General FAQ
Q: Do I have to use PayPal to make payment?
Q: Why won't the shopping cart system
work for me?
Q: How are orders shipped?
Q: How long will it take to receive my
order?
Q: Can I get something custom built?
Q: Do you make foreign sales, and how
is shipping handled?
Q: Where are DPDP products made?
Q: Are any of your products available
in stores?
Q: How do you handle returns?
Q: How can I make a custom order or order
multiple items?
Antenna FAQ
Q: What makes one antenna better than
another?
Q: Why do you say the LP is better than
a discone?
Q: Can the outdoor models be used inside?
Q: Can the indoor 'Blade' models be used
outside?
Q: Will I be able to hear stuff other
than what the antenna was designed for?
Q: How well will I be able to receive
stuff?
Q: I've seen other antennas for less
money. What about those?
Q: Will I only hear things in one direction
on the LP directional antennas?
Q: Do I have to have a rotator to use
one of the LP antennas?
Q: Why can't I mount the LP antenna horizontally?
Q: I heard the railroads are changing
to digital... Will I be able to listen still?
Q: Where can I get the hardware needed
to mount an antenna on the roof?
Coax Cable FAQ
Q: What kind of cable do I need for
my outdoor antenna?
Q: How does cable signal loss affect
performance?
Q: Will I have loss using a small cable
for a short length on a longer big cable?
Q: What are the basic cable sizes?
Q: So what exact cable choices do I have?
Q: That's all great, but what do you
recommend for the average setup?
Q: What about cables like RG6 and RG59?
Q: What's with all the different connector
types?
Q: So what connectors do I need to use
on DPD Productions antennas?
Q: How does it work if I want to use
a rotator?
Q: I can't make cables, so who could
do it for me?
Q: What cable can I use on my SBS-1 /
RadarBox?
General FAQ
Q: Do I have to use PayPal to make payment?
A: No you don't... If you prefer to make a purchase using another
form of payment, please email
us. But, please be aware that PayPal no longer requires
you to keep a full time account with them. You will not be required
to submit any bank info... You can pay through PayPal using
a credit card, like any other payment system. Click
here to get all the info about how to make a payment.
Q: Why won't the shopping cart system work for me?
A: Make sure you're running the latest version of your browser.
Also make sure you have Java turned on in the browser preferences,
as well as have it set to accept cookies. If you still have
problems, please email
us.
Q: How are orders shipped?
A: Usually by USPS Priority to US destinations. Foreign
orders may be shipped in various ways, depending on the destination.
Please email us
for a foreign shipping quote. Don't forget to include your city
and postal code.
Q: How long will it take to receive my order?
A: Every attempt is made to get orders out as soon as possible.
However, we are a small company, and as such, we aren't always
able to do the instant 24/7 type of shipping that many larger
companies can. On occasion we will have a run on a particular
item and that item will become backordered, or have a short
waiting period before it goes out. If that's the case, a note
will be posted for that product on the web site. Once products
are shipped they usually take about one week to arrive at US
destinations. This does not include holidays or weekends. It
also takes longer for foreign shipments, depending on the destination.
Q: Can I get something custom built?
A: It all depends... If the product you'd like falls within
the basic design of what we already offer, it may be possible
to create what you're looking for. Details of what you need
should be sent by email
to us so we can talk about it further. All efforts will
be made to fill a custom order, if at all possible.
Q: Do you make foreign sales, and how is shipping handled?
A: We try to sell outside the US, but it's necessary to contact
us regarding that, as it all depends on the country. Shipping
can often be an issue with parcels that are deemed 'over-sized'
by shippers. But most of the time it can be done. We ship our
products all over the world, with very few problems... and it's
really not that expensive.
Q: Where are DPDP products made?
A: All DPDP base antenna products are made right here in the
US by us. And when we say "made", we don't mean simply
designed by us, then out-sourced for manufacturing in China
or some other country... We mean that they're physically made
here by us. Some mobile product components do come from other
sources, but some also come from the US.
Q: Are any of your products available in stores?
A: Not at this time... All DPDP products are sold directly through
this web site, in an effort to try and keep costs as low as
possible.
Q: How do you handle returns?
