Choosing the perfect UHF Antenna | GME 

GME also have the best reliability and capability. Uniden is just as reliable, but their inbuilt speakers can be a bit soft, especially if you have a lot of background noise (although this can be alleviated through purchasing external speakers). Icom are alright brand new, but they are made of inferior materials, less generous on circuitry solder, and use more brittle plastics and rubbers, and as a result don't have the longevity of GME or Uniden (although they are still more reliable than the extremely cheap brands that are often seen these days). I also note that GME is one of the few brands to fully ruggedise their peripherals - when mounted, the external mic, for instance, is mounted in such a way to be both firmly secured, and just as water tight and dust proof as the overall radio unit itself, especially when talking portables. In fact, I rate GME alongside Motorola, although GME is much less expensive than Motorola (and an Aussie company).

There is something better. A ZCG Scaler wire whip antenna. It's ground independent and when mounted with a spring they are indestructible. I think the part number is GRUFC. All our vehicles have these antennae with springs and they are driven every day through scrub and under trees. They flex and never break.

Checkout -> www.gme.net.au/au/accessories/?_activities=4wd-and-touring&_paged=2 there are 2 colour options that allow antennas to fold in stages

Thanks James, yes we offer fold-down mounting brackets in Silver or Black - MB042 / MB042B

Thanks 👍

Great feedback! Thanks mate

It would ultimately depend on the environemtn around. As a rule though we recommend a lower dbi antenna for hilly/built up areas and a higher dbi antenna for flat areas.

Hi mate, generally, an antenna is used for transmitting radio waves, whether used for radio, television, cell phones or other more sophisticated equipment. ... Aerials are used for reception, not for transmission

Hi mate, You can but we do not offer a product to allow this as this will add another point of loss into the system and can impact performance. To ensure the best performance of your UHF radio we recommend the use of the interchangeable whip system instead of adding a third party splitter.

Our general recommendation is to avoid hitting any animals with your antenna as it is frowned upon in most parts of the world.

Hi Shaune, thanks for the feedback. Checking/tuning with a SWR meter is no longer necessary as our antennas are already pre-tuned.

Hi Luke, thanks for the feedback and query. Yes, it is possible to have 2 antennas mounted to the vehicle and connected to the one UHF radio. To do so you would need to install an aftermarket splitter/switch to allow you to switch between them. Please note that we do not recommend this as by doing so another point of loss will be added to the system which may impact performance, to prevent this we instead recommend the use of an interchangeable whip system like the AE4700 series

@@GMEaus Thank you very much for straight up and honest advice. Much appreciated.

Hi Steve, the 4WD pack is great and our most popular XRS pack. If you want to know more about the different XRS value packs check out this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2CchCJXT5AE.html And if you are still unsure, find your nearest dealer and have a chat with them. You can find a dealer here www.gme.net.au/au/find-a-dealer

@@GMEaus Thanks for taking the time to reply to my query, it is appreciated! :)

Hi Jonno, we do an AM/FM variant of the AE4705B. It is called the AEM4705B.

Hi Mick, Yes it will be fine on the bullbar, but as always the higher up the antenna is mounted, the better the performance

Hi mate, we are working on it with Tony! Cheers

@@GMEaus awesome. Keep up the great videos.

Hi there! Regarding your query, if you are doing a fair amount of driving on corrugated roads we would recommend upgrading your AE4018 to a radome style antenna like the AE4704B.

Hi Richard, Sorry for the delay in getting back to you! For the best performance we recommend installing upright and not rotated at 90 degrees. For best in convoy we would suggest the lower dbi options. However for more technical info it would be worth having a chat to the tech support team on 1300463463.

Hi mate, the AE4704 / 4705 series antennas are supplied with a protective cap to cover the spring base when the whip is removed

Hi mate, thanks for the comment. We'll try to cover this in a future video

Hi Frun, unfortunately not as the IC-r10 is not a product of ours. We would recommend contacting Icom regarding this.

Hi there, if you are trying to communicate with other vessels the radio would need to be a VHF radio. If you are using a VHF we would recommend mounting the antennas as high as possible to ensure the best transmission distance in those areas.

