TopBand: UNI-HAT vs. GAP vs. GLADIATOR

Fri, 3 Oct 1997 12:35:24 +0000

> Date:          Fri, 3 Oct 97 20:32:29 +0000

> Esteemed Colleagues:
> 
> Lots of POSITIVE feedback concerning the Unihat vertical. Perhaps this is
> better than the legendary inverted L with only 40- 50 feet of vertical??

Most likely not Lane, if the antennas were the same height and had 
the same ground systems the antenna's performance would be about the 
same on 160.

The Uni-hat is a good design and well constructed, but it requires 
just as good a ground as a Inverted L....and the Inverted L is also 
a very good design.

All the "stuff" about higher radiation resistance by folding the 
wires in any antenna like this is pure "fiction". The ground loss of 
either antenna is the same regardless of how many conductors form the 
antenna element.. so the folded element L has the same ground loss 
as a single wire L. 

>Is $500 a bit pricey for the Uni-Hat?? 

It depends on what you want. It is certainly a well built antenna, 
but it is not magic. It will work just like any other well designed 
top loaded 35 ft vertical on 160.

A properly installed Inverted L would work about the same... and if 
the L was taller maybe a tiny bit  better.

The Uni-hat certainly has the advantage of better performance on the 
higher bands and is a self-supported structure. That may be important 
to you. 

> Reportedly the GAP is not that great. 

My mobile antenna beat a GAP in a FS comparison. Almost any antenna 
will beat a GAP.

> No subjections concerning the Gladiator as of yet. I like the fact that
> it's a top-loaded radiator. 

So is the Uni-hat, for the most part. The large hat is a good idea, 
because it DOES increase the radiation resistance and lower ground 
losses a bit while increasing bandwidth.

73, Tom W8JI
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