Thanks for the comments! YES! The COMPACtenna is designed to be in the corner of a vehicle. The creator and I spoke on this and I decided to go forward with my mount. Unfortunately, the Ford is aluminum, sp corner mounting is difficult for me. I think the CONPACtenna still peformed very well! You can likely expect better performance from ideal placements!
@@SIGINT007 The snake oil antenna outperformed all the rest on 2m. I have 3 and the performance is better when you place it for the best swr on the corner of the vehicle.
@@Lou-KI5FTY it outperformed the others because the mount used on the truck is less than ideal. If the mount was in the center of the roof where it belongs, the others would have mopped the snake oil right up. The fact that the compactenna needs to be mounted on body edges to maintain resonance should be a clue. The industry figured out 60 years ago that antennas mounted on the edges of vehicles will exhibit directional characteristics - as was evident here.
I have a 13th gen '16 f150, it's aluminum too. They make fender NMO mounts for these that mount just a bit forward of the FM antenna on the driver side, and I've had mine for a few years and it works fine.
I've had the compactenna 2m/440+ on my truck for a while now. It works really great. Best antenna I've ever had on it actually. I have it on magmount on the driver side rear of the roof. Used to have it on a fender mount but it was receiving a bunch of engine noise. Moving to the roof fixed everything.
I love my compactenna. its a very low key operator option. seems to work really well. I think the docs say to put it on the corner of the vehicle... supposedly makes a HUGE difference on performance
I passed my Technician class exam today! I am so excited. I think I'm going to be going nuts waiting for my call sign and license. Thanks for the videos.
I love my two compactennas (dual band HAM, wideband scanner), have really been impressed with them over the years both in terms of performance and durability. Been through many storms and (touchless) car washes, never had any damage or water ingress. The low profile makes them so convenient.
I have been using the Compactenna for about 3 years. It is mounted on the drivers side rear corner of my Chevy Traverse. It works really well. I have worked 2 simplex contests with it and have had great results in both contests in SW OHIO. I highly recommend the antenna and was glad to see your work proved me out. I just put an ANYTONE AT-D578 tri-band radio in the car and I have purchased the tri-band version of this antenna that also covers 220. I will put it on and test it this week.
The Tri-band version works really well. I'm reaching distant 220 machines with it. One of the best parts is that I whiz into parking ramps without a single bang or clang!
Believe it or not, the location of the COMPACtenna for your test was not optimal, and if located nearer the outside edge of your truck you will see the SWR improve as well as your Weather station receive test. They do not react like we are used to in their placement, center mass of a vehicle is the absolute worst placement, and when you find the sweet spot for placement they are phenomemal.
I appreciate everything SignalStuff does and thank them incredibly for HamStudy and I want to support them as much as I can as I wouldn't be at the AE level today without them, but I feel like they are continually represented as an equal contender against other antennas when they really are not. I understand they are an affiliate and you are promoting them but I have never seen the numbers or heard the difference in your comparisons to understand why they are always the daily use device. I own one and have it connected to my FT-3DR and get poorer signal reports from others when using it vs the stock antenna or the Nagoya 771. Now if you are strictly about is durability or that it can be packed in an EDC bag easier then I agree (and thats why I have it on my HT now as it tucks nicely into the side pocket of my backpack).
I love my Tram 1180. I’ve hit repeaters over 35 miles away and have had 2m contacts 17 miles away. I have it on my truck and it takes a beating. I go into a 7’ garage for work and for the last 2 years it has hit the ceiling every time and it’s still good and sets great signal reports.
Great review video! I have the TRAM 1180 and I'm using it both as a base station antenna and a mobile on a mag mount. The base antenna mount was fabricating using a 6" x 6" .065 aluminum plate, an NMO connector, and ground plane radials added at each corner of the aluminum plate. For mobile use I have one on a TRAM 1245 5" NMO mag mount... it isn't going anywhere with that 5" mount. I've had great results, especially the one I adapted to a base mount, I'm hitting repeaters 65 miles away.
I have the Tri-mode COMPACtenna and it is a solid performer, and I love to super low profile. If you have move it to one of the corners, as is recommended by the guy who makes it, your SWR on 2m, and 70CM would have been pretty low. I am 1.1 to 1.3 across the board on all freq's. Thanks for the videos. 73, KN4VA
I bought that Tram during Prime Day and I'm really happy with it. Mounted on front fender/hood of my truck to clear drive through and get my local 70cm repeater that's 41mi away with clear audio. On the VNA, I'm less than 1.25 on SWR across all of 2m and 70cm, so the bandwidth is pretty good. For less than $40, it's a great antenna.
