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..
>>
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