Antenna comparison

[Silverauto]

Hi everyone.  New to GMRS.  Currently running a pair of BF GMRS-9Rs (UV-9R equivalent).  There were some users here nice enough to grant me access to their repeaters.  I live in an area with occasional large hills/small mountains + a city filled with buildings and trees, so I’m trying to maximize my chances of stretching my Tx/Rx as well as possible for the HTs.

I am looking for a comparison to the Nagoya 771G vs. the Smiley super stick.

I bought the 771Gs and my receive seems better, but not outstanding and for the price of these antennas, I’m not against picking up a couple Super Sticks, if they will help push the signal even better.

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, Silverauto said:

Hi everyone.  New to GMRS.  Currently running a pair of BF GMRS-9Rs (UV-9R equivalent).  There were some users here nice enough to grant me access to their repeaters.  I live in an area with occasional large hills/small mountains + a city filled with buildings and trees, so I’m trying to maximize my chances of stretching my Tx/Rx as well as possible for the HTs.

I am looking for a comparison to the Nagoya 771G vs. the Smiley super stick.

I bought the 771Gs and my receive seems better, but not outstanding and for the price of these antennas, I’m not against picking up a couple Super Sticks, if they will help push the signal even better.

Here’s a pretty good test of several. If you want greater range it appears the Long Ranger or similar are tops. Signal Stick was okay.  

 

[Silverauto]

Appreciate the response!  It was a good video with a number of antennas.  It would be nice to test a bunch of antennas on tuned for GMRS.  Wish I had the time and money to get the equipment to do this.  The signal stick he tested in the video, is a different one from what I’m looking at (looking at the super stick extendable vs. 771G).  I might pick up a super stick and try to do a rudimentary comparison.

[WRUT889]

I will say, the 771G is a pretty fantastic little antenna... SWR on my meter is 1.01:1 on a GM-30. Compared to the stock rubber ducky, I'm able to clearly pick up a repeater 15mi away with the 771G that I wasn't able to even get to break the squelch with the rubber duck. Simplex distance hasn't increased dramatically, 25%-30% maybe, but between a couple HT's that's still fairly significant. 

Not a fan of the hard antenna's, even if they're telescopic. As long as you're transmitting in place (mostly static), it's fine when extended... but, if you're oscar mike, good luck with that 48" antenna wandering around, and staying intact (and collapsed, it doesn't work as well as the Nagoya). I can tell you from experience with similar, albeit different brand antennas, they won't survive in my hiking pack, the slightest pinch and the antenna doesn't want to extend or retract, and while I haven't measured the SWR after it's slightly deformed, I'd venture a bet it changes. 

[Silverauto]

Appreciate the response!  The antenna I ordered was the 17.25” extendable antenna (fully extended) , not the 48” one, but I agree about the lack of durability of an extendable antenna.  The 771G seems to have made a big difference in Rx.  Not sure there was much gain in Tx, but probably a small amount.  The main thing i’m interested in, with the collapsible antenna, is that I can shorten it to ~5” so it’s easier to carry, and yet a bit taller then the Nagoya when fully extended.  The 771G is a bit unruly.  I have no equipment to check SWR, so any improvements/changes would be very unscientific. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting just to try.  

[bd348]

20 minutes ago, Silverauto said:

The 771G is a bit unruly.

You may be able to carry the radio upside down when not using it.  Then the antenna just hangs there.

[WRUU653]

4 hours ago, Silverauto said:

The 771G is a bit unruly

I really liked the 771G but for this reason I swapped it out for the 701G and have been very happy with the 701G. So much so that I now have four of them. It isn’t quite as good as the 771 but pretty darn close and close enough was good enough for me to not be smacking the computer screen every time I took it into my office or putting an eye out. I really found the 771 to be a pain to hike with too. I keep the 771 handy if I need it but it’s 701G for me. 

[Silverauto]

6 hours ago, bd348 said:

You may be able to carry the radio upside down when not using it.  Then the antenna just hangs there.

That’s a good idea, but not sure if that is practical for my application.  Appreciate it though!

[Silverauto]

2 hours ago, WRUU653 said:

I really liked the 771G but for this reason I swapped it out for the 701G and have been very happy with the 701G. So much so that I now have four of them. It isn’t quite as good as the 771 but pretty darn close and close enough was good enough for me to not be smacking the computer screen every time I took it into my office or putting an eye out. I really found the 771 to be a pain to hike with too. I keep the 771 handy if I need it but it’s 701G for me. 

That’s something that I have started to consider…. A better quality short antenna.  701G or one of the shorter Smileys.  I’ll try this super stick first and see how it goes.

[bd348]

The Smileys are flexible vs the stiff OEM which came with my radio.