A: Due to the nature of the products, merchandise is considered
to be in a 'used' condition as soon as it's installed. Therefore
we typically cannot accept returns based purely on whether the
customer simply likes something or not. Being a small business,
we cannot afford to have products "tried out", because
the product can no longer be sold as new once it has been used.
However, we will work with the customer to try and do everything
we can to offer support and bring satisfaction. If for some
reason the product is defective and a part cannot be sent to
repair the product, we will then accept the product as a return
to fix or replace. The customer is ultimately responsible for
any damage incurred during installation. Unauthorized returns
will NOT be accepted and returned to the sender.
Q: How can I make a custom order or order multiple items?
A: Due to the nature of this business, there can be an almost
infinite amount of options when it comes to ordering a product.
Antenna type, cable type, connector type, shipping, and many
other things all have to be taken into consideration. For this
reason, it's a lot easier to just take multiple item or custom
orders on a case by case basis. Also, sometimes it just helps
to hear what a customer is trying to accomplish. Oftentimes
we can help you decide what would work best in your situation.
Please email us
with what you're looking for and we can give you a quote, then
send a payment request to you for the order.
Antenna FAQ
Q: What makes one antenna better than another?
A: There's two basic things that determine how well an antenna
will perform... The amount of elements it has (not including
ground plane or duplicate elements), and how closely it's tuned
to the frequency you are trying to hear. That's it! It doesn't
matter how fancy something looks, or what the claims are. Every
time you add an element, you increase gain, and the smaller
the amount of bandwidth an antenna try's to cover, the better
it will perform. Saying something is "25-1300 full coverage"
means nothing when it comes to performance... An antenna designed
to cover one portion of a band, will perform better than one
trying to cover everything. An antenna that has multiple stacked
elements (horizontally or vertically) will perform better than
any single element antenna. Any type of ground plane antenna
is basically zero gain. Same goes for a discone. A dipole is
slightly better, but still the same when compared to each other.
Those are all basically single element antennas. If you want
more performance, you have to use antennas that have stacked
elements, and also focus on the band/frequency you are operating
on. Yes, this means the antenna can be fairly big. It also means
you may have to use a directional antenna. Typically a directional
antenna is the only way you will be able to attempt maximum
performance. This is why the traditional TV antenna has always
looked the way it has. It is physically impossible for an antenna
to perform really well, cover all bands, be 100% omni-directional,
AND be small. Unfortunately, nature just doesn't work that way.
When looking for a good basic antenna, don't fall for gimmicks...
Look for quality. You may think you're saving a lot of money
by going with a $19.95 special, but if it falls apart after
a year, then it's not such a great deal.
Q: Why do you say the LP is better than a discone?
A: A typical ground plane or discone is basically 0 gain or
worse. There's a common misconception that a directional antenna
will only receive signals in the direction it's pointed, which
is why many people think they need a discone for wide-band omni
performance. True, directional antennas *can* be fairly deaf
to the sides and back, but they can also be designed not to
be. The DPD Productions LP antennas are designed to have fairly
good reception to the sides and back. This means you're still
getting 360 degree coverage with the LP. Plus, you get the added
gain in the direction the antenna is pointed. The common misconception
of: "I don't want a directional antenna because I won't
be able to hear stuff all around me" is not true.
Q: Can the outdoor models be used inside?
A: Yes, but they were designed to be used outside. If you're
an apartment or condominium dweller, you may want to consider
an indoor model. You could possibly mount an outdoor model in
the attic though, or on a balcony.
Q: Can the indoor Blade models be used outside?
A: If there's a protected spot outside where it will not
come directly in contact with the elements, you could probably
leave it there for fairly long periods without any problem.
The antenna was designed for indoor use though.
Q: Will I be able to hear stuff other than what the
antenna was designed for?