I was surprised with the results, didn't expect the compact unit to perform so well. Great receive comparison, working to be objective. Thanks. I'm very curious about transmit performance comparison... will we see one in a future vid?
I have the COMPACtenna ti-band antenna. (144,220,440) It works well on my truck. I have also mounted it on a six foot tripod with the COMPACtenna ground plane kit and placed it on the side yard of my house and it works surprising well for local transmissions. I have been able to open and hear a repeater with that set up 60 miles away. I may try mounting it on the peak of my roof at about 18 to 20 feet in height and see how it performs. I must say I was surprised I do use GMRS from time to time. I took a chance and checked the swr's on the GMRS channels which are in the 462 MHz to 467 MHz and got a 2:1 swr with the antenna on the tripod and ground plane setup. Amazing little antenna.
Another great test video! ComPACtenna is supposed to have the lowest SWR on the "corner" of a vehicle. Yours being on the light mount may be second best??? Nice shades Josh. See you at Huntsville.
I bought the Comet Original B-10 based off the last video. My old antenna (short whip) was crap compared to the comet. Thanks for reviewing. I hear so much more now! Plus it looks great on the truck. -73
The Tram/Browning is my go to mobile antenna. Basically, a Larsen NMO-2/70 clone as a bargain price. My oldest has been in service three years with zero issues. Trunk mounted, I've used this for multiple ISS repeater contacts with a Icom 5100. My shack radio (25-watt Retevis RT-95) for the local repeaters has a Tram on a magmount with a cookie sheet for a ground plane. Durable and great bang for the buck.
COMPACtenna calls out that it should be mounted on the corner of the roof. So getting the performance you did and not having it mounted in the "ideal" position is impressive.
About the only way to adjust the SWR of the COMPACtenna is placement on the vehicle. They tend to work better at the corners than the center of the roof from what I've heard the developer say.
Love Comet products. All my mag mounts are Comet and I currently run a Comet SBB-224 triband on my BTech 50x3 and had it on my Yaesu FTM-300DR. I also have a Comet B-10 dual band that goes on top of my better half car. I would recommend testing these antennas. Great video Josh!
I've had the Tram for years maybe !0 or more. I mount a 2" spring on it. Tip you have to cut the length of the spring off the bottom, works great from sea level to the top of Pikes Peak.
I have the Browning BR-180 which is basically identical to the Tram 1180. It can be bought for $30.99. The version with a spring is about $37.00 which I have. The spring helps. Both of these antennas are modeled after the Larsen NMO2-70C. A $100+ antenna and it or prior Larsen models very similar have been around for years. This group would make for an interesting test as well. My Browning BR-180B has performed very well. Great value.
Thanks Josh. Enjoy your videos. I have asked this question before on other channels but never received a reply, either positive or negative. From what I understand, ground plane affects the radiation pattern of radios. A round ground plane should have a 360 degree radiation pattern. Vehicles are mostly rectangular. Once again, I heard that the longest part of the ground plane is where the strongest signal would be. If your antenna is on the roof of your vehicle, the longest parts would be to the front and back of your vehicle, which should have the strongest signal. The sides, being the shortest, would have the weakest signal. Please let me know if I am correct or just a bunch of junk. Thanks
For those who are interested, Google “Antenna Placement Does Make a Difference! November 1966 Popular Electronics”. It has diagrams showing the radiation patterns of antenna placements on a vehicle done by an antenna company.
I have a Diamond NR-770HB which works amazing on the car, (A$59), but it hits my garage door every single time, so most of the time I use Nagoya NL-R3 which was dirt cheap and works ($A12)... nowhere near as good but yeah at least I'm not damaging that door over time. You guys in the US have so much available it's crazy! Getting the COMPACtena down under would be way too pricey!
I have an 1180 and it’s a great antenna for the price. I use a comet B10 on my SUV, it’s short enough that it fits in my garage without taking it off. Performance is pretty good given it’s small size.
