nickcarr wrote:
So, I thought the G5RV was essentially a doublet already?? I remember reading a recent QST mag about using ladder line instead of coax - since the losses will be less. However, the other argument was that if you use RG213 or better (a short run, i.e. less than 50ft) then it's almost a crapshoot as far as performance is concerned. Is there another advantage?
basically BUT, the G5RV is mostly advertising, it was a 20m antenna built by G5RV back in the day. its a doublet that was made for 20m someone lengthened it and call it all-band
so the thing about the ladder line is that its not just feed its also a matching section, that's the key of a doublet over a G5 is that you typically have a longer matching (or feed) so you can effectively match the lower frequency. you then would cut to a tuner that can take a ladder line, or a 4:1 balun then with a
short length of 75,50 etc to match back to 50 depending on your setup
we arnt talking performance here, antenna performance is like ford/chevy debate performance is SO MUCH more then just a "brand or type" of antenna. if you want performance then cut a dipole to the frequency that you use and remove that tuner. we are all talking dipoles and there is SO much more then dipole type for performance. and if you have a tuner... performance suffers
you must balance performance with user-ease thats where the G5 comes in so marketable. it has a pl259 on one end close to 50ohm, works all or most bands reasonably well on most home lots.
if you cant tell I hate the G5RV its great to have as a first antenna. but they are lousy IMO a loop or doublet for "all band" is so much better, cheaper and efficient (I didn't say performance because again performance has a LOT more factors then type of antenna) it takes the same time to put up and fills the same room on your lot