[TowerTalk] Tennadyne T28 Opinions ?

[Gene Fuller]

Thanks Dan. IMHO very concise and fair comments - which I happen to agree 
with virtually 100%. N.B. I also use a HF LP.
Gene / W2LU

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "K0DAN" <k0dan at comcast.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tennadyne T28 Opinions ?


> Well what the heck...a number of people asked for my comments regarding 
> the T28. I wanted to keep the comments off-list in order to avoid flame 
> wars and the inevitable "mine's better than yours" debates. But there were 
> enough interested parties that I thought I'd just share my comments on the 
> list.
>
> First, I have no commercial or professional relationship with 
> Tennadyne...however I have one of their HF log periodics (the T10) and one 
> of their VHF/UHF antennas (the T28) and am delighted with the antennas, 
> their performance, ease of installation, durability, and the support which 
> the company provides. So I am a satisfied customer, that's all. Would I 
> like a SteppIR or stacked array, or....? SURE!
>
> Another preamble...EVERY antenna represents compromises. If you go for 
> more gain or directivity, you trade something. If you go for lower cost, 
> you trade something. Size, weight, tower loading, gain, traps, # 
> feedlines, complexity, etc....it's all a big moving target.
>
> As to the T28, it allows me to operate VHF/UHF weak signal with moderate 
> gain & directivity. It presents very minimal loading on my mast (it sits 
> about 8' above my HF antenna, and there is a V/U vertical above it. I 
> enjoy low SWR throughout the 50/144/432 bands, and it is usable (altho 
> cross-polarized) even in the FM segments. It was easy to assemble (and I 
> have repaired a few bent/broken elements without great difficulty), and it 
> uses a single feedline (RG213 off the mast, LMR600 UltraFlex down the 
> tower, 1/2" hardline to the shack). My needs are to get on for occasional 
> contest or band opening, and the T28 does fine for my needs. Now...there's 
> guys in the area with huge/long monoband Yagi's, stacked arrays, 
> etc....they are out of my league and can always hear/talk better than my 
> modest LPDA.
>
> With this said I have become a big fan of log periodic antennas. There is 
> no question that 6-over-6-over-6 stacks, long Yagi's, phased arrays, 
> monobanders, and other designs will out-perform an LPDA. But LPDA's do 
> offer some extremely strong benefits, among them
> Lightweight
> Extremely efficient radiator
> Simple mechanics & design
> Broadbanded everywhere inside ham bands (no tuner needed)
> No traps
> One feedline
> Works decent outside of hambands
> Resilient to wind/ice loading
> Priced competitively
>
> There have been many debates over pros & cons of log periodics versus 
> other designs. Each design has its merits and trade-offs. There are other 
> antennas which are bigger/heavier/pricey which will provide more 
> gain/directivity, but when you consider that 1 S-Unit = 6 dB, you need
> to do a value analysis as to labor, tower loading, complexity, etc., etc.
>
> So, I am not advertising for Tennadyne, but I've had good luck with their 
> HF and V/U designs. For the ham who wants to put up easy and economical 
> multi-band antennas with decent gain & directivity, the log periodic 
> design deserves consideration.
>
> Good luck and 73
>
> Dan
> K0DAN
>>
>>> Anyone using this antenna ?  Would be interested in opinions on 
>>> performance,
>>> etc. or competetive products.  Looking to mount this over a Steppir to 
>>> add
>>> the VHF and UHF bands and also use for HDTV.  Not concerned with super 
>>> high
>>> gain, just want some gain at VHF and above..
>>>
>