Shockwave.
I agree with you 100% that the test is not a controlled test, and it was stated many times that it was not, just a real world test with many variables.
If the weather was always perfect, the conditions never changed,solar flares never happened, and the sun never had any spots, then I truly believe the Sigma IV would prevail. Stock out of the box.
In uncontrolled situation with all the variables the real world can throw at an RF signal the results are what I posted.
The 5/8 wave is not a bought off the shelf brand, I.E Maco or anything else. it is a home brew using an over sized tapped inductor for matching, 1 1/4 inch tubing at the base of the vertical element with tapered tubing as it goes up in height, and four full size 1/4 wave radials.
Have to build it to withstand the FL hurricane winds if we get hit with one, even then 1 1/4 inch tubing, best ALCOA has to offer may not withstand that force of a wind.
The age old adage prevails, if you want broader bandwidth, make your radiating element bigger in circumference. I do not think MACO uses 1 1/4 inch tubing in their 5/8 wave antenna?
The Sigma was not re adjusted for band width, it was set exactly to the manufactures specs from the manual, the gamma was adjusted for min VSWR at 27.400 on the antenna analyzer, I agree it could be broad banded if adjusted and played with, but this one was set up to specs from manual as previously stated.
With the sigma optimized it may very well have a lower angle of radiation than a 5/8, take into consideration the 5/8 is custom built and alot of time was put into it for optimizing band width, where as the sigma I compared it to is manufactures specs and not optimized for any band width or gain.
All specs are still 5/8 wavelength after optimizing the antenna, IE vertical is .625 wl, radials are full 1/4 wl so it is a true 5/8 wl antenna, just optimized for band width.
I do not have an off the shelf 5/8 wave to compare this Sigma to.
CDX007 Looking forward to seeing the antenna comparision results you are planning on doing in the future.
Shockwave thanks fo the reply it was informative.