A: Yes... All antennas are capable of hearing bands other
than the one they were designed for... That's why advertising
an antenna as being 25 to 1300 MHz "full coverage",
really isn't any great thing. It's just a matter of *how well*
an antenna will receive multiple bands. Contrary to what many
manufacturers would have you believe, there is no such thing
as an antenna that has a high level of performance along a very
wide bandwidth (ie: 25 - 1300 MHz). Every antenna has high points
of resonance, and low points of resonance. Typically, the wider
an antenna is in bandwidth, the lower the performance will be
on any single band. That's why having antennas designed for
specific bands is always best. But even using antennas designed
for a specific band will typically still allow you to hear other
nearby bands. A good thing to do is decide what band you need
improved reception on most, and what bands come in fairly well
no matter what. If you live in a large city, the 800-900 bands
usually come in fairly well. Simplex type communications on
VHF are often more difficult to receive. In that instance, having
a dedicated VHF antenna would probably be good, since you would
get the best performance on VHF, but still be able to hear the
UHF signals.
Q: How well will I be able to receive stuff?
A: This question is almost impossible to answer. It depends
on how close you are to the transmissions, your elevation, the
topography, and many other things.
Q: I've seen other antennas for less money. What about
those?
A: No doubt, there are less expensive antennas out there.
But if you compare features and parts, you'll find in most cases
that the cheap antennas being offered by other companies don't
compare. For instance... Our Blade Indoor Models include RG8/X
cable... Most companies include off brand RG58 cable, if any
cable at all. Our Outdoor Vertical Models include an N connector...
Most companies use the cheaper, less weather resistant UHF connector.
All the DPDP outdoor models include mounting hardware... That's
extra on many other people's antennas. The simple fact is that
most $20-30 antennas you see advertised won't even make it through
a decent winter. The majority of these types of products are
produced by large corporations that have everything made overseas
by cheap foreign labor. It's virtually impossible to make a
quality product in the US, using US citizens, and still be able
to charge competitively low prices. Often people who own $5000
or more of radios say they don't want to spend more than $50
on an antenna. In radio, you have to take the whole system into
consideration... Any system is only as good as its weakest link.
Yes, radios are more fun to spend money on... But a good antenna
and cable is just as important. Plus, if you have to replace
a cheap antenna every other year, it's not such a great deal
in the end.
Q: Will I only hear things in one direction on the LP
directional antennas?
A: No! The LP antennas don't function as if you are hearing
things through a tube from just one direction. You will still
hear signals from all directions, often times as good as a basic
omni type antenna would. The LP antennas just hear signals best
in the direction they are pointed. This type of antenna can
be designed numerous ways... In the design process, you have
a choice of making an antenna that is very directional, or one
that is directional, but still has good omni ability... The
DPDP LPs were designed to have respectable omni ability, as
well as improved performance directionally.
Q: Do I have to have a rotator to use one of the LP
antennas?
A: Absolutely not... A rotator can help if you want to
turn the antenna to hear best in the direction a certain signal
is coming from. Otherwise, you can mount the antenna in the
direction you are most interested in, and you'll still get decent
reception from other directions.
Q: Why can't I mount the LP antenna horizontally?
A: Configuring the antenna to be horizontal would be counter-productive.
Virtually all the signals you want to hear are typically polarized
vertically. Using an antenna that has opposite polarization
from the one that is transmitting, will usually lower the performance
quite a bit.
Q: I heard the railroads are changing to digital... Will
I be able to listen still?
A: Yes! There is about a 90% chance you will still be able to
listen. But this is a very slow process (as in years)... So
don't worry. Check out this
page for more info on the railroad band restructuring.
Q:
Where can I get the hardware needed to mount an antenna
on the roof?
A: Believe it or not, good old RadioShack is still good for
something. It depends on the store, but they often stock standard
1 1/4" mast and various hardware to mount on the side of
a structure or roof. Home centers like Lowes sometimes have
stuff in the TV section also. Typically you don't want to use
a 1 1/4" mast higher than 10' without using guy wires.
Coax
Cable FAQ
Q:
What kind of cable do I need for my outdoor antenna?
A: Basically speaking, you need a 50 Ohm coaxial type cable,
or what's commonly referred to as 'coax'. This type of cable
comes in numerous sizes and brands. The larger (thicker) the
cable is, the less signal loss you will have on long lengths.
Q:
How does cable signal loss affect performance?
