DB Gain Question

[Se7en]

IS it worth spending the $10 more for another .5 DB gain on VHF and an extra 1 DB gain on UHF? This is comparison to the X200A & X300A by Diamond.

I know Subtracting 2.1 from the stated Gain numbers gives you a +/- real world gain number....

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

Check your Email..
I sent you some info on this..

I can say..
Comparing GP-9/X510 verses say X50
x50 and the 200 losses big

the GP-9/X510 or the X710 (but 710 is expensive and 24 ft tall )
are Both Excellent gain and really work Very Well

 

[W5LZ]

That's one of those "you have to decide for your$elf" questions. In general, a half, or 1 dB of gain just isn't very significant. Sure, in particular cases it can be "just enough" to make a difference. But just how often would those 'particular' situations come up? There are other places where putting that $10 would probably be a benefit more often...
- 'Doc

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

If buying new then yes, if replacing something and expecting to see a difference, not in this lifetime and likely not in the next one either. The effort to replace the antenna itself outweighs any benefits.

 

[M0KRL]

At VHF and up, your $10 is going to be better spent on increasing the height of the antenna instalation, or changing to better feeders and connectors, more dramatic results in TX and RX signals can be realised by reducing transmission line losses, rather than minimal increases in outright antenna gain.

Karl, M0KRL.

 

[Evil Wind 323]

$10.00

It's $10.00 for crying out loud.....

If 10 bucks is going to break the bank... get a new hobby.

 

[roadrage]

I am making an analogy between this and a muscle car. Turning on your A/C yeilds a loss in horsepower between 3 and 7 (depending on the car). I'll call it 5 HP. If you have a muscle car with 350 HP, you won't notice the 5 horsepower decrease. If it wasn't for the cold air blowing in your face, you wouldn't say "gee my car feels sluggish today, the A/C must be on." It is the same with a K&N filter. It will give you 3-5 HP. Headers 15-20 HP, and so on. None of these items will yeild any noticable difference in performance. None of them by themselves will win you a race. So what is the point of adding things like them? Because by themselves they may not do much, but in conjunction with other small increases will add up to a very noticable difference. Once you are done adding headers, roller rockers, cold air intake, power programer, exhaust, and throttle body spacer. By the time you're done you've ended up with 80-100 HP which does make a difference.
So what I'm saying is that 1 db aint going to make a difference on its own. But a gain is still a gain. Other improvements you may be able to make on your system can add up. It may end up adding up to an S unit or more by the time you're done. In my opinion that would make it worth the extra dough. It all depends on what you have to start with.