Post
by Plate Cap » Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:22 pm
There are better prices available here and there, but remember: certainly less than 1 in 100 people would even understand what its for, and even a sliver of those would have an interest in purchasing and installing an outdoor directional "FM" antenna. I have RF in every cell of my old body, but I simply don't bother anymore. Streaming is easier. "Supply Chain" problems are bad enough with popular products.
Further, look at the popularity of the junk in-home TV antennas. They appeal to the lazy guy that wants to cut the cord, and is easily buffaloed by the advertising that such units will magically "pull in" distant signals. Would you like to be Wineguard making a line of decent outdoor antennas and have to compete against that? I wouldn't.
I experience the same thing trying to specify to clients quality 150-160 and 450-470 MHz base antennas. The good old standbys, like PD455s, PD200s, DB220s and DB420s are very hard to find and very expensive if you can. Cheaper 3-5 dB gain white sticks even more so. The professional radio market has simply dried up with most businesses using mobile telephones and most states / counties / CVTs using trunked 800 MHz systems.
It only makes sense to build things that will sell, and if sales will be low, the remaining NOS will be expensive.
The box that many broadcasters won’t look outside of was made in 1969 and hasn’t changed significantly since.