I'm similar to you and I use a Signal Stalk for day to day use (although I have the 1/2 wave version I love as well as the 1/4 wave), but I have to say I do love my Diamond 770. It's just too tall for day to day use though. I also use a little HYS antenna with a NMO adapter from Amazon when I need something really low-key. Almost as flexible as the signal stalk and only $14. It's my favorite "Small beater" antenna
That Compac antenna reminded me of the Antennex Phantom antenna but long and slender compared to a three inch diameter by three inch height package. But that is for VHF ONLY.
that compactenna was *very* impressive on 2m. honestly, i think if overall quality is your point, get the tram. just because it's decently comparable to the comet, but at a lower price point. I definitely understand the "flexibility" that the signal stalk provides, and it's probably what i'd get.
Great video. I use the BT-10 for daily driving, and SBB5 for long trips. Even if the COMPACtenna was the best antenna out there, I wouldn't pay that price just in principle.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. It's unfortunate you go through the trouble and potential problems incurred with switching antennas back and forth. Also, the cost of two antennas together can be/is more than one USA invented and manufactured COMPACtenna, designed to help people with convenience and high performance.
I enjoy three different Tram offerings in NMO mount plus a mag mount for a different car. Center loaded, huge gains observed, but mainly used on the road. Center coiled, great for use in town where repeaters are close in. And 10m-12m whip for my IC-706 on 10m amazing contacts with it. Mag mount is similar to the black center coil, no gain and about 20” long so it misses trees and drive up windows overhangs. Tram is an Oklahoma company, made overseas. It is easily acquired here at local shops, so I’ve stuck with them. They perform as expected. Thanks Josh for another great video!
Compactenna needs to be on a corner. If you put it on a corner, not the center of the roof, you could even get a 1:1 swr. Please do another video on this! Looking forward to that 😀
Try out the Larsen NMO 2/70B. It's by far been one of the most durable high performing antennas I've used to date. It's been taking a beating on top of my truck for years.
Do the Larsen NMO2/70 next (I joke, same basic antenna design as the Comet SBB-5, TRAM 1180, Diamond NR770, etc etc - all being a 38" 1/2 wave 2m, Collinear 5/8 on 70cm) - there's a reason everyone sells one of these, they are just great. I have had the SBB-5 fail from water intrusion in the antenna and have heard the same from others, so I switched to the Larsen and have not had an issue.
I think it would be interesting to compare unity gain whips for 2 and 70, then 5/8 wave for each band and them more higher gain antennas this would be a good learning vid for folks to explain gain and how signal maybe more focused or more of a ball of rf
While the SWR is interesting, what difference does it matter. The KEY is you are measuring how well the antenna converts your signal from Copper to the Air.
Have you ever done a comparison with the Larsen 2/70 (I don't remember seeing one)? It is the only antenna I've been able to get good tx/rx with on my aluminum body F-150.
I've seen the browning BR136, BR137, BR139 and BR179 and am curious if those would be worthy of making a video comparison. Some of them will do 2m/70cm/VHF/UHF as well as 7/800.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse thanks. I have a random question. What’s the maximum power draw “allowed” when connecting a mobile radio to the cigarette lighter output in the car? I want to install my FTM-500, but them power setup will be tricky. So, if I only use 5-10W output power, would that be safe?
Hi i like your testing. N9TAX labs roll up j pole says about 3db 1/2 wave comet SBB-5 3db 1/2 wave radialless no ground plane i have the diamond NR770HB version of the comet in my testing the diamond wins hands down over the n9tax j pole . seems like an interesting test. 73
I just bought the COMPACtenna two days ago and hooked it up to my Comet CAA-500MARKII Antenna Analyzer. The antenna was placed on the back of the pickup roof on the driver's side with an MFJ-335 Series Mobile Antenna Magnet Mout. Best I could get on 2m was 4:1! On 70cm it was 1.2:1. So far, not impressed because I don't use 70cm anyway. What do you suppose could be my problem I really want to like and use this spendy antenna.
Hi Tom, that kind of result (very high SWR on VHF, much less on UHF) generally occurs when there is a disconnect between the radio and the antenna itself. There’s a variety of reasons that can occur. Sometimes it’s a bad connection inside the magnet mount. Sometimes it’s a bad PL-259 connector. (Rarely the leaf spring at the bottom of the antenna has been pushed upwards excessively and needs to be pulled down a little and cleaned.) The continuity between the center end of the PL-259 that goes into the radio and the center of the NMO magnet mount (as well as shield continuity) can be OHM-tested with a multi-meter - VOM. If you look at the INSTALLS page of the COMPACtenna site, you’ll see recommended magnet mounts. Every Antenna is carefully checked and tuned before being boxed. With SWR on all bands with appropriate ground plane counterpoise substantially below 2 to 1 at all frequencies. An open or even short depending on the fractional portion of the wave length times the velocity factor along the coax at UHF frequencies where a quarter wave length for example is on the order of 4 to 5 inches, impedance matching can occur without an antenna connected therefore. [It is the frustration of antenna manufacturers when these kind of problems aren't recognized and the attention goes directly to the antenna.]
