5-8-9 Reports on 20 Meters! HamR-7 Due to HOA restrictions, I was forced to find an alternative to dipoles and beams… The COMPACtenna HAMR-7 is only 46” tall and requires only a small ground plane counterpoise (36” x 36”). This fit within my [very limited space] parameters. The build quality (materials) of this unit are superb…. After resolving some SWR anomalies (due to defective magnetic mount), the HamR-7 snapped right into spec on 40, 20, and 10 meters. I am happy. The COMPACtenna had me talking to NJ, PA, and LA with 5-8-9 reports. If you have an HOA or apartment preventing you from enjoying your Ham Hobby, consider the COMPACtenna series of antennas. Avi, N1KSP
by ARRL member Scott Roberts – KB3CBC who took the time to study and evaluate his COMPACtenna,
and submit a very well written report:
For one specific case: there is a venerable major manufacturer whose antennas are used by first responders and amateur radio operators (me) for decades. The particular antenna by this manufacturer is used on 2/70 and gave me a benchmark to compare the CompacTenna side by side. In urban, NLOS environments, the CompacTenna beat the 2/70 antenna in every case.
With regards to the magnetic vs electric fields: a fast but inaccurate translation would be to say that this antenna functions as an omnidirectional circularly polarized antenna, and if you didn’t know any better, that’s what you would hear on the radio and see from your reception and transmission reports. It’s a lot more complicated than that and would recommend you review the various YouTube videos Dr. Jack put together to address this topic. Antenna analyzers and plots only give you part of the story, primarily based upon the E-field. It doesn’t show you, directly, what’s happening from the H-field side. Use a spectrum analyzer to compare received signals, though, and you’ll see the difference. The noise floor was reduced by approximately 3db and the signals were more evenly distributed. Signals that were close to the noise floor were observed to have increased by 3-6db, and stronger signals were slightly attenuated. The result is that there was minimal fading and the capability to hear signals that I could not using other manufacturer’s antennas.
6 Minute Video of Tom Medlin of W5KUB.com Interviewing
Dr. Jack Nilsson Regarding 7″ COMPACtenna Model 2M/220/440 :
Testimonial:
Our company “Ham and HiFi” purchased a Compactenna 2M/220/440 antenna from HRO recently! We use the antenna for testing radios we acquire from ” ham radio collections” we purchase from all over the US ! The construction of our shop / warehouse is with foil backed insulation, steel doors and steel roof which have made using inside antennas a problem ….. But when using the Compactenna I’m now able to connect to repeaters through out the Reno / Sparks area! Easy to install, easy to use ( no tuning ), wide banded and will handle 85 watts on 2, 50 watts on 220 / 440 ! Best of all a small footprint and it works ! I ordered another for my truck ! Regards, Don W7SSB HAMandHiFi.com
———————————–
By Bob Grove, W8JHD “The prediction of signal flutter reduction was true as well;
when annoying flutter interrupted reception of weak signals on the whip,
reception was much smoother with the COMPACtenna.”
Increased Reliable Range in the dynamically obstructed NLOS (Non Line Of Sight) Environment we live in.
Brad Smith, KC9UQR I use the COMPACtenna model 2M/440. It is elliptically polarized and a very good satellite antenna. It does work better than a vertical. I have tried many antennas, including 1/4, 1/2, and 5/8 wave verticals and an eggbeater. Dr. Nilsson explained the elliptical polarization. I am very impressed by this little antenna. The website is COMPACtenna.com . There is a lot of info there, including videos by Dr. Nilsson that are informing. The COMPACtenna is also very good at high elevations/working directly overhead. …there is no “doughnut hole”. The proof is when you get out into the field and make a contact and I am doing that every day.
By Bob Grove, W8JHD “The prediction of signal flutter reduction was true as well;
when annoying flutter interrupted reception of weak signals on the whip,
reception was much smoother with the COMPACtenna.”
Increased Reliable Range in the dynamically obstructed NLOS (Non Line Of Sight) Environment we live in.
short Beam length only ~18” & maximum Element Dimension only 28”
Very little assembly required. [Coaxial Cable and Mast not included.]
This is a comparatively small Beam Antenna with similar Gain of larger ‘standard design’ Beam-Directional Antennas.
Antenna LOOP Reflector: With minimized vertical dimension,
provides excellent forward gain, broad signal (spatial) ‘capture’
as well as desirable Front-to-Side and Front-to-Back Signal ratios
for noise (QRM & QRN) reduction
Gain: Nominal 7dBi [½ power (-3dB) beam width 120 degrees] F/B 25 dB, F/S 15dB [Performance is greater than predicted based on gain alone in NLOS (Non-Line-Of-Sight) environments which is the world we live in.]
YouTube: COMPACtenna in attic in Ohio gets a signal report fromGeorgia
By Bob Grove, W8JHD “The prediction of signal flutter reduction was true as well;
Link to YouTube 20 second video of W8TWL using the 20 Meters 20″ COMPACtenna
