[TowerTalk] Cage dipole gain figures

[john at kk9a.com]

If you use a good feedline, there is little loss from higher SWR at the band 
edges.  For example if you use 100 feet of Belden RG-213 at 3.8 Mhz and the 
antenna has a whopping  4:1 SWR ratio, the additional coax loss is less than 
0.4dB.  Of course having an antenna with a low SWR across the band, like the 
80m cage dipole, will make your radio happy.  There are also other methods 
of making the SWR appear lower with a conventional dipole by adding 1/4 wl 
of 75 ohm coax at a specific location in your feedline.

John KK9A

To: <TOWERTALK at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Cage dipole gain figures
From: Gary Bonnor <jamieb at optusnet.com.au>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:10:50 +1000
List-post: <towertalk at contesting.com">mailto:towertalk at contesting.com>

Hi All,

I don't think you lot are thinking far enough outside the square !!!

What is the gain of the cage dipole at its 2:1 VSWR points over a
single wire or element dipole at the same frequency points ??

This is probably where the 5dBd comes into the equation.

Catchya,

Gary
VK4ZGB