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Gonzo
Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 58
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 4:48 pm: | 
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Ok, another antenna test I did this week on a V-quad I purchased from Copper a couple of weeks ago.
The antenna as shown in the catalog is in horizontal position, and it is horizontally polarized as shown,it does not have horizontal and vertical polarization. You can move the antenna into a L shape for vertical polarization.
When using this antenna in the horizontal position, the antenna works fairly well, and has some fair side rejection, although front to back rejection is weak. Gain is overrated for sure as something closer to 7 DB would seem to be more accurate
In Vertical polarization (L shape) the antenna becomes very flimsy, as most of the weight (9 lbs)is now concentrated on its side, it is also a pain to move it around by hand without re-adjusting the elements. In this mode the radiation pattern becomes very distorted and the antenna does not have very good gain or rejection in any one direction. Although the manufacturer claims the antenna can be used this way, I found it to be awkward and having too many small directional lobes to be of any use. Indeed it was no better then my omni, even in the supposed maximum propagation direction.
Basically this is a space constricted 2-element beam, with fairly decent horizontal performance for a 2 element antenna. However if you are looking to use it in strickly vertical mode or think somehow that this antenna will give you horizontal and vertical polarization at the same time, it will be a disappointment. |
Gonzo
Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 62
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 9:10 pm: |
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Just a small follow-up....This antenna is similar to a full wavelenght 2 element quad loop antenna, however I would MUCH prefer a PDL II Quad or similar SE Quad to this design, although more space is needed by those.
Just to clarify Maco claims that this antenna in the L-shape is both Horizontal and Vertically polarized. I can tell you that in this position it does neither very well. |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 1691
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 10:32 pm: |
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I ran one V quad on a 25 foot pipe before we move here in 2000 it was home made so i cant votch for MACO but mine did tend to be horizontal as for pattern mine looked clean at 28.400 gain was as you found 5-7 db mine was a wind load night mare so i opted to go back to a vertical. Here i dont have that option and a vertical will have to do. |
Gonzo
Member
Username: Gonzo
Post Number: 63
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 5:08 pm: |
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I agree Bruce 100% with you on gain, wind load, polarization. |
Astar
New member
Username: Astar
Post Number: 3
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 06, 2006 - 8:31 am: |
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For those who are interested in actual performance over opinion or theory here are some recent field results from my v-quad.
I have the v-quad mounted in the L shape for circular "slant" polaritiy. This gives me 1S unit more when talking with someone who is on vertical and 3S units more when talking with someone who is on horizontal over my Imax 2000. The rejection is great and can corner out close neighbors from S9 down to S3. My local test was on a station 18 miles away. IMAX to IMAX was S6. IMAX to my v-quad was S7. Moonraker 4 horizontal to my V-quad was S9. Stange as may be, my v-quad out talks neighbors on DX who run 4 elements and twice the power I do.
The manufacture does not mention using the v-quad for vertical. This would be one element at 45 degrees to the ground. The mfr. only mentions mounting the copper wire horizontal for horizontal or 45 degrees between horizontal and vertical for "circular". There is no mention of mounting the copper wire vertical. I may test this way later as well as horizontal. I am curious. If anyone has actually tested in these manners please let me know your results.
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