A: The longer a cable is, the more signal loss you have as it
flows through the cable. This effect becomes more pronounced
as the frequency you're using goes higher. For instance... If
you had 50' of cable, there would be more loss while operating
at 900 MHz than there would be at say, 40 MHz. Typically losses
for a cable are listed at different frequencies, based on a
100' length. As an example... A 100' piece of LMR400 has a loss
of 1.5 dB at 150 MHz and a loss of 4.0 dB at 1000 MHz. As far
as real world performance is concerned, you really aren't going
to start noticing a difference until it's at least 2 dB and
higher.
Q: Will I have loss using a small cable for a short
length on a longer big cable?
A: No... This is a common misconception. Signals don't move
through cable the same way water moves through a tube... You
don't get a blockage at one point by using a smaller cable.
Say for instance you have 100' of LMR400 cable, and then you
use 3' of RG58 for a flexible patch cable at the end... Only
3' of the small cable isn't going to change anything, because
even at 1000 MHz, that would only come out to about .49 dB of
loss. Yes, that's something, but you would never actually hear
it. Now if you ran the whole length with RG58, then that would
be bad.
Q:
What are the basic cable sizes?
A: In the US, the two designations you see the most for cable
sizes are 'RG' and 'LMR'. The 'RG' designation is used across
numerous brands, whereas the 'LMR' designation relates to the
Times Microwave brand of cables. The actual physical dimensions
for RG and LMR sizes can often be the same, but sometimes there
are slight differences. The way they try and make this easier
to understand is that the industry assigns a "Cable Group"
letter to both cables and connectors. For instance... Times
Microwave LMR400 and Belden 9913 are both considered "Group
I"... They're both technically an RG8 size cable that physically
have the same overall outer diameter and center conductor diameter.
So in this case, the same connector would work on both.
Q:
So what exact cable choices do I have?
A: See the chart below... These are some of the most common
cable choices available for typical communications applications.
All are 50 Ohm and tend to be listed from lowest loss (top)
to highest loss (bottom), but not in exact order. Check manufacturer
specs for the exact loss numbers for each band, on each cable.
|
Coax Cable
Guide |
| Size |
Model |
Maker |
Group |
Center |
Notes |
1/2" |
LDF4-50A |
Andrew Heliax |
L1 |
Single |
This cable is moving into commercial/broadcast grade.
It's very stiff and difficult to work with. |
5/8" |
LMR600 |
Times Microwave |
L2 |
Single |
Very stiff. This cable would need a smaller patch with
anything less than the biggest desktop radio. |
5/8" |
LMR600UF |
Times Microwave |
L2 |
Multi Strand |
More flexible than the single conductor version above,
but still big and difficult to work with. |
1/2" |
LMR500 |
Times Microwave |
L1 |
Single |
Very stiff cable and will most likely need a smaller patch
to work with anything but the largest radios. |
RG8 |
9913 |
Belden |
i |
Single |
9913 has been around a long time, but sometimes water
seepage can be more of a problem on this cable. |
RG8 |
9913F7 |
Belden |
i |
Multi Strand |
This is the more flexible version of regular 9913. This
can be easier to work with. |
RG8 |
9914F |
|
i |
Multi Strand |
Known as "Bury-Flex". This cable is a very good
all around cable and fairly easy to work with. It's flexible
enough to be used with rotators and can often go directly
to radios without a smaller patch. |
RG8 |
LMR400 |
Times Microwave |
i |
Single |
400 is an all around good cable. It doesn't seem to exhibit
water problems as much as 9913, but it's still pretty stiff
and can be difficult to connect directly to smaller radios
without a patch cable. |
RG8 |
LMR400UF |
Times Microwave |
i |
Multi Strand |
'UF' stands for "UltraFlex". This cable is more
flexible and easier to work with than the regular 400. |
RG8 |
Flexi-4XL |
|
i |
Multi Strand |
This is another multi strand flexible RG8 cable that www.thewireman.com
offers. |
RG8 |
Super 8 |
|
i |
Multi Strand |
Slightly more loss than the Flexi-4XL, but also flexible
to work with. |
RG213 |
Various |
Various |
e |
Multi Strand |
More popular in Europe than the US. Typically has a 7
strand center conductor. Somewhere between RG8 and RG8X
in terms of loss. Harder to find connectors in the US. Better
to just go with RG8. |
RG8X |
LMR240 |
Times Microwave |
x |
Single |
Same outer dimension as regular RG8X, but slightly less
loss due to solid center conductor. Too stiff to use in
most mobile applications. |
RG8X |
LMR240UF |
Times Microwave |
x |
Multi Strand |
'UF' stands for "UltraFlex". Basically the same
as regular RG8X. More flexible than regular LMR240. |
RG8X |
"Mini 8" |
Various |
x |
Multi Strand |
RG8X size cable is offered under numerous brands. The
'RG8' designation is misleading, because it's considerably
smaller than RG8 size cable. RG8X is good for runs shorter
than 25', patch cables, and mobile applications. |
RG58 |
LMR200 |
Times Microwave |
c2 |
Single |
Same outer dimension as normal RG58 cables, but center
conductor is slightly larger, so it often won't fit in normal
RG58 connector pins. |
RG58 |
Various |
Various |
c |
Both |
RG58 comes in both single conductor and multi strand variety,
and many different versions. Bottom line, this should only
be used in mobile applications or in very short runs. |
Q:
That's all great, but what do you recommend for the
average setup?
