Super-elastic Signal Stick: BNC

(15 customer reviews)

$22.00$29.00

Please select the frequencies and color that you want below — the “classic” signal stick is “Dual Band” and “Black”.  All signal sticks come with a Glow in the Dark tip.

PLEASE check the connector against the pictures before ordering — many people mix up connector types and genders!

This antenna is often used with other connectors through one of our high-quality adapters:

Quantity Price each
2-5: 5% 2 - 5 $20.90
6-10: 10% 6 - 10 $19.80
11-20: 15% 11 - 20 $18.70
21-49: 20% 21 - 49 $17.60
50 and up: 25% 50 + $16.50
SKU: ST-BNC Categories: ,

Description

Connector: BNC

Please look at the images to make sure you have the correct connector! We usually have two or three orders per month that are sent back because the customer mixed up male vs female (the gender is determined by the center conductor, not by the threads!).

BNC

 

These are hand-made, ultra lightweight, and nearly indestructible antennas which outperform the stock antenna your handheld radio came with by a significant margin. Originally designed to use as a fundraiser for a youth group, sales from these remarkable antennas now provide funding for HamStudy, ExamTools, and other initiatives which help support the Amateur Radio community.

All Signal Sticks are hand made; if you are looking for perfection in aesthetics then these may not be for you, but our design is continually evolving in order to provide better looking, better functioning, and above all more durable antennas.

Works with many older handhelds and some newer ones. We don’t have a comprehensive list — it would be very long! — but you’ll know it if you have it.

See Ham Radio School’s What’s that connector on my HT?.

Though our BNC connectors are all black now they are still metal, just with a conductive black coating! It is low resistance so won’t cause any issues and is very hard. Over time the black coating may wear out some and show the metal underneath — this is just part of using metal with a coating, nothing we can do to totally prevent it.

NOTE FOR IC-705 OWNERS: 

The Signal Stick is not designed to be used on a radio such as the Icom IC-705 and the SWR will likely not be as low as you’d hope; the quarter wave design has no artificial impedance match and works purely on resonance, which is why it works so well — but the impedance and thus SWR is influenced a lot by the ground plane / counterpoise, and the antenna system on a base radio looks nothing like that of an HT plus your arm, etc.

Some users have reported simply not being happy with the performance (though we’ll point out that SWR is only half of what determined antenna performance) and others have reported good luck by adding a counterpoise to the antenna (such as attaching the shield to station ground, adding a 19″ wire to the shield, etc).

We have recently obtained a 705 for testing and have been experimenting with different configurations; so far it seems to perform quite well, but the SWR is about 3:1 which we understand will concern many of our customers. As we learn more we’ll update with recommendations.

Features:

  • Frequency range:
    • Dual band version – 1/4 wave on 2 meter (144-148Mhz) and 3/4 wave on 70 centimeter (420-450Mhz)
      • SWR has been measured as low as:
        • 1.3:1 @ 146Mhz
        • 1.5:1 @ 440Mhz
        • This SWR chart was taken using a balun to isolate the antenna and a ~18″ tiger tail to stabilize the SWR. Take it with a grain of salt, but it’s fairly accurate as far as it goes.
        • While it’s intended for Amateur Radio use it has been found to work acceptably on MURS or GMRS frequencies as well!
    • Single band 220 version – 1/4 wave on 1.25 meter (222-225Mhz)
    • Single band 440 version – 1/4 wave on 70 centimeter (centered at approximately 440Mhz but adequate even on GMRS)
  • Power limits:
  • Length
    • Dual band version – Approximately 19″ long
    • Single band 220 version – Approximately 12″ long
    • Single band 440 version – Approximately 6″ long
  • Custom designed 3d printed tip and connector cover providing unprecedented strength
  • Made of Nitinol, a very resilient and ridiculously flexible nickel-titanium alloy
  • Extremely light-weight — reduces connector strain on your radio!
  • Hand-made by hams in Utah
  • Lifetime guarantee!
  • Nearly indestructible

Additional information

Weight 0.63 oz
Dimensions 20 × 2 × 0.5 in
Frequency Range

Dual Band 2 meter / 70cm (19" long), Single Band 220, Single Band 440

Color

Black, Silver (clear), Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Blue, White, Brown, Violet, Pink, Glow in the Dark (full length)

15 reviews for Super-elastic Signal Stick: BNC

  1. adamwilliamson14

    Love my signal stick. Recently purchased an MFJ 332 BNC mini mag mount. When I’m in my wife’s car I’ll throw that up with the signal stick to get the antenna out of the car. Works pretty well, much better signal than from inside the car. Very portable. Doesn’t bend in the wind as much as you might imagine.

