Antenna tests never work out on HT antenna’s because the user is the ground plane. An SWR meter will give better results but signal strength is about the only way to really know. Have a friend check your signal strength from a good distance with different antenna’s. Thanks for the videos!
Nano vna's are very handy, I have mine for building 2.4ghz antennas for fpv video and 433 and 868mhz antennas for long range rc control but ive also used it to test all of my two way voice radio antennas. The stock baofeng antenna isn't a bad antenna, absolutely destroys the retrivis antenna I bought for 446 reception!
Great video. I've also had the same "joy" when I was testing antennas for my HF HT - Albrecht 2990 with nanoVNA. I think indoor SWR measurements are not the best. I was observing significant difference when changing location in the room as well as moving it higher and lower. Best is probably to measure it outdoor, ideally away from walls and buildings (wave bouncing back to antenna) as well as away from any metal wires or other metal things. Middle of the farm field may be a good example of such place ;) I like to watch your videos and learning with you. Keep doing good job Fred :) 73
I'm not holding any radio close to my head just to reduce swr... Thanks for the video Fred.. Much good info.... I just bought a Nagoya for the uv5r.... Advertised as original... I hope it is....
This speaks a lot about genuine parts and the need to be cautious with aftermarket products. In both, there is room for improvements but the genuine antennas wins the day. All is well here Fred. Nice to see you so active on the TH-cam. Cheers!
These videos are great. I look forward to seeing what other antennas you test. It'd be interesting to see if you could get a genuine nagoya to test. I have a NA-771 and am not actually pleased with its performance.
Marks wrong, the first part of those antenna is a 1/4 wave for 70cm no base loading, the next part is a coil which works as the loading for 2m and a trap for 70cm, on 70cm the antenna transmits from first 17.5cm because the coil is large enough to trap signal, on 2m coil works as a loading coil whole antenna is used, top loaded. 2e0deq
I think you might be right Fred, there will be nothing inside the cheap long fake antennas as they are just sent out to get a quick buck. I don't think they had any intentions of tuning them to work, just look like an antenna. The problem with testing these small antennas is even if your thumb or any part of your hang gets near then it affects the capacitance of the antenna, it is not like it is in free space. Even when on the radio a lot of things will affect the performance of the antenna. We all like a perfect antenna, but with Walkie Talkies you will never get that, the only thing is get the antenna close to resonance and hope for the best. But interesting tests none the less. Waiting for the next one.
www.ebay.co.uk/b/Cable-Analysers-Antenna-Analysers/181941/bn_16567260 Be careful of FAKE Chinese ones. Buy from a UK seller you can call if anything goes wrong. Look them up first to see if they can be contacted. You can also get them on Amazon. Buy at your own risk, you can get them from Ham Radio shops, but they will cost you mare.
You might want to remove your watch and rings when you do your tests. Also, I'd like to you test, not the fake Nagoyas, but some of the cheaper antennas (like the Luitons and the TIDRadios). Cheers.
A bit confusing Fred.. Just watched another video doing similar with swr meter and multiple antennas fake and genuine and all gave similar very good swr readings on 2 bands.
Cant wait when the lockdown going to be over so i can book to do my ham test then i will get my head in the book for 2 to three days looking thing up i dont know if i know half of thre ham test i will skip over there thing whybread some part of the book if you know it less you read more go in if you know the other thing that how i theach myself take it slow and do not over read it if you need to read over one part two to three time before you get it read it three to four time that my why of thinking
Zatagi meters are tuned for 11 meters and will give completely erroneous readings at the frequencies you're playing with. Sorry Fred, but you still need a 'proper' ground plane, the readings are just not accurate without it matey! DW
Antenna tests never work out on HT antenna’s because the user is the ground plane. An SWR meter will give better results but signal strength is about the only way to really know. Have a friend check your signal strength from a good distance with different antenna’s. Thanks for the videos!
Nano vna's are very handy, I have mine for building 2.4ghz antennas for fpv video and 433 and 868mhz antennas for long range rc control but ive also used it to test all of my two way voice radio antennas.
The stock baofeng antenna isn't a bad antenna, absolutely destroys the retrivis antenna I bought for 446 reception!
Good down to earth video, I now know why my two 771 antennas are so useless. Might also sacrifice one of them and open it up.
Great video. I've also had the same "joy" when I was testing antennas for my HF HT - Albrecht 2990 with nanoVNA. I think indoor SWR measurements are not the best. I was observing significant difference when changing location in the room as well as moving it higher and lower. Best is probably to measure it outdoor, ideally away from walls and buildings (wave bouncing back to antenna) as well as away from any metal wires or other metal things. Middle of the farm field may be a good example of such place ;)
I like to watch your videos and learning with you. Keep doing good job Fred :) 73
I'm not holding any radio close to my head just to reduce swr... Thanks for the video Fred.. Much good info.... I just bought a Nagoya for the uv5r.... Advertised as original... I hope it is....