A: We like to recommend Davis
RF 9914F "Bury-Flex" as an all-around good cable
for any run longer than 30'. It's a very durable cable and can
be put underground as well. It has a loss rate very similar
to LMR400, but it's multi strand center conductor makes it much
easier to work with... The cable is flexible enough to attach
directly to many smaller radios without using a smaller patch
cable, and can be used directly on rotators. Flexibility is
good to have, because it allows you to do things without using
patch cables, which means less connectors/adapters and less
things to break. It can also be used directly on SBS-1/ RadarBoxes
as long as you provide some physical support for both the cable
and box (though it looks kind of silly). If you're going 30'
or shorter, you can get away with RG8X size cable, though that
could still give a little noticeable loss with higher bands
like 800-1000 MHz. But for VHF it would be fine.
Q:
What about cables like RG6 and RG59?
A: RG6 and RG59 are 75 Ohm cables that are primarily designed
for TV work. Yes, many people have used RG6 for receive purposes
and it can work OK, but it's not the proper cable to use in
communication applications... You'll probably have to use adapters
to do so, which is never a good idea. Most comm equipment is
designed to be used in 50 Ohm systems. Some manufacturers offer
RG6 cable with their antennas, simply because it's more plentiful
and cheaper.
Q:
What's with all the different connector types?
A: Yes, there's many different types of connectors. Forget about
'F' connectors, because those are for RG6 and that cable shouldn't
be used for communications. Same goes for RG59 & 60 connectors.
Many of these come in a 'crimp' style and 'clamp' style, and
are available for most popular cable sizes. Crimp style is less
water resistant on exterior connections, but it can be physically
stronger on the cable. Clamp style has a small rubber gasket
which helps keep water out of the cable, but it can be a physically
weaker connection to the cable. Some of these connectors can
be available in both 50 Ohm and 75 Ohm. 50 is what's needed
in communication applications.
Connector
Guide |
N |
Male
|
Female
|
This is the most common connector used in proper interior/exterior
communication applications. They're more water resistant
than UHF connectors in the clamp versions, and they also
handle higher frequencies better. They come in both crimp
and clamp form, clamp being the more water resistant,
crimp being attached to the cable in a stronger fashion. |
UHF |
Male
|
Female
|
The UHF connector is the most common connector found on
consumer grade equipment for both interior and exterior,
but it's not the best connector to use. It can usually handle
higher power than N connectors can, but it's much worse
at handling higher frequencies, and is less water resistant.
The UHF connector became a tradition by default because
of it's age... which makes them cheap, and that's why they
continue to be used. The Male UHF is technically referred
to as a PL259 and the Female is referred to as an SO239. |
BNC |
Male
|
Female
|
BNC is probably the most popular quick -disconnect type
of connectors used for interior applications. They're referred
to as Male or Female. BNC is found on most scanners and
many handheld ham radios. They're primarily used for indoor
applications. They also make good connectors for patch cables. |
TNC |
Male
|
Female
|
The TNC connector isn't terribly popular, but it does get
used once in a while. TNC connectors are basically a threaded
version of the BNC. They also work better at higher frequencies,
making them good for patch cables used in critical applications.
