Batboard

For anyone wondering how the Antenex Phantom Elite VHF antenna works:

It blows. Just like their old design Phantom VHF antenna. Unless you are within maybe 2 miles of the unit, good luck. The bandwidth isn't 5 MHz, either.

Their UHF version actually works better than an unity gain antenna. I'm testing the UHF version and am actually surprised how well it works given the size of the thing.

Commissioner Gordon

jim wrote:For anyone wondering how the Antenex Phantom Elite VHF antenna works:

It blows. Just like their old design Phantom VHF antenna. Unless you are within maybe 2 miles of the unit, good luck. The bandwidth isn't 5 MHz, either.

Actually, I had pretty amazing results using an early Phantom VHF (the cylindrical beastie) as a dedicated mobile APRS antenna. I switched back to a quarter-wave whip for cosmetic reasons (the Phantom's housing was getting pretty ratty), but I still use a UHF Phantom Elite for 440, with excellent results.

I suspect the specified bandwidth was measured under ideal lab conditions, with a production-grade network analyzer. I've actually done a Sitemaster sweep on my UHF blade, just out of curiosity, and found it to be exceptionally broad-banded across the entire amateur UHF band and beyond.

As is true with most other things: YMMV.

Keep the peace(es).

Yep, they ALL went back to Antenex for a full refund.

Can they ( Antenex) spell P O S !!!!

We do not use Antenex any more due to their piss poor workmanship, bad componets, and false advertisement.

Any way how can you expect the radio to work correctly using a antenna that is all wound up into a little "salt shaker".

The UHF works okay.

The old style VHF Phantom "can" is also a POS. I had 15 of them and 13 would not tune out of the package. I sent them all back.
I figured I'd try the new one and it's no better.

The Comtelcos work great in both UHF and VHF. The VHF is slightly degraded from a unity 1/4 wave, but most of the time doesn't effect system performance.