What it is

Technically, the Pockrus™ J-pole Joystick™ antenna is a dual-band (2 meters and 70 cm) open-stub, half-wave J-pole antenna. As a vertical radiator, it has a flatttened-donut omnidirectional pattern, sending a radio signal exhibiting a gain of about 2.6 dBi on 2 meters and about 5.2 dBi on 70 cm fairly equally in all directions parallel to the earth.

The rods are solid aluminum stock, and the angle brackets are aluminum. The rods are threaded and attached by stainless steel nuts and Loctite™ to prevent accidental loosening. Each antenna is fitted with an SO-239 (UHF) stud for connection to your 50-ohm coaxial cable.

Why you want one

Installed outside and up above your roof line, you'll be able to send your radio signal out much farther, reaching many more people than you might otherwise reach with a whip antenna or rubber duck on your radio. By the same principle, you'll be able to hear and come to the aid of many more people than you might with an antenna installed on your radio.

Even if you stand the Pockrus J-pole up inside your house near a window, your signal will get out much better than with a whip antenna, even connected to a little handheld radio. Some install the J-pole in their attics, which is not the most ideal location, but gets the antenna up higher above the ground.

How to order

To place an order, or to just ask questions, email Carl (omgantennas at gmail)

The following types are available:


✓ dual-band (2 m / 70 cm) one-piece, 59 inches	$35
✓ dual-band (2 m / 70 cm) two-piece	$40
✓ dual-band (2 m / 70 cm) three-piece	$45
✓ 6-meter three-piece dipole, plus radials	$45
✓ 220 MHz (1.25 m) one-piece	$25

Support equipment

Here are a few things you might think about, to use in conjunction with your own Pockrus J-pole:
SO-239 to SMA-F adapter
SO-239 to SMA-F angle pigtail on RG-174
SO-239 to SMA-F pigtail on RG-58
SO-239 to PL-259 right-angle adapter
SMA-M to SMA-F right-angle adapter
50 feet RG-8X coax PL-259 to PL-259
50 feet LMR-400 coax PL-259 to PL-259
ChannelMaster CM-9030 eve mount

Additional

How to install the Pockrus J-pole (shopping list, tools, grounding, instructions)
Online discussion about the technical characteristics of the open-stub J-pole (on eHam)

A few tips:
• It's not necessary to ground the Pockrus J-pole antenna for performance, but it's advisable to ground it for static and lightning.
• Because the J-pole is an open-stub type, it's prone to producing common-mode currents on its coax shield. To minimize shield radiation (which can easily affect your computer speakers, smoke alarm, and cable TV), fashion an RF choke out of about two feet of the coax by coiling it into a six- to eight-inch diameter roll of four to six turns of the coax, zip-tying them to keep the coil together.
• Keep the antenna rods at least a couple of feet from any power supply, charger, or wall wart.
• Keep the antenna at least a couple of feet from any metallic objects, such as aluminum siding, stucco chicken wire, or chain link fence. It's ok to mount the antenna on these metallic things; just be sure to not let any of the attached items stick up higher than the aluminum angle bracket.