UHF vertical dipole

  I saw this UHF dipole on AliExpress for only $5 (with free shipping) and it made me want to point it out as another inexpensive option for indoor HT use. It has an adhesive surface so that it can be stuck to a window and used as a vertical dipole. Vertical dipoles have decent gain and low SWR, as long as the feed-line is kept perpendicular to the antenna for a distance. 

  Obviously, the cable is the thin, lossy type that's entirely inappropriate for UHF frequencies. Some simple modification can fix that easily, though. Just cut the cable about 15 inches (not critical) from the antenna feed-point and crimp on a new connector (e.g. SO-239 or PL-259). Then you can use RG-8X to connect between your radio and the short piece of lousy cable. Remember, you can't let the short piece of lousy cable hang down. It has to be held at a right angle, so you can tape it to the wall (or use some other clever solution). 

  This is another very unobtrusive means of getting on UHF for those that live in apartments, or even those that would like a second radio in another room (e.g. the kitchen) without running another feed-line to their "good" antenna. You'll find that a vertical dipole has better gain than a mag-mounted 1/4-wave whip. 

  Of course, you could also simply make a vertical dipole by cutting the connector off a piece of RG-8X, soldering a piece of wire to the centre conductor and another to the ground braid, and taping the wires to your window. You'll need a dual-band SWR meter, but you should probably have one of those if you intend to experiment with antennae anyway. If nothing else, borrow one from a local ham. Just trim the wires with tiny cuts until the SWR is best -- probably between six and seven inches.