I'm considering putting up a good antenna, to go with my new BC796D scanner.
It seems many of the scanner antennas on the market are made very poorly,
and don't hold up over time, and weather. Has anyone spent the big bucks
for a Create Log-Periodic 5130-2N? It's a wideband, high~gain, directional
antenna that offers 11~13 dBi gain from 105~1300 MHz. But at $300.00, I'm
hesitating.

Link: http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT17.html

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Bill Crocker

I have had the Create LP that is rated for service from 50 MHz through 1.3 GHz
for about 15 or so years. I have also used one to make relative measurements
on a "parking lot Open Air Test Site" using substitution for radiated
emissions. The antenna does not present the claimed gain numbers, more like 3
to 5 dBi. It is certainly "designed" with the ham bands in mind as the lowest
SWR points over its range are all within the ham bands between 50 MHz and 1.3
GHz (including 222). The feed structure is too large for good performance much
above 700 to 800 MHz and the taper is too aggressive for more gain which would
result in a longer boom. However, I use it for general monitoring of VHF/UHF
conditions (meteor scatter, tropo conditions, and other "things") with the Icom
R 7000/preamp. It's excellent for that. In addition, it IS directional and has
some gain which a (vertically polarized) discone does not. It's just a good
overall workhorse antenna, but don't expect much more than 5 dBi gain, anywhere
in its operating range.

Dave - W0LEV

I have had the Create LP that is rated for service from 50 MHz through 1.3 GHz
for about 15 or so years. I have also used one to make relative measurements
on a "parking lot Open Air Test Site" using substitution for radiated
emissions. The antenna does not present the claimed gain numbers, more like 3
to 5 dBi. It is certainly "designed" with the ham bands in mind as the lowest
SWR points over its range are all within the ham bands between 50 MHz and 1.3
GHz (including 222). The feed structure is too large for good performance much
above 700 to 800 MHz and the taper is too aggressive for more gain which would
result in a longer boom. However, I use it for general monitoring of VHF/UHF
conditions (meteor scatter, tropo conditions, and other "things") with the Icom
R 7000/preamp. It's excellent for that. In addition, it IS directional and has
some gain which a (vertically polarized) discone does not. It's just a good
overall workhorse antenna, but don't expect much more than 5 dBi gain, anywhere
in its operating range.

Dave - W0LEV