Typically they would be seen on more commercial grade equipment. |
Mini UHF |
Male
|
Female
|
Mini UHF connectors are exactly what the name implies...
a smaller version of the large UHF connector. Mini UHF connectors
occasionally show up on equipment, but aren't used much.
Like the larger version, they aren't very good with high
frequencies. |
SMA |
Male
|
Female
|
SMA stands for: "Sub Miniature Version A". The
SMA connector is the most diverse and sometimes confusing
connector there is. The SMA was created for applications
where space on the device is an issue. The SMA has good
performance but is very small, which can often make it a
physically weak connection. You wouldn't want to use SMA
unless a device dictates it. What makes it confusing is
how manufactures use it... Typically it will be used on
small handheld devices. Sometimes they will use a 'Reverse
Polarity' version, where the outer chassis or inner pin
sex is reversed. Also, manufacturers will sometimes put
the Female version on the radio and other times the Male
version... This sometimes comes down to the design, but
they also do it to try and create a proprietary connection
so you'll have to buy their own antennas and accessories. |
Motorola |
Male
|
Motorola connectors aren't really used on scanners or consumer
equipment much anymore, but they use to be used on older
equipment, including scanners. These connectors kind of
look like an RCA audio connector, like you see on TVs and
stereos. Adapters can often be found to use them with BNC
connectors. |
F |
Male
|
Female
|
F connectors are primarily for 75 Ohm video applications,
and should not be used in radio applications if at all possible.
That said, there are some manufacturers that offer RG6 cable
and F connectors with their antennas. This is mainly done
because RG6 cable is cheap and plentiful. |
Reverse
Polarity |
BNC Male RP
|
SMA Female RP |
TNC Male RP
|
In rare instances you might run into a version of a connector
that is referred to as "Reverse Polarity". These
connectors will either have outer threads that are the reverse
of what would normally be used on the same connector, or
inner pins that are the opposite sex of what would normally
be used on the same connector. Notice in the photos above
how each pin is actually the opposite of what would normally
be used. These have started popping up more and more, mainly
because the FCC believes this will hinder people from using
illegal external antennas that are not supposed to be used
on certain equipment. But you can also find reverse polarity
connectors on some equipment from manufacturers who are
trying to get people to buy their own antennas. |
Q:
So what connectors do I need to use on DPD Productions
antennas?
A: All of our outdoor antennas use 'N' Female connectors. So
you would need a Male 'N' on the antenna end of your cable for
those. If you already have cable with UHF connectors on it,
we don't recommend them, but we can put a Female UHF connector
on the antenna for you. Our interior Blade model antennas and
mobile antennas automatically come with a Male BNC connector,
but we can also put other types on if you need it. Sometimes
we can also figure out ways to hook things up to more odd equipment,
like older Motorola "Universal" connections and other
things.
Q:
How does it work if I want to use a rotator?
A: You either have to use one main cable that is flexible enough
to be rotator safe, or use a separate cable up at the rotator
that is more flexible. The easiest way to do it is use a multi
strand flexible cable like Davis RF's "Bury-Flex".
Then you just leave enough slack up near the top by the rotator
so that when it spins all the way around 360 degrees, it will
be lose enough to bend.
Q:
I can't make cables, so who could do it for me?
A: Davis
RF is a good company to contact. They can use the cable
you prefer and put the connectors you want on it for a fee.
There's also The
Wireman.
Q:
What cable can I use on my SBS-1 / RadarBox?
A: The SBS-1 uses a BNC connector. The SBS-1e and RadarBox use
an SMA connector. Because the ADS-B system operates up at 1090
MHz, loss can be a real issue with cable. Using a low quality
cable could really degrade the signal coming into your receiver.
We recommend an RG8 size cable for anything longer than 25'.
If you want to use a single center conductor cable, it's going
to be very stiff and difficult to work with. If you choose a
flexi style cable with a multi strand center conductor, it will
make it easier. SMA connectors are very small, but people have
reported successfully using an SMA on an RG8 size cable, and
directly connecting it to the box. But it's very important to
reinforce both the cable and box by using velcro or something
to hold them both down on the table. But we also offer flexible
patch cables as an option with our ADS-B antenna.
