Abbree Foldable Tactical Military Antennas - 18.5", 28.5" & 42.5" Comparison! 

Thanks Lewis for the further testing, and folding one over mid transmission. Great video as always!

These look like handy bits of kit, great video as usual. I might take a look at getting one of the 28.5 inch ones

I built one as a dipole using a tape measure and some flex-seal. Pretty cool!

I tested this one when I tested the six antennas I have. The only frequency this antenna had a SWR below 1:2.0 was 145-147 MHz. On all other frequencies tested the SWR was above 2.0 which I find unacceptable. When folded 2 or 3 times the SWR was way above 5. Here are the results: 462 & 467MHz: SWR 1:2.65, PWR 6.28W. 146-147MHz: SWR 1:1.06, PWR 3.96. 445-446MHz: SWR 5.5, PWR 5.7. 437 MHz: SWR 7.2, PWR 4.7. 145MHz: SWR 1:1.0, PWR 4.0. 220MHz: SWR 2.06, PWR 4.45.

I have wanted that for a while for my bao UHF. Love your wideos dude.. Currently operating on am TRC 221 7 watts teli whip center loaded 73

Lewis always as informative as ever keep them coming. Can I please ask where is the best place and price to purchase these from?

As always Nice Video mate.

Nice comparison Lewis, you can almost hear the sma screaming tho with the 42” version it would seem. That’s got to be a lot of forces on such a small connector. 👍

I can't say much for the shorter items, but I'm impressed with the 48inch example I use. Just indoors alone, notable as I live in a valley with zero LOS to any repeater and can only hit the local 70cm about 5 miles off on about 2 watts on DMR on a helical fully quietened and mostly fully quietened to the matching 2m repeater on FM on same antenna, I can easily hit 30 miles+ on 2 watts on 2m/70cms on the 48 in version on FM on an FT818+BBC adaptor and on the higher power handhelds (also FM on KG-UV9 series, FM & DMR on a AT878UV) - and outdoors gets better although I never noted outdoor figures as testing has been constrained. One permanently modded to BNC, is my main 2m/70cm FT818 'front' antenna for portable all modes use. Likewise I move a stock version between DMR and FM handhelds as needed. Only downside is there's seemingly no non-modded or non adaptor patched SMA versions to use on an FT-70Dx series and some Wouxoun units. Utterly worth more than what's relatively peanuts cost antenna wise. If you can handle the bulk, go buy one or two (a spare just in case you manage to break the blade whip section). I've a 30in version dual band VHF/UHF version and a similar one for 10m (I used to use one on 11m back in the dark years pre-Ham) BNC examples too but noting these modern ones all seem to use the same thread and fitting for the whip section offers potential for modding cheaply got examples to mod the coil sections and mix/match with the various whip sections to turn a few variants into a larger array of items covering 24-440 MHz overall range using a mix/match approach to use of coil bases and whips. Of course, any example can have longer still whip sections added and easily repaired using tape measures as donor material. Just as it was a must have item on a CB hand-held (back then they only really appeared rarely at radio rallies I went to), the 48 Abbree examples are long-term VHF/UHF items much treasured here. If you seriously are curious about them, buy the 48inch item for outdoor extended use and the middle size for mixed use. You'll note there are super cheap copies - those are worth having for donors, but stick to the Abbree ones as out of the box good items.

Awesome test! Thanks!

Thanks Lewis. I have one of the shorter ones for my Motorola HT1550. It had worse performance than my factory antenna. It is also hard on the chassis of the radio with its size. I was hoping that it would be a improvement when horse back riding.

A UV-5Ra and that 8.5 Abbree would a great starter for new hams.

Great performance!!

Watching you from long. Your videos are super interesting. Lots of love from Pakistan :)

This test was comparing the tactical v regular antennas and it was a great demon. I would suggest that at VHF or UHF a 20 inch antenna with a 20 inch counterpoise or earth wire would have the best result which pretty much concurs with the result of this test.

Interesting comparison Lewis, personally I can't get any enthusiasm for these antennas but that's just me, I'm sure others will find some benefits.

Tried it. The first one, our home base was using a mag mount on the roof. We were using a 42½ inch antenna on a UV-82 5 km away. Tried listened to it using just the stock rubber duck antenna. I could hear my colleague, who was just a meter away (of course 😄) but not our home base. The other test was 2 km on both VHF and UHF. My antenna was at first a rubber duck then to a Nagoya NA 771 on a UV-17L my contact was also using a 42½ inch . The rubber duck was worse. The 771 was better.

There's a 48 inch model now, would be interesting to see if its better

I've been looking forward to this. Interesting. To me these are potential connector snappers.

