[amsat-bb] Yagi Antenna Comparison

[Gary "Joe" Mayfield]

Greetings:

   I'm finally going through with my tower plans and will have a platform
for my satellite antennas that is for the most part above my trees.  I'm
trying to do a cost/value/reliability comparison for some Yagis.  I want to
put them up and have them stay up!  They need to be high enough performance
to work when we get an HEO satellite up again.

I have found the following antennas:

M squared  http://www.m2inc.com
436CP42UG
2MCP22

Gulf Alpha   http://www.gulfalphaantennas.com/
70CM-16ELSat
2M-5ELSat

Hy-Gain    http://www.hy-gain.com/
UB-7030SAT
VB-216SAT

Does Cushcraft http://www.cushcraft.com still make OSCAR antennas?

I am interested comments from any and all experience with these antennas.

I believe there are lots M Squared's out there -- any complaints?

I have the dual band Gulf Alpha, and