Hi Richard, head into your nearest dealer and they can chat with you about getting the best antenna for your needs. You can find your nearest dealer here www.gme.net.au/au/find-a-dealer

Hi Andrew, yes, our heavy duty fibreglass radomes are designed to withstand the tough conditions encountered in the bush

Hi Tomo, sounds like the AE4704B is the perfect choice for you!

Hi Richard, That's correct, the antenna is used for both transmitting and receiving. It is recommended to only use the radio with an antenna connected to prevent potential damage to the radio itself.

Hi mate, without getting too technical, there isn’t much difference between a 600mm and a 1200mm AM CB antenna, aside from looks. Performance-wise they are very similar, it just comes down to aesthetics

Hi there! By mounting up high at the rear the performance would be strong. However, it may be impacted by the caravan depending on its size.

Hi there! Our AM/FM antennas come with an auto plug at the end of the cable that should work with a standard radio port. For more info or to chat further though we would recommend giving our tech team a call on 1300463463!

Hi there mate, yes that should be fine to run your antennas on your new hybrid.

For this we would probably recommend something like the AE4702 (6.6dbi radome antenna) as an allrounder

Hi Neville, unfortunately not. With a new antenna it will come with a cable which will need to be re-ran to ensure the best performance.

Yes mate 👍

Hi mate, we would definitely recommend one of the heavy duty antennas - AE4704B / AE4705B or the twin pack - AE4705BTP

unfortunately due to the size of our antenna range we cant mention them all in this video, however the AE409L is a great performing antenna!

Yes that is correct, the AE4018K2 included in the TX3100VP is Ground Independent.

Thanks Marvin, the antenna is the AE4026 and more info can be found on our website. However we will be sure to pass this suggestion on to the team!

This is not something we offer directly, but there may be 3rd party options available with longer whips that offer higher gain.

Hi there, to ensure the best performance we recommend 300mm seperation between antennas.

@@GMEaus thanks for the reply, would it be possible to mount them horizontal on each side of my roof rack ?

@@catatropic233 for them to work properly they would need to be mounted upright, however they could be mounted on a MB042B fold down bracket to lower them when not in use.

Unfrotunately not, the XRS range are UHF CB only (477mhz).

For open terrain we would recommend either of those higher gain antennas but given the height of our 8.1dbi option (2.1m), the 6.6dbi would likely be more than sufficient for your needs!

Hi there, sorry for the delay! It would need to be on bare metal/metal-on-metal. Hope this helps!

Hi mate, either antenna will work with the XRS-330C

Hi there, for this we would recommend contacting our tech support team on 1300463463 and they will be able to assist!

Hi Ray, Thanks for reaching out to us. On-glass antennas are definitely suitable for that type of driving, the only thing we would recommend is that for long-distance outback driving the antenna selected is a higher dbi gain. Hope this helps!

Hi matt, the AEM7 or AEM4705B will be good options for your AM/FM needs in those areas!

@@GMEaus thanks very much for the information and reply 👍

Hi Joe, Provided the AE5003 is installed correctly it will work just as effectively as a bullbar mounted 2.1dbi antenna.

We are interested to learn more about the failure you've experienced as the fibreglass radome on an AE4705 shouldn't snap from regular use. We have tested these antennas extensively across some of the harshest terrain in Australia and the only fibreglass radomes we've had fail are from impacting birds and trees.

@@GMEaus I had it fail on coragated road between Bourke and hungerford.. fiberglass top broke off at the stainless base! Was a good pink one to 😭 can't afford a new one on minimum wage

Hi Kevin, this antenna would is a UHF antenna, for car stereo antennas we would recommend checking out our AM/FM antennas such as the AEM7 on our website for this purpose.

Hi Ibrahim, Unfortunately not, our antennas come with that length to allow mounting in a range of different positions depending on the customer preference.

Hi Gavin, we do a couple of cellular antennas that may suit your needs, the AT4704BA and the AE4705BA.

We would advise not to mount on any existing antennas. To find the best solution we would suggest contacting our service team on 1300463463

Hi mate, yes this can be mounted on bonnet mount!

we don't offer a ground independent am/fm antenna to suit, but since it is receive only the AEM7 or AEM3 would suit.

Hi Jack, what model antenna do you have?

Hi Darren, This will not overly effect the performance. As the vehicle is in the way of forward transmissions the distance forward may be slightly impacted, but transmissions to the rear will be stronger.