Great video. 42" is some going

I've had my Abbree 18.5 inch antenna on my TYT UV8000E for about two years now, and its worked very well. I also have the 42.5 version, but when I use that one, its attached to my backpack then cabled to my radio. Very good review.

One thing people do not seem to understand is the frame of the radio is part of the Arial and as it is far too short for resonance at VHF that is why UHF works better. If you need the best performance I would cut two tails one for 70 cms and one for 2 meters then hang them from the earth side of the plug. Uhf will always perform better in a built up area because the shorter wave will bounce off buildings and find its way. That was proved many years ago in London with VHF and UHF repeaters. Still think it was a good review with no bias. Of the Fold able Tactical Antenna.

Comrade Manchester Lewis. You need to use an empty Pringles tube (matched to the same length as the TX antenna) for the RX antenna to make sure you get perfect reception. Currently Pringles are on special offer down the Arndale, 2-for-the-price-of-3. Please test this for your next video.

Was a bit sceptical when they first came out, may give the 28.5 a try, 73..M7LLA

Nice one saved me the home work 😎🤔

I have one just like it. was impressed with it

Hi is there a difference between frequencies and lengths of aerials like set please can you let me know, because one radio and all the different lengths it’s very confusing thanks again love your work CT4870 AlAN from Luton 🍻💯🇬🇧👍

I only have the 42in one . now i may get the shorter one for hiking but I already have a nagoya NA-771G and that works great .I got bunch of ABBREE antennas and I like them. some Diamond ones as well even a MFJ one . waiting to get funds for the CB one. I did make up a connector for my 102 in firestick and put it on a CB HT . worked super . but hard to use .that a full 1/4 wave. would like to try a full 1/4 wave on 6 Meter HT . still a bit long. 73's

I see one is branded Retevis. I'm interested in one for a bit of fun after lockdown ends in Glasgow. My RHD-771 is great but I don't see a tactical one on their Amazon page?

There is now a 49 inch version (lol) only sold whit a lexen 25 watt radio

Interesting results. What would worry me is the extra stress put on the antenna connection on the handy.

Do you have any weight measurements for these antennas? I'm trying to compare them to standard whip and rubber duck before buying one

Numa altura dessa que você se encontra, seria muito difícil não ter um bom rendimento.

is it good or bad to stand under power lines?

Be interested how it would be in windier - Richard @ SOTAbeams tested one and it was folding over in the wind - not sure which length he was on. Do you think it will hold up to repeated bending?

Good video Lewis, any Recommendations on suppliers of a genuine Abbree antenna. 👍🏼M7PBX

These maybe good in very degrees on recieve but I cannot see how they are all matched for transmitting on VHF and UHF how about checking them also on a analyser

Sorry for my ignorance but what do you mean 5/7 on the final report? That's 5 to 7 average or 5 mark of 7 max? Thanks Lewis

it's a bit of a shame to communicate under a phone or electric line this greatly reduces the range of the walky MDR

Just wanted to know if they make these Antenna for an Yeasu 817ND?

Do you have a link of a good place to purchase I’m anxious about buying a fake.

Where can you pick up a genuine Abbree?

What length would you recommend? I am considering the 18.8 " or 28.3". Which would be my best choice . Thank you in advance

Is anyone selling these in the UK?

Good vid Lewis... Told my wifey I'm soon to have more inches... Her eyes lit up!!

Abbree have a 48 inch out now

at last, a reel ant-tener for a reel man! tiny ant-tanners... god ! , who needs i-phone!

I use these on my baofeng m25

I got the 48.8

Can you get a base station type of antenna for these radios to go onto the roof ?

There’s a 48.8in antenna now.

0:24 I thought VHF would be better over long distance ? Why is UHF higher ? Noob here

Good video as all ways mate been watching them all and your stuff on Facebook your doing take care mate 2eobhc Daventry

Is it true that them antennas mimick tape measures.

Helical next 0.0

I bought one, the 42 inch, its COMPLETE SHITE for TX

Interesting. The 42” version has no advantage over the 28”, but puts more stress on the SMA and will be more prone to collapse in strong winds, so is best avoided.

I think that the original antenna comes from ABBREE.

I purchased these antennas and returned them quickly. They don't perform better than a rubber ducky. The SWR is very bad, not that the swr is the only important measure. The are very uncomfortable to use. It feels like having a measuring tape on top of your handheld. It makes you wonder why so many youtube videos for them...comission maybe?

Why no one test it in "folded" position? It is more practical like this....

Why on earth would anybody do a radio signal test under any sort of a cable overhead?

Beğenmeyen dört kişi katlanır anten sevmeyenler 😅😅