  2. JAMES REYNOLDS (verified owner)

    Great antenna! And glows in the dark!

  3. Shane (verified owner)

    Very happy with the quality and superior build of this antenna. The SS team did it again! SWR is perfect right out of the box! Using this with the IC-705. works well, Might need counterpoise in some cases.

  4. Isaac (verified owner)

    I put it on my wouxun kg-uv9p now I’m been getting very good feedback on sound quality and Receiving quality has improved greatly

  5. Robert (verified owner)

    I’ve broken countless major name antennas and gave this one a shot for my radio that I leave with my Yaesu FT-60 that’s attached to my emergency pack.
    I have two more on order for my everyday radios already! Great antenna especially considering the price!

  6. Patrick Breedlove (verified owner)

    Significant improvement on signal reception from the stock rubber duck that came with my Retevis RT85. Can’t wait to get my license and start broadcasting.

  7. AC9DJ (verified owner)

    Very fast to ship, ordered Friday after dinner, Monday lunch it’s on my radio. Has made a huge difference in both transmitting and receiving on my Kenwood TH-F6. Out of the package it appears to be quality made. Will be ordering another for my other HT.

  8. Richard Phillips (verified owner)

    Nice antenna! Looks decent, quality is solid, and it definitely works better than the stub that came with my radio. I like the fact that it comes in colors.

    I was actually able to listen to the AO-91 repeater satellite on 145.960 MHz with this antenna on my FT-60; I got a minute+ of good reception on a recent high-elevation-angle pass by just holding the HT + this antenna horizontal. Pretty impressive for a whip!

  9. Colin Kovick (verified owner)

    This thing rocks. The price is right and I’m inpressed with the build quality. I use mine with a TYT UV88 and with a magmount on a baking pan for my SDR. This antenna blows the stock antenna out of the water.

  10. Bradley (verified owner)

    I have the red dual band antenna; using it with my Baofeng UV-5R has helped me become active as a new HAM.

  11. Slowdive

    The low temp Signal Stick is a must have if you live in a colder climate. Also highly recommend the BNC version makes it so easy to switch out your antenna, if you have a few different Signal Sticks.

  12. signalstuff5

    Great antenna for HTs – good performance, doesn’t stress the RF connector in the radio, and is nearly indestructible. Great option to keep on an HT for portable use and transfer to a small mag mount for mobile use without a permanent installation. Unless I was going for absolute maximum performance from a large and conspicuous antenna, the Signal Stuff antenna would be my choice for most mobile applications based mostly on how much abuse it can withstand in parking structures, etc., but the price/performance ratio makes it a great value. I love that purchasing from Signal Stuff supports the excellent Ham Study website which is a great contribution to amateur radio.

  13. signalstuff5

    Great antenna for HTs – good performance, doesn’t stress the RF connector in the radio, and is nearly indestructible. Great option to keep on an HT for portable use and transfer to a small mag mount for mobile use without a permanent installation. Unless I was going for absolute maximum performance from a large and conspicuous antenna, the Signal Stuff antenna would be my choice for most mobile applications based mostly on how much abuse it can withstand in parking structures, etc., but the price/performance ratio makes it a great value. I love that purchasing from Signal Stuff supports the excellent Ham Study website which is a great contribution to amateur radio.

    Bruce Layne
    NI4B

  14. andrewrudlang

    I got one right after using the HamStudy app to pass my technician exam last year, and I love it. Goes with me daily and it has held up beautifully. Looks great, I get a lot of compliments and questions about it. I went with the orange color and its not only a fun color but easy to see/find.

    I hope they do another run of the low temperature ones again, I missed those the first time around and living in northern Minnesota I can attest to the noodly nature of the cool wire these are made out of when outside in the cold, but noodly or not it still works and returns to normal once inside and warmed up.

  15. Stephane Budge (KM3AGN) (verified owner)

    I love this thing! I bought this and the BNC SMA M adapter for my QRZ-1 HT to replace the rubber duck and improve my signal. It worked very well! Now I just need the local repeaters to be a bit more active and it will be perfect!

    I live in northern Utah and the stick does suffer physically and isnt as springy when it’s cold, but it is only temporary; the spring returns when it gets warmed again.

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