modern antenna question

The FM antennas used on US AFVs are tapered in width, and come in to parts, an upper and lower half. The lower half is about 2" diameter with a Hexaonal base and tapers to about 5/8", the upper half is about 7/8" diameter and tapers to about 3/8" tip where a plastic protective tip cap ball is taped on. Each antenna half is around 4' long.

When I got out in 03 the style of antenna being used with the new radios (singars I think they were called) were much smaller. Might have been only 3 or 4 feet long and were closer in resembling a car antenna. Those two part whip jobs were being phased out for most stuff.They were not tapered a all, perfectly straight and maybe a quarter inch diameter. Probably a little bigger then that but not tothick at all.

For tanks I can say that my last two units were all equipped with the smaller version. I use a twist tie for trash bags myself. Burn off the paper/plastic coating and cut to the right length.

So for a vehicle set in the 99-current time frame you can have two options on this.

I never saw a shorter antenna for SINGARS, but we were not high on the food chain priority wise. Just the two part ones. Thats what we had when I popped smoke in 2007 after 24 years. There are lots of antenna types out there (I was a commo Sgt for the last half of my career) but the type he asked about the two part antennas are the most prevelant.

thanks guys!

stikpusher

I never saw a shorter antenna for SINGARS, but we were not high on the food chain priority wise. Just the two part ones. Thats what we had when I popped smoke in 2007 after 24 years. There are lots of antenna types out there (I was a commo Sgt for the last half of my career) but the type he asked about the two part antennas are the most prevelant.

Dang now I need to see if I have some pictures somewhere. I thought they were common. Might have been the unit I was in was higher up on the food chain. I was in Germany and was part of the rapid reaction force at the time for anything going down in the balkans. Seemed like we got alot of new toys about the time I got there.

I know all of the tanks and Bradleys in Baumholder at the time had them as far as I could tell. I'll look around and see if I can dig up some evidence.

Ok found some pics. There are all from 99 so pre digital for me. Hope they turn out. I don't post many pics.

The first one shows the whole antenna. Its in the center and can be hard to see. Probably why they started to use them. The second is a closer view so you can judge thickness. Each tank had two, one on either side at the rear of the turret.

I finally remembered to walk over to the motor pool and measure one. From the base to the plastic ball tip is 10 feet in length. All the vehicles here have the 2 part fiberglass antennas on them. I remember the small whip antenna but haven't seen one lately. I hope this helps.

The small whip antenna was for back in the old days when a tank had an aux receiver (a radio that could only monitor a second station and not transmit on that frequency).