Yes, it was the MAXCOM antenna that had the scrap pieces of pc board
inside the feed point, in addition to the loading resistors. The MAXCOM
had the loading resistors located at the feedpoint, as the ARRL test
confirmed, the swr was low even with no wires connected to it!
The B&W is a true T2FD, which is a floded dipole with the resistive
loading located opposite the feedpoint. I saw some specs but I don't
recall whether they were for the B&W or the Telex version. The
manufacturer was honest enough to list efficiency, and as, expected,
efficiency at 3.5 MHz was about 40%.
The only advantage of these antennas is for disaster releif agencies
who have nontechnical operators and need "plug and play" operation, and
the military who use frequency hopping tecniques over a wide range of
frequencies.
For amateurs, a dipole or loop and a tuner will provide much better
performance. Every shack should have a tuner. It is a very easy beginner
project and Ten-Tec sells the parts you need, as does Fair Radio Sales.
73,
Bob WB2VUF
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