This speaks a lot about genuine parts and the need to be cautious with aftermarket products. In both, there is room for improvements but the genuine antennas wins the day. All is well here Fred. Nice to see you so active on the TH-cam. Cheers!
Very true Andy
These videos are great. I look forward to seeing what other antennas you test. It'd be interesting to see if you could get a genuine nagoya to test. I have a NA-771 and am not actually pleased with its performance.
Going to open the fake next and see whats really inside.
The excellent experiment👍
Marks wrong, the first part of those antenna is a 1/4 wave for 70cm no base loading, the next part is a coil which works as the loading for 2m and a trap for 70cm, on 70cm the antenna transmits from first 17.5cm because the coil is large enough to trap signal, on 2m coil works as a loading coil whole antenna is used, top loaded. 2e0deq
thanks Fred - great video!! di the longer antennas come with the radio like mine did? I might change back to the shorter one now!
No ebay cheapies.
@@CB-RADIO-UK just bought a CRT Micron and teamed it up with a KPO NM452 echo mike using the mic adapter - I have had great audio reports
Love the video thank you. I've ordered an analyzer to test mine now. Lol
Great vid mate hope your staying well and safe
Thanks, you too!
I think you might be right Fred, there will be nothing inside the cheap long fake antennas as they are just sent out to get a quick buck. I don't think they had any intentions of tuning them to work, just look like an antenna. The problem with testing these small antennas is even if your thumb or any part of your hang gets near then it affects the capacitance of the antenna, it is not like it is in free space. Even when on the radio a lot of things will affect the performance of the antenna. We all like a perfect antenna, but with Walkie Talkies you will never get that, the only thing is get the antenna close to resonance and hope for the best. But interesting tests none the less. Waiting for the next one.
Thnx Fred.....stay safe mate......Bob
Hi Fred saw this on EBay I wonder if they are any good SW-33 Mark II VHF/UHF 100W Digital Mini Power & SWR Meter For Ham Two Way Radio
Have seen them on Amazon to
I saw Lewis use one on his video. He said that they were "ok" but not the best meters. Not tried one myself.
Hi Fred just watched a video using one of these sw-33 meters and they got the same readings as you with the original aerials fairly high swr
if the fake antenna is not broken, it works like the original
Can you shorten the antenna to match better.... ? Just a thought
You should extend not cut antenna, resonance is HIGH in frequency not low.
Very Informative. Thanks,Fred.
Thanks Fred good info
dh-771 antenna (red) shorten 17 cm for 446 mhz pmr
How about trimming the fake antenna length to tune it.
Yes i might do that in the future. Next iam going to look inside.
Hy fred where ca y buy the Nano vna swr? Tnx
www.ebay.co.uk/b/Cable-Analysers-Antenna-Analysers/181941/bn_16567260 Be careful of FAKE Chinese ones. Buy from a UK seller you can call if anything goes wrong. Look them up first to see if they can be contacted.
You can also get them on Amazon. Buy at your own risk, you can get them from Ham Radio shops, but they will cost you mare.
Ebay
Fred in the Shed tnx for the response
Greetings from spain huge fan off what you do
And a CB operator 30LO3573 hope we cross antennas soon
@@EmilLO-xx8lz Cheers my friend.
You might want to remove your watch and rings when you do your tests. Also, I'd like to you test, not the fake Nagoyas, but some of the cheaper antennas (like the Luitons and the TIDRadios). Cheers.
Thanks for the suggestions.
What's with all the downvotes for Fred? ?
A bit confusing Fred.. Just watched another video doing similar with swr meter and multiple antennas fake and genuine and all gave similar very good swr readings on 2 bands.
Seems pot luck when you order a fake. Some work as well as the orig antenna and others have dangerous SWR. No quality control.
Retevis 771 is much better than Nagoya 771 (no fake)
Fred what is the name of that meter an where can it be bought cheers
As per the video title its a nanovna: nanovna.com/
Nano Vna. All over Ebay.
Cant wait when the lockdown going to be over so i can book to do my ham test then i will get my head in the book for 2 to three days looking thing up i dont know if i know half of thre ham test i will skip over there thing whybread some part of the book if you know it less you read more go in if you know the other thing that how i theach myself take it slow and do not over read it if you need to read over one part two to three time before you get it read it three to four time that my why of thinking
Donny P what book do you need to read up on Donny?
Thinking of doing it myself
Thanks for your info, nice Sunday morning breakfast video.
CT56004
Thanks for watching!
Looks like the fakes are better tuned for the United States GMRS radio bandwidth 462-467 MHz.
Zatagi meters are tuned for 11 meters and will give completely erroneous readings at the frequencies you're playing with.
Sorry Fred, but you still need a 'proper' ground plane, the readings are just not accurate without it matey!
DW
warning!
DH-771 antenna is fake
this antenna only works for 1.1Ghz-1.7Ghz
i just found this th-cam.com/video/0b387JzHHI4/w-d-xo.html