Topband: GAP VERTICAL QUESTION

[Tom W8JI]

>
> So my question is.... does anyone have actual experience with these 
> antennas (especially the voyager) as compared to other antennas for a 
> specific frequency. Now guys .. I know you cant really compare a 6 element 
> beam to a vertical of this kind but I am talking about a comparison that 
> is realistic.. like how does it hear, tune, match & get out compared to 
> something like another vertical or a dipole up some reasonable distance.
>

Jim,

Years ago someone purchased and had me measure a GAP vertical. The Gap was 
terrible on 160 and 80 meters. It was OK on most other bands. On 160 meters, 
although I have a pretty good mobile antenna, I had about the same field 
strength from my mobile antenna. The Gap was down about 10 dB from a 1/4 
wave on 80 meters, as I recall. My mobile antenna is about 20 dB down from 
my 1/4 wave 160 meter vertical.

The ARRL reviewed one Gap vertical in an on-the-air A-B test, and a small 
ground  mounted trap vertical was equal or better.  I'm sure you can search 
ARRL reviews and find this review.

Also, the HF Verticals test by K7LXC and Ward Silver compared many 
verticals, and had about the same results on 80 meters as I found and the 
ARRL found.

All of these completely independent tests were A-B tests against other 
reference verticals, and all pretty much agreed with each other.

This doesn't mean you can't work DX with a Gap, because I can work VK, JA, 
and Europe on 160 with my mobile antenna. I've worked several Europeans on 
160 SSB while driving down the highway. I can, at times, even beat others in 
pileups from the mobile on 80 meters. Obviously if the Gap is as good as a 
better mobile antenna, you can probably work a lot of DX with it.

73 Tom