Hi Martin, Thanks for reaching out. It would ultimately depend on what terrain you are looking ot explore. If you are doing more open country and flat areas then we would recommend the AE4705B (6.6dbi) where if you are doing more mountainous and hilly terrain than the AE4704B (2.1dbi) would be better suited. It may be worth noting these 2 are interchangeable on the same base if you are doing both.

@@GMEaus Thanks Tony, appreciate you taking the time to reply! I've oredered the XRS-390C & asked for the"twin pack" The suppliers invoice states "AE4705BTP twin pak (2.1 &6.6 dBi Gain)" I'm assuming this is the one? which they say will be 12 weeks? I'm getting excited & thanks as I can now make sure the pack I'm getting has both these product no's specifically. Greatly appreciated 👍

Hi Jazz, often one antenna is for UHF and the other is for Cellular, in other cases the person may be running two UHF radios in their vehicle

Hi David, unfortunately not. Our antennas are currently only made to Australian specs which are not compatible with those in the US.

Hi Wayne, this can be done but will require a splitter of which we do not offer. We instead recommend the interchangeable whips as this does not add another point of loss in the system and ensures the best possible performance.

Hi Robin, we recommend the AE4705B - it’s 1200mm long, has 6.6dBi gain, and a heavy duty design which is perfect for the tough tracks and corrugations up in Cape York

Hi Russ, the AW4701 whip will also work on your existing AE4703!

👍 thanks

Hi John, it would depend on the main type of driving you are doing and the terrain you are exploring? If you could provide some more info on the that and the vehicle it will be on we will be happy to assist!

Hi mate, yes it does. When transmitting, a high-gain antenna allows more transmitted power to be sent to the receiver, increasing the received signal strength. When receiving, a high gain antenna captures more of the signal, again increasing signal strength

AE4026SMA is your best bet!

@@t000nz , why do you believe this to be my best option? Your suggestion is the same size as the one on the radio?

Hi mate, it is hard to be specific without seeing the exact setup, however it is likely you will still be able to have a reasonable conversation with someone travelling the opposite direction. In a heavy vehicle application we generally recommend mounting the antenna on the mirror arm as this will reduce obstructions and provide the best performance

@@GMEaus I mounted the previous antennas on the right hand mirror, but they kept getting wiped out by low trees, so the rear of cab is the the second best option I guess.

Hi Aaron, this was a slight mess-up on our part. The AE4005 is ground independent.

Hi Tim, No the AT4705B will not work as a UHF antenna as they operate on a different MHz frequency.

correct, the 6.1 is a great all-rounder!

Hi Harry, If you could confirm the model number antenna we will be able to double check this for you.

@@GMEaus The part number is AE4018K. Mounted on the fender near the radio aerial on a mounting bracket (Part NO; MB018).

@@DinDjarin6969 That should be fine! Just note that the elevated feed style antenna is not as well suited to off-road terrain and corrugations when compared to the radome style antennas.

Hi Rohan, we couldn’t cover every single antenna in this video as we have a lot of models - is there something in particular you want to know about the on-glass ones?

Hi Mark, we have a number of options to suit your application. For best performance we suggest one of our elevated-feed range - such as the AE4018BK1

I don’t want to carry my roof rack, lights and antenna with me everywhere when I am not 4WDing or touring. Is it safe to add a separation point to the coax by (professionally) crimping an FME connection in a weatherproof location? Is there an disadvantage to using a AE4026 around town and a AE4705BTP when out and about?

@@SalvoDan Hi mate, it is safe to do so but please note that this will add another point of loss into the system which may impact the performance. Also there will be a disadvantage to using the AE4026 as this is a lower db than the AE4704B included in the twin pack.

Hi Ethan, By adding in a splitter you will introduce another point of loss which will ultimiately impact the performance/range of your antenna. Instead we recommend the use of an interchangeable whips over splitters.

@@GMEaus I suppose if I want 2 antennas working without getting out of the car to change the whip I’m better off having 2 UHF’s

@@ethanwebber2160 by having 2 UHFs you will be able to ensure the best possible performance of the antennas, especially if you do not want to interchange whips.

Thanks for the feedback! We have passed this on to the team to keep in mind for future videos!

unfortunately not but we will pass this on to the team to look into!

Negative.