Laird FG4605 vs Comet CA712EFC

[jimlg]

I am looking to set up a GMRS base station and am looking at these two antennas.

The Laird appears to be more of a commercial antenna while the Comet appears to be
more of a hobbyist type.

My initial install will have the antenna mounted on a 10 foot pole on a chimney mount
while I erect a 70 foot tower, the GMRS antenna will be side mounted at the 55-60 foot
level.

Will the extra 2 db gain of the Comet make a noticeable difference and which of the antennas
is the better built?

I know there is a big difference in price but I want something I can install and be assured it will
be there tomorrow.

 

[mmckenna]

I only owned one Comet antenna and it was about 20-30 years ago. Never bought another.

I've had a few Laird antennas and have been happy with them for a low cost base antenna.

Not sure how much you would notice the extra 2dB of gain. That would really depend on your specific location/environment. Additional gain is great if you are out on the flatlands where the horizon is way out there -and- you are trying to talk simplex as far as you can, or are on the very fringes of repeater coverage. If you've got hills/mountains around you, the extra gain probably won't be noticed.

The way I look at things like this:
Mounting an antenna 60 feet up a tower requires climbing the tower, which is not a zero risk operation. I, personally, would not want to buy a hobby/ham grade antenna and go through all the work to mount it up that high and not have it last decades. My time is worth more to me than the extra $30-$40 for the higher grade antenna.

If it was me, I'd go with the Laird.

 

[nokones]

There is a real legitimate reason why you do not see Public Safety Agencies using Comet antennae and it is not the immediate direct cost savings factor. Use the Laird.

 

[jeepsandradios]

I will recommend the Laird all day over the ham stuff. People get worked up over a db rating that most will never see. If you want an antenna to last and not replace over and over spend the funds up front and get the Laird.

 

[jimlg]

Thanks for the recommendations, I was leaning toward the Laird from the start,
just wasn't sure if the extra 2db would make that much of a difference.

 

[KF0NYL]

I'm using the Comet CA-712EFC and it works well. But I also don't have it on a tower. As much as I like the Comet, it is not the best long term solution. This is especially true if the antenna is installed up high on a tower.

Everyone is correct that 2 dB is not going to make much difference unless you are in a fairly flat area and the antenna is above the trees around you. A 6 dB antenna will actually work better than a 9 dB antenna if you live in a hilly/mountainous area.

Think of the radiation pattern from your antenna as a ballon. The higher the gain the flatter the pattern will be. A flat pattern is good for wide open terrain but not so good with tall hills.