heading Out]

I am setting up GMRS radio for my Jeep.

This is for a 93 Jeep Wrangler YJ running a Midland Micromobile MXT115 radio.
I may upgrade to the MXT400 in the future.

I am planning on mounting the antenna on a taillight bracket. the type that mounts
under the stock tail light and has a flat area above the light to mount the antenna.
I usually run no top, when I do it is a fiberglass hardtop.

I already have one on the passenger side for CB and have the bracket for the driver side.
this leads me to the question, at hand,

I am thinking the PCTEL antenna will work better with no ground plane.
and the Larsen wants/needs a ground plane that the taillight mount will not provide.

What an I missing?

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

That metal body behind the antenna is going to effect the antenna. Mounting it upfront in front of the A pillar is a better location if you can't mount it on the roof.

 

[Heading Out]

The antenna will be above the metal tub, this is on open Jeep there is no metal roof, Just a roll bar and windshield frame.
When it does have a top it's fiberglass. see my Avatar....

 

[DaveInDenver]

Make sure to watch your part numbers.

PCTEL makes a MUF4505 that is a collinear 5/8λ over 1/4λ that is not ground plane independent and they make a MUF4505NGP that is 5/8λ over 1/2λ spec'd to be 5 dB gain with a ground plane and 3 dB without.

https://www.talleycom.com/images/pdf/MXRMUF4505.pdf


For their part Larsen makes the NMO450CHW that is ground plane independent and the NMOWB450C that is not. I suspect the two designs are probably similar to the PCTEL versions.

https://pulselarsenantennas.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ASB11-UHF-Antennas.pdf


There's not an unlimited number of ways to put together antennas and PCTEL, Larsen and Laird all often offer similar types to meet various market users. So you have to go through catalogs to find what you need.

 

[Heading Out]

OK, so to follow up on this thread...

I ended up with the PCTEL no ground plane antenna with a NMO style mount
with my Midland MXT115 radio. and am pleased so far.

The area I am in is quite flat and have been able to talk simplex about 20 miles
from the top of a small butte to another.

There is an open repeater in the area, but have not really tested with that yet.