YES!! I already tested the #ABBREE Your Favorite HT Radio Antennas Transmit Tested & QuirkQRP ZipTenna! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dmf67xy77Bc.html
Still find myself going back to watch these vids you put out, because I find them so interesting to watch and see the difference between other people shows, great stuff again , Alan from England 🇬🇧💯🍻👍
Fantastic video. Practical tests like this are really great, nothing beats real world data. If you are doing a round two, one of those ABREE tacticals would be interesting. As for the NA771, there can be a big difference in performance between real & counterfeit models. But I'm not sure how you even identify them without an antenna tester.
I suspect I have a counterfeit 771. It barely gets better reception than the stock one on my F8HP, and on my local noaa station I have to tilt it to the side to even receive it. I really want to know if mine is counterfeit but I think I would have to take it apart to know for sure.
@@fancyfeast1001 if came in orange plastic package it's fake, real nagoya only comes in bright green plastic package and MUST have a spacer inside, if it does it's original, if it doesn't than it's fake.
It would be interesting to add a counter poise under these antennas ! Something similar to the old , " Tiger Tail " ! I believe you would increase performance with all, excepting the loop !
I've tested my N9TAX roll up J-pole hung at 15' at the top against my Diamond X200A 8.3' base at same height but about 10 feet between. With both I'm able to connect with the Brookings, OR repeater 107 miles from my QTH in Rio Dell, CA and QSO at full quieting. This is at 50 watts on VHF on my TYT TH9800. With a Retevis RT85 5 watts and N9TAX I can open our club repeaters 39 miles N and 32 miles S in the Northern California coast hills. The N9TAX is leagues above the Long Ranger and a bargain at $30. For my HTs I use band specific 771 copies that I tune with tinyVNA by trimming length with a cable cutter before replacing the end cap that cost me $5 each and I consistently get VSWRs of 1.01-1.17. I have yet to find a "dual band" that is any good on VHF and UHF, Hihi. I also bought a N9TAX GMRS/MURS to use for cross band repeat with the TYT TH9800 and TYT 8000D. There are a few China made radios that are worth owning. IMHO, the above models and the TYT UV88, Retevis RT85 and RT95. They and the Anytone variants are clean performers with reliable quality at bargain prices.
The N9TAX being dual band is great. But my test disagrees that it is leagues above the Long Ranger. Sounds like you're getting great range though with your setup, to enjoy that. 👍
Please post the links for the telescopic masts, I can't find them anywhere. And if you can post the link for the one you are using even better . Thanks!!!
Thank you for the very interesting comparison! Would love to get my hands on a Signal Stick, but the shipping costs to Europe (plus the uncertainty of it, being lost in the mail) is prohibitive.... 73s Athens, Greece
This Video Is So Good, Detailed, Everything Is Shown, The Receiving End Is CLearly Shown In Audio Format, GREAT VIDEO OVER ALL! Good To Know Things About These Antennas Because I Tried To Do It Myself Some Antennas Similar To These, Interesting To Watch How Real Ones Perform, Would Be Cool To Know Exact Distance From And Where And The reception Antennas Setup Too :)
I’ve had the same experience with the long ranger, it isn’t the best for portability but it dominates any other handheld vertical I have tried. I get decent reports on repeaters I have never thought my handheld would hit.
Great video! A suggested antenna test for 2M/70cm would be roll up J pole compared with a jungle antenna. I made a jungle antenna I carry when I'm camping in the mountains and would love to see how it would compare to a roll up J pole.
I love these antenna comparison videos are my favorite. really helps my purchasing decision thank you! could you possibly test a stubby antenna ? i walk my dog around my neighborhood. but other than that i think you covered most antennas people would be buying. great content ! :)
Enjoyed the video, though the glare on the Icom screen made it too difficult to see receive readings. As for antennas to test, How low profile trunk dome and highly suspect/proven counterfeit antennas.
The 771 was the first antenna I bought for my first HT. I love Signal Sticks. I have three of them. I've been interested in that little loop antenna. I've heard bad things about it.
Using a floppy antenna is great for most usage. If it is to flimsy for some proposes , just splint it with some popsicle sticks and medical tape. Great video
@@HamRadioCrashCourse The threaded end caps are pretty fragile. I cracked to of them just snugging it up. Maybe they are using less brittle plastic by now. The larger "5000" version has a much better more rubbery cap.
Inspiring/motivating video: Unless the Sailor Moon also washes dishes, and prepares dinner, I cannot see myself owning one. The Long Ranger was impressive, and might end up in my small collection. Running tests this month on my two favorites- a week, each, of local driving squawking APRS using Diamond SR77CA and SignalStuff Signal Stick. Each sitting atop FT3D, in cupholder. Signal Stick took a clear lead today. The J-Pole addition, like the Yagi design I am contemplating, simply needs to happen, for no other reason than that I will enjoy the build. None-the-less, my HT goes everywhere with me, usually in a small backpack, and my current two will likely remain my EDC. Then again, my back porch/balcony/fire-escape has recently become my favorite radio play spot, and I can see the practicality of hanging some “contemporary art” from a hook under the eave to extend my coverage.
Great video. Could you do a video on vhf/uhf antennas for the Ic-705? Just to see if that makes a difference. Maybe being back that retractable counterpoise
Entonces, cuál es la mejor antena bibanda transportable?. 🤔. Porque para 2m, sí hay una ganadora 🤷. Pwro lo interesante es aue sirva para ambas bandas y funcione muy bien 😁👌
Can you please review the Diamond SRHF10? I have a few of these and always wonder how well or bad they work. Especially curious about SWR. Thanks for the great content brother.