On the HOME page and INSTALLS pages of COMPACtenna it discusses: Generally, best performance of a mobile antenna is achieved with location at the top of the vehicle. Long antennas can be unsightly and often do not allow travel into garages, beneath underpasses, and standard technology short antennas have significantly decreased performance and bandwidth. The short yet powerful COMPACtenna is designed for best results (SWR, Performance) at an upper corner of a vehicle. Some vehicles allow appropriate placement of a magnet mount at an upper corner of the vehicle. Some vehicles, due to contour of the roof, other structures such as roof rack systems, etc. do not, and another style mount such as clamp, bracket, thru-hole, etc. may be better. Various mount styles are discussed on the INSTALLS page.
As always, thanks for the video. Could you do another test of the Compactenna mounted in the corner, even if you have to use duct tape? We could then compare it with the results of the other antennas in this test. Thanks!
I wish we would see some plots on the compactenna. I have one in 2m/70cm at 7.5" tall, but it's just a guess as to how well it's working and what pattern the propagation has.
Did you change the location for the Compactenna to the rear corner of the truck as is recommended ? It didn't appear that you did and I'm wondering if that would have made any difference to the results
Great video and comparison of mobile antennas. Very objective. I think I am going to go with the Compactenna since it is not going to hit my garage door. Probably, if you place it on the correct spot it would work better and have better results. 73 KE9LE
Doesn't signal stuff make a half wave signal stalk as well? It looks nearly identical to the tram you tested. Edit: looks like they don't sell it anymore. I love it, quite the whippy boi
I have the Compactenna and the Signal Stalk. The mounting position is left front fender and between the hood. SWR's are comparable. Signal field strength is comparable. I was able to hit a repeater 35 miles away easier with the compactenna. I went with the Signal Stalk. I don't much care for the looks of the Compactenna on my truck. Whatever! The Signal Stalk takes the 4 wd abuse. Looks like it belongs offroad.Honestly. On 2 meters with the repeaters, it works just fine.
Now which antenna did your wife break, When she went to the library, and went to the underground parking? Enquiring hams want to know. good vid DE VE3TYA P.S. we want a vid lol
Question Josh - I have the same mount in NMO but use the diamond’s version of the SBB-5. I get a high pitched whistle from wind at highway speeds (above 55MPH). I assume it’s from the coil and I am curious if you notice the same with the SBB-5. My dad has exact setup as I do and has the same whistle noise. It’s not loud but it is there; note, it’s not audio noise through the radio.
Good afternoon. Can you help me out? I broke the screen on my Icom ID-5100. Do you know where i can source a replacement without having to buy a new radio? I use it during SAR after hurricanes, so it's very important. Thank you.
I want to try other antennas but I'm stuck on my Comet CA-2X4SR/NMO. I just can't beat it for all it does and how well it does the things it does. EDIT: And as short as the Compactenna is, I can't help but think that big fat chubby-stub is going to draw more attention than a signal stalk. Everyone knows what a little thin antenna does; it's either CB or ham or something, everyone sees them but a compactenna is going to draw attention simply because no one will know what it is. People see a 2m regular ol quarter wave antenna or whatever and it doesn't raise any suspicions. Oh it's an antenna they probably talk on CB or something. Whereas the compactenna... well someone is going to wonder what that is. I like it though.
signal stick on 70cm sucks bad 3:29 :( and I just bought one the other day, grrr. the comp is way better and being sat capable looks great! weather ant? is that even a reliable test
The signal stalk is a 1/4 wave 2m antenna, which just so happens to be resonant on 70cm as well. That being said, the radiation pattern is not optimal for simplex use on 70cm. For repeater use it may just work fine (It works better when communicating with a repeater on a hill or tower, more vertical). Still just fine for most. Never noticed a difference between my SBB-5 and 1/4 wave for most local repeaters.
