Weatherproofing the RTL-SDR Blog Multipurpose Dipole Antenna
Thank you to YouTube user "ModernHam" for submitting his video that shows one way to weatherproof our 'RTL-SDR Blog Multipurpose Dipole Antenna'. This is the antenna we include as part of our RTL-SDR kit, and it is an excellent beginners antenna. Dipole antennas typically receive better than mag-whips, are easier to mount on windows, and can receive 137 MHz weather satellites too.
However, due to their portable telescopic collapsible design, our antennas are not designed for permanent outdoor use as dirt and grime can gum up the collapsing mechanism. In his video ModernHam decided to waterproof the dipole for permanent outdoor mounting. To do this he modified the plastic base by cutting it down, and then places the dipole inside a PVC pipe with some bubblewrap used to hold it in place. This keeps the elements out, and looks pretty good mounted up high too.