Topband: Which RX antenna is better?

[Rodman, David]

This is possibly a more complicated subject than just performance.  I gave a lecture on this topic, comparing a Hi-Z circle 8, SAL-20, SAL-30, beverage (unidirectional and bidirectional and BOG) and the K9AY array.


In this talk, I considered performance as a factor, but also considered maintenance, size, mechanical stability, cost and ease of construction and installation.


All things considered, the top 2 at my QTH were the Hi-Z circle 8 and the SAL-30.


Here is a quick summary of my findings.


Circle 8: highest cost, most complex to install and construct, requires large footprint of land, best of all antennas as it requires almost NO maintenance and performance second overall to the SAL-30.


SAL-30: modest cost, modest install and construct, modest footprint, requires minimal repairs (usually to the coupler wires) but overall performance best of all for directionality and gain.


SAL-20: modest cost and somewhat simpler than SAL-30 to install and small footprint.  Performance almost identical to the K9AY array.


K9AY: modest cost but slightly more complex to construct as compared to SAL-20 and about the same size.  Performance less than SAL-20 due to fewer directions.


Beverage unidirectional: mechanical stability good when constructed with copper coated steel wire #14 or larger.  Gain fine when desiring only 1 direction.  Depending on the location may be placed in half a day from start to finish.


Beverage bidirectional: mechanically unstable when constructed with commercial products using either RG6 or twin lead.  Requires frequent repairs due to fatigue or failed connections.  Performance overall is not on par with other directional arrays.


BOG: simplest of all antennas to construct, install and maintain.  Can be installed in an hour or two.  Should be unfolded at spring time each year to keep wire from being incorporated into lawn.  Convenient when only 200' available.  Can be band specific.



Just a quick summary.  My location does not lend itself to beverage construction. about 2/3 of my 25 acres are heavily and complexly treed with brush so overgrown that it can be a chore to do almost anything for installation or repair.  This is why I prefer the SAL-30 overall.  The circle 8 took me one summer (as my only project to install) by the time the land was cleared, site measured, antennas constructed and all the coax installed.  The trade off is that this antenna has been the most mechanically stable of any antenna that I have ever had.


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David J Rodman MD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Ophthalmology
SUNY/Buffalo

Office 716-857-8654