Hi Thanks for your vids. Finally, what would be the best antenna for long distance? I have a range problem with my baofeng uv9r pro. The environment is far from ideal and I need to communicate over as much distance as possible. Cheers
Hi Josh, I have not been able to find a single test video of the signal stick single band 70cm, do you know if this would perform better than the dual band version as the HT I have is 70cm only.
Good info Josh. I would like to see you test the Abree folding antennas. I’ve had pretty good luck with those, but I think they are inconsistent in their manufacturing.
I saw someone using a signal stick w/20” counterpoise, it sounded extremely clear, similar to what the jpole sounded on this video. Have you ever tried using one?
I really enjoy these test videos. Would it be possible to be slightly more rigorous in the test setup? For example, mount the HT in some sort of holder so that it is in the exact same position and perfectly vertical for every antenna? Thanks. WA1KLI
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Not really. Think about the difference in polarization between holding the radio straight up or tilting it horizontally. The difference in signal strength is enormous.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Aren't we all here to split hairs. just kidding... kinda. Maybe next time do the test with a car magnetic base. But I agree it would probably be a minor effect.
Thank you for all of your videos, you helped me out quite a bit when I got me license a couple of years ago. One thing this video makes me wonder is how much signal strength relates to transmission range. I have been interested in the the J pole for a while but his makes me less interested. Perhaps the range of the J pole would still reach out the farthest because of the height?
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Thank you for the quick response. That is what my intuition told me. I like the idea of getting to camp and throwing the J pole up high.
The 717 is a weird one but it seems to perform well on 2m. Only problem is I think they only come sma female. Do you have any recommendations for a better sma m to bnc adapter for it. All ones I've found on amazon seem cheap and not very durable.
I watched a video with the rpund directional they had it on a antenna aniliser by adjusting the enter ring was able to adjust to a lower swr within the band ???
Josh, don’t forget that SMA connectors are only good for 500 connections. Retired industry pro’s in my club have advised me to use extender adapters on my VNA. It’s easier to fit a new adapter than to change the socket on a radio.
What brand or do you have a link to the roll-up j-pole you used, as it is twin lead. I was going to buy the MFJ-1731 and MFJ-1730 to get 2 meter and 70 cm, but looks like you can do both with the twin lead.
Have you tested the Radioddity Nagoya 771 (RD-771)? I bought one and I am disappointed with the build quality and I suspect it's worse performing than the Nagoya genuine.
Any specs/brand on the roll up j-pole you were using? Am interested in one but there are so many different variations and wouldnt mind a recommendation.
Josh, could the telescopic mast possibly be negatively affecting the performance of the J-pole? I have no experience with telescopic masts, but perhaps tilt the mast at a slight angle to get the antenna off of the mast?
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Awesome! The reason I am curious about this is because I take one of those roll-up J-pole antennas (N9TAX variety) backpacking with me. I hang it up on a tree limb as high as possible and can routinely TX/RX APRS packets from the beach in Ludington, Michigan across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin. It works extremely well.
@@michaelspencer4569 Oh it works great. But it didn't beat the Long Ranger. Keep in mind the roll-up is also 70cm, so I am still goin to pack mine too.
Use the stock one if you might snag it on something, then switch to a Signal Stick, MFJ Long Ranger or Smiley 1/2 Wave if you need to get your signal out.
Hi I have a question. Can an antenna that doesn’t have a good SWR still be a good antenna? Similarly, can an antenna with a better SWR actually have worse real world performance?
Retevis says its RHD-771 20W is its flagship antenna and I'd love to see it reviewed. Also, the Nagoya NA-24j looks a lot like the Signal Stick, but I've yet to see it field tested. It's one thing to see it attached to a sixty-dollar SWR meter (woo-hoo!); quite another to see it field tested, which I love. Really weird to see the two Nagoyas so far apart. I'd hate to think they are both real Nagoyas! I also don't know how good Tidradio is, but I've got a few in a drawer somewhere. I think all antennas with blue lettering should be used with care. Retevis is an up and coming company and it has two grades of antennas. It claims both are 1.5 or lower. But are they?
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Great video! If you could you something similar, but in a forested area, that would be awesome because buying 2 of every antenna's is starting to get expensive lol
@@hikingfish3 The town I live in is a "Tree City USA" we have a massive amounts of tree and houses between the park and my home, so its a pretty tough environment. But honestly, what does it matter. All the antennas are tested in the same environment, so its a constant.
I'm going to buy one of the loop antennas to try for fox (hidden transmitter) hunting. I'm particularly interested in using it for the last 10 feet where I'm close enough to see the fox but it might be hidden in tall grass, leaves, up a tree, etc.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I just got my Tech license yesterday which model MFJ there are several. Working on getting my shack ready. Any suggestion on Radio.
Specifically when I bought the vertical, it was called "Pulsar" its a 17' three section antenna. Radio suggestions are entirely based on your budget and radio goals. I do like simple analog radios to get started though.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I would like to see a comparison between the Ed Fong and N9TAX antennas as well. I recently purchased the N9TAX dual band, I'm very impressed with it. Of course I'll more than likely end up with a Ed Fong also. I mean why not, right?? 😃
