Antenna with great SWR readings, does that mean it is a good antenna?

[Zn105]

So I found an antenna that is testing great with several radios and several different bands. I realize its placement and the limitations of its size and design type are considerations but wanted to know if good SWR results are something I should be happy with? It is the size and format that I want and am getting these readings with my VR-N7500. Similar results with the UV PRO, AR-5RM and VX6R

GMRS	1.5
Marine	1.01
VHF	1.06
UHF	1.56
MURS	1.32

[Socalgmrs]

17 minutes ago, Zn105 said:

So I found an antenna that is testing great with several radios and several different bands. I realize its placement and the limitations of its size and design type are considerations but wanted to know if good SWR results are something I should be happy with? It is the size and format that I want and am getting these readings with my VR-N7500. Similar results with the UV PRO, AR-5RM and VX6R

GMRS	1.5
Marine	1.01
VHF	1.06
UHF	1.56
MURS	1.32

Does it transmit where you need it to?    How does it sound at 100miles? 200miles?    I’d like to see actual frequencies used in this test.  Seems fishy it works that well for all those bands.  But remember gmrs is uhf and murs is in vhf.   Need more and better info gathered by some one that understands radio bands.   Where was it measured?   What radio, coax and antenna are you using?    In the end I’m going to go out on the limb I live on and say I’d bet no   It’s not a good antenna  

 

 

[SteveShannon]

10 minutes ago, Zn105 said:

So I found an antenna that is testing great with several radios and several different bands. I realize its placement and the limitations of its size and design type are considerations but wanted to know if good SWR results are something I should be happy with? It is the size and format that I want and am getting these readings with my VR-N7500. Similar results with the UV PRO, AR-5RM and VX6R

GMRS	1.5
Marine	1.01
VHF	1.06
UHF	1.56
MURS	1.32

Those SWR readings are good, but SWR readings alone do not make an antenna good.  Also, measuring SWR at the radio end of a lossy coax cable will always give SWR readings that are artificially low.

[Zn105]

here are the frequencies used. It tested similarly on two different mounts, a magnet mount and a hood mount.

GMRS	462.562	1.5
Marine	156.8	1.01
VHF	443.45	1.06
UHF	146.73	1.56
MURS	151.82	1.32

[SteveShannon]

How are you measuring SWR?
How sensitive is the measurement device to reflected power?
What kind of coax are you using?

How long is that coax?

What power are you testing at?

Where are you measuring the SWR?

All of those questions must be considered in order to understand what you’re actually measuring.

But again, a low SWR doesn’t mean an antenna is good for transmitting or receiving.  A good dummy load will always provide a good SWR measurement. Nor does a slightly high SWR measurement mean an antenna is bad.  A high SWR antenna with no transmission line still gets the power out. 

What kind of antenna is it?

How does it work in actual real-world tests involving transmitting and receiving? Try it.