Hi Guys
I have a VX-8 and FT-270 and want to upgrade the rubber duck to something more suitable for 2m & 70cm. Can anyone give me any thoughts based on experience or reviews. I have heard the Nagoya range is not bad - any thoughts?
73 Glyn
Hello,
I use a Diamond RH771 (bought at Wimo) can choice SMA or BNC
Gerald F6HBI
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Hello
Don’t know personnally about Nagoya but beware of the cheap knock off clone antenna’s out there.
Make sure that your dealer sell’s you the original,not a copy…
Type in: NAGOYA in the search box on the reviews page to read more about this problem.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/search
Additional info:
how to spot a fake Nagoya antenna
I’m using a diamond 15 inch flexible whip (forget wich model…) on my FT-60 and the performance is significantly better than with the original antenna wich i think for most HT’s are just a compromise between size (lenght) and performance.
73
Eric
VA2MO.
I bought one of those cheap Chinese Nagoya’s … model NA-771 , for about 3€
It’s about 38cm in length.
I measured it with a VNWA3 and it’s resonant frequencies are … 181 and 430 MHz !!
(the original Yaesu rubber duck measured 144 and 435 MHz)
Still I did a test with my FT1D, comparing with the original Yaesu rubber duck and a “real” Diamond SRH519 (short flexible steel wire abt 20cm long), operating on the ground flour (from my kitchen ;-).
With 5W I could open a 2m repeater 25km away with this Nagoya, no success with the two short antenna’s.
So does it work ? YES
Is it good ? I wouldn’t say so, but it does the job for me … and if it gets broken in the bush, it didn’t cost a fortune.
my 2 cents
73 - Luc ON7DQ
Hi Glyn
I bought one of these a couple of years ago:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/mrw-210-super-gainer-antenna-with-sma-connector-n30ac
I’m not sure who made it, but the local Maplin store had one when I needed it.
I’ve used it a lot, and it is certainly better than the rubber duck, but I haven’t tried to make any accurate measurements.
I left this review, which still holds, apart from the 6 months bit!
“I bought one of these antennas about 6 months ago, and have used it often since on a Yaesu VX5. I think is is mechanically good. It is flexible enough to protect the SMA connector on the rig from stress, and rigid enough to support itself…”
73
Adrian
G4AZS
I had one of those, Adrian (I gave it away to a bedridden ham) and it worked very well. I think it came from Moonraker, Maplin do a lot of their stuff.
Brian
I recommend the RH770, cheap from China, fragile top but effective if handled carefully. Use mine just on 2m with VX170 or FT270. If you buy one make sure you get correct male or female fitting for your handheld. Cannot say what they perform like on 70cm, but they work extremely well on 2m.
73 Phil
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Hi Glyn,
The best solution I have found - get an adapter from SMA or BNC whatever is in the HT to an SO239 socket, take a quarter wave 2m whip as used on a cars mag mount. It works as a quarter wave on 2m and 5/8th. vertical on 70cm. Far better than any mini or rubber duck antenna. I use the same antenna on the back of my FT-817 - also works well (remember to switch the socket in the menu first of course - then you don’t need the adapter).
I know everyone will say there’s no ground plane or the case of the HT isn’t large enough - all I know is this works.
73 Ed.
I was with you till I got to here “SO239 socket” then realised this was a practical joke you were setting up! 
What’s the big sack of salty water holding the handheld then?
A 1/4 wave is a good solution though Ed. A telescopic antenna that extends to a 1/4 wave with the correct fitting (BNC, SMA) is a good solution. You can adjust the length for 70cms.
A significant improvement can be made from adding a 1/4wave counterpoise at the earthy side of the antenna in addition to whatever else you use.
SO239 indeed. 
SO239 as that is what is on the cars mag mount, where the antenna comes from. no joke.
And no joke that it works aswell.
i use two different antennas with my th-d72:
during the hiking i have aprs running with the “diamond srh771” and the handheld on the side of the backpack. for the activation on the summit i change to “diamond RH770” …
73 martin, oe5reo
Not that close… and theoretically a 5/8 antenna needs a matching network to transform it’s end impedance to 50 ohms anyway… but if the radio survives it’ll surely work better than your average rubber duckie 
73 de Paul G4MD
Hi Paul,
I would be very surprised if the impedance is 50 Ohms - even when on the car roof on the mag mount.
Antennas on a HT are a compromise. If someone wants to use one on a summit, they’re better taking a J-Pole or even a small Yagi or Moxon.
The quarter wave works better than the standard rubber-ducky bt not as well as a “propper” antenna on a mast.
73 Ed.
Spectrum communications do excellent hand made whips for handhelds which give me much better results than commercial ones - altho they are a little longer if space is an issue.
Agreed. As well as whips for 2m and 70cm, Spectrum also do an excellent whip for 4m handhelds. I got one from them for my Wouxun 4m handie.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)