Handheld radio antenna

[Mistroma]

I managed to break the antenna on my Cobra HH415EU handheld marine VHF last year. I could only find the Cobra CM-300-002 Replacement Antenna on sale in the UK. Unfortunately, it wasn't listed as being suitable for the HH414EU. The handheld and manual are on the boat in Greece and I couldn't remember details of the fitting. I thought I'd ask the manufacturer for the part number of a suitable replacement and they finally sent the reply below.

>>Good day.
>>I apologize for the very lengthy delay in response.

>>Refretfully, I must inform you that there are no suitable
>>Antenna replacements for that radio. Sadly the whole
>>radio will need to be replaced.

>>Thanks and have a great day.

I'll need to spend a little time downloading a manual and checking. The fitting ought to be standard but could be either male or female. I checked Cobra's website and their antenna has a male threaded fitting. Good chance that I need one with a female fitting, probably TNC. Someone must make one, time to go Googling.

Good grief, buy a new handheld radio because the antenna is damaged. Great advice.

 

[andsarkit]

There is a manual here: https://www.marinepanservice.com/.../manuale-inglese-cobra-marine-mr-hh415-eu.pd...

Page 25 picture looks like an SMA connector:
If it is an SMA then this one from CPC might be suitable: https://cpc.farnell.com/siretta/delta12-x-smam-s-s-17/151-173mhz-1-4-wave-whip-ant-3dbi/dp/RF00669
SMA connectors can get quite confusing because there are also reversed versions with the outer thread and inner connections reversed.
I have a spare unwanted new Icom FA-S54V antenna - PM me if you would like to give it a go and I can post it.

 

[Salty John]

The connection is much more likely to be SMA. Take a look at other make's replacement antennae and see of it looks like they might fit. Standard Horizon, for instance, have SMA fittings.

 

[Bilgediver]

I think it will be a male SMA. This is a male threaded stub with a hole in the centre to take the signal pin on the radio. If this is correct I have one here so just PM me your address. Beware of trying a similar antenna without the hole as you will goose the radio socket.
No payment required but please give something to RNLI .

 

[Bilgediver]

That picture shows a female SMA however the OP suggested the manual says male. Seems Cobra did not standardise .

 

[lw395]

That picture shows a female SMA however the OP suggested the manual says male. Seems Cobra did not standardise .

Males, as they say in the RF industry, are the ones with the nuts on.

Many HH VHFs have antenna connections which are not SMA or any other 50ohm connection, they are a stud to which a tuned length (or equivalent) rod screws on. There is no earth/gnd/return conductor, just the radiating element. Replacing the OE part with anything else is pot luck.
OTOH, any old bit of wire will work 'to some extent'.

 

[Heckler]

I managed to break the antenna on my Cobra HH415EU handheld marine VHF last year. I could only find the Cobra CM-300-002 Replacement Antenna on sale in the UK. Unfortunately, it wasn't listed as being suitable for the HH414EU. The handheld and manual are on the boat in Greece and I couldn't remember details of the fitting. I thought I'd ask the manufacturer for the part number of a suitable replacement and they finally sent the reply below.

>>Good day.
>>I apologize for the very lengthy delay in response.

>>Refretfully, I must inform you that there are no suitable
>>Antenna replacements for that radio. Sadly the whole
>>radio will need to be replaced.

>>Thanks and have a great day.

I'll need to spend a little time downloading a manual and checking. The fitting ought to be standard but could be either male or female. I checked Cobra's website and their antenna has a male threaded fitting. Good chance that I need one with a female fitting, probably TNC. Someone must make one, time to go Googling.

Good grief, buy a new handheld radio because the antenna is damaged. Great advice.

Mine broke as well, the rubber plastic gets hard. Its an SMA connector and I got one off ebay.

 

[pvb]

There is a manual here: https://www.marinepanservice.com/.../manuale-inglese-cobra-marine-mr-hh415-eu.pd...

Page 25 picture looks like an SMA connector: View attachment 75500
If it is an SMA then this one from CPC might be suitable: https://cpc.farnell.com/siretta/delta12-x-smam-s-s-17/151-173mhz-1-4-wave-whip-ant-3dbi/dp/RF00669
SMA connectors can get quite confusing because there are also reversed versions with the outer thread and inner connections reversed.
I have a spare unwanted new Icom FA-S54V antenna - PM me if you would like to give it a go and I can post it.

The same manual has a diagram of the antenna, which shows the antenna having a male threaded stud...

View attachment 75503

 

[Heckler]

The same manual has a diagram of the antenna, which shows the antenna having a male threaded stud...

View attachment 75503

Typical yanks! Just looked at mine, there is a mail thread sticking out of the radio with a female socket in it. So the antenna is femail thread with male pin. I remember the description was weird! The antenna was described as male connection even though it had female thread!

 

[lw395]

Typical yanks! Just looked at mine, there is a mail thread sticking out of the radio with a female socket in it. So the antenna is femail thread with male pin. I remember the description was weird! The antenna was described as male connection even though it had female thread!

Male SMAs always have a female thread in the nut. It's the centre pin that makes it male.
The R-SMAs with the reverse gender cause confuson with their male sockets and female plugs.

 

[Mistroma]

Thanks very much guys and many thanks for the kind offers to mail an antenna, greatly appreciated.

Summary
1) Cobra CM-300-002 antenna has a male connector according to their website and they say that won't fit.
2) Cobra manual (thanks for link) shows male on top of VHF
3) Same manual shows male on end of antenna (to fit male on HH, maybe it's a US don't ask, don't tell thing )
4) I did finally find a Service Manual online which says the "Antenna Socket" is TNC
5) Cobra customer support seem to think that it would be completely impossible to buy a suitable antenna

Judging by most of the posts and the fact that skipper_stu has this model, 1 and 2 are correct. Pretty certain 3,4 an 5 aren't correct.

I wish I'd brought the old antenna back from Greece but looks as if that's the way to go. Most likely connector is SMA with male on VHF and female on antenna, not 100% certain yet.

Only niggle is Bilgediver mentioning a hole and warning that lack of one will goose the radio socket. Just checked and think he is also talking about an antenna with a male SMA. I think he is describing a male connector recessed inside a shroud, making it look like a female fitting until you look inside. Now there's a choice of female SMA or one similar to a female SMA but actually a male SMA inside (with or without a hole).

I think that this one on eBay is an example of the type he describes without a hole.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Icom-Antenna-IC-F-22-IC-F-25-F-4002-Portable-Handheld-Replacement-UHF

I managed to find a description of common antenna connectors and posted it belo. Perhaps skipper_stu will be able to confirm the type he purchased.