Gene -
I've some experience with both. Actually, lots with the
vertical and limited with a Butterfly I installed for a friend
several years ago.
Over a period of sporadic use for about a year, I found
the Butterfly to have no advantages over a vertical on receive
and was definitely disadvantaged on xmit. The overall gain
of the Butterfly couldn't have been more than 3db or so and
was simply not noticeable. Fortunately, there was also a
multi-band vertical at this QTH so a direct comparison was
possible. (The vertical was ground-mounted with 60 radials
and the Butterfly was installed at 40 feet).
Outgoing reports for all long-haul contacts were
better on the vertical. Short-haul domestic contacts were
a push with neither showing any advantage. With almost
no front-to-back on the Butterfly it was difficult to tell which
antenna was on the receiver.
The big disadvantage to the Butterfly was a lack of
bandwidth. I don't remember the exact numbers but I do
remember having to use the transmatch a lot on 20m.
Perhaps someone will respond who has more accurate
data in this regard.
Mechanically the Butterfly was satisfactory. There was
nothing I recall complicated or troublesome about the
overall assembly. Final tuning took a little care due to the
bandwidth limitations but was done on the ground in an
hour or so.
Based on my limited experience, I vote for the vertical.
73,
Doug - W2DR
----------
> From: Gene Smith <gene@mailhost.bellhow.com>
> To: Towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Butternut HF-5B Butterfly Beam
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Monday, March 10, 1997 9:13 AM
>
> Anybody have any experience with the Butternut
> HF-5B Butterfly beam? This is a small five
> band beam on a six foot boom and two 12 foot
> elements and sells for $300.
>
> I really don't want to compare it with an A3S
> or any other beam. I would like suggestions
> as to how this small beam would compare against
> a vertical. Basically I'm either going to put
> a vertical on the top of my house or the Butterfly
> beam.
>
> Gene
> WD8OZL
>
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