With the recent death of Wisdom Atsu, Maple Leaf antennas are no longer available for purchase. Bob Morton, who started the company before handing it off to Wisdom, has been working through Wisdom’s files to try to identify outstanding orders that have been paid for.
Bob is technically retired and has no real desire or capacity to start manufacturing and selling antennas for Motus again, but does want to help settle any orders that have previously been initiated – particularly if they have been paid for. Please contact Bob directly if you have paid Wisdom for an order. Bob’s contact information can be found on his website.
We do have a resource of alternate antenna suppliers on the Motus docs. Please let us know if you have suggestion for companies to include.
A note on your antenna suppliers list:
PLC-1669 anywhere I have looked in the US is obsolete and no longer being made.
PLC-1669-REV2 which could be purchased through one vendor is now no longer available as of about 2 weeks ago. I’m not sure if related to Wisdom Atsu, but they told me the person was in an unfortunate car accident and will no longer be made.
So ZDADJ166-9YG you list may be the only 9-element and unfamiliar with it; I’ll need to look into it.
Thanks Mack. Yes the Laird antennas have been very difficult to find lately. I think they recently restarted production, partly due to Motus demand, but that seems to have stalled… Yes Wisdom would have been the man who died in a car accident. There are no current plans to restart sales of those; unfortunately, as they were very good antennas for Motus.
https://www.samcoantennas.com/ make an antenna for 166.380 MHZ for about $305.
ZDA Communication is building a 166.380 MHZ antenna not available as yet.
For you in Europe and England Innovantennas make an excellent antenna 150.1 mhz
I think there isn’t a single antenna we’ve settled on yet since Wisdom’s passing. It’s worth trying a few models out to see what may work best.
The Diamond BC103 is a wide band antenna (144-174 MHz), so may not be the best choice. This is dependent on the SWR for each antenna at the selected frequency, but there’s likely a higher risk of noise on the wider band antenna.
Here are some other options that may be worth exploring:
Possibly the best option here given the narrow band and relatively high gain, but again that somewhat depends on the SWR at 166 which I won’t know until I measure it.
I have to respectably disagree with you on choice of antennas. My 55
pulse years of antenna experience showed me it is the best antenna for
the application. Superior quality coax along with properly installed
ferrite core can help with noise reduction. Also proper placement of
the antenna can reduce noise. If all else fails a passive cavity filer
can help. I scanned the antenna and the swr is about 1.75 at 166.380.
MHZ. The omni antenna will be used with two other yagi . It also will be
in a rural are noise is low. Yes not all rural ares have low noise. Not
use what you back ground is but you could be an RF engineer.
I am just an old guy enjoying installing Motus station. Seven so far and
request for help keep coming in. The late Wisdom and I had many a great
conservation on antennas design. He had several great idea to improve
Motus including a cavity filter. I think the answer to noise is CTT
Frequency shift keying modulation type.
Glenn pollockgc@gmail.com
Thanks Glenn - is it still worth testing the other antennas in different noise environments? We’ve been deploying Wisdom’s omni’s in fishing communities around Atlantic Canada and the north so I’m a bit concerned of noise from AIS or even 2-way radio (hopefully not!) for whatever antenna we switch to.
Also wondering if you can explain how the Diamond antenna is superior to the Laird FG1623? Not an RF engineer, just wanting to find the best option!
I have not test the Laird1623. The main reason I like the Diamond
antenna is a personal choice because of my past experience with the
Company. Also the antenna mount is included in the purchase price. I
admit I have not been impressed with Laird product in the past. Again it
is my personal opinion.
The noise problem I have experienced in the past is in band noise that
no amount of filtering will solve. Turns out power company line arcing
caused in band noise.
I see that ZDA communication make a omni vertical antenna. ZDA will
soon have a 166.380 yagi available.
