All Antennas are Not Created Equal
John 'Miklor' K3NXU
|
Antenna Myth
-
It doesn't matter who makes it, an antenna is an antenna. So I figured, let's do a side by side comparison of two Nagoya NA-701 antennas. I wanted a spare antenna for my DMR radio, so I ordered an NA-701 with an SMA-M base from two different vendors. When they arrived the first thing I noticed was the packaging differences. - One package was green and labeled Nagoya NA701. The antenna was labeled with bright silver letters and the package included a rubber spacer.
- The other was bright orange and had a generic silver Nagoya sticker. The antenna label was blue on a black base and there was no spacer included. Although the antenna was labeled NA701, there was nothing on the package with the exception of a sticker indicating Nagoya.
Where the Rubber meets the Road Next I put them on my NanoVNA to check the tuning. I started with the 'silver label' antenna. The tuning was exactly where it should be, with one notch at 145MHz and the other at 451MHz. I was more than pleased with that one. It cost more, but definitely a winner.
Now time to check out the other one. I mean, how different could they be, right? What I immediately discovered was the difference between a real Nagoya and a fake. The bargain antenna wasn't quite on frequency. In fact, it only had one notch that was perfectly tuned for 368MHz, which would be perfect if I wanted to open garage doors. The SWR on VHF and UHF was somewhere near infinity.
The bottom line is if it's too good to be true, (you know the rest). Was it a bargain? Well it's in the waste can now, so I don't believe it was. When it comes to an antenna, don't compromise. Get a good one from a reputable dealer. You'll pay a few dollars more, but you'll never regret it. - Antennas Comparisons - Identify a fake (Nagoya.com) Too many toys, too little time. John 'Miklor' K3NXU www.Miklor.com www.Miklor.com/DMR/ www.Miklor.com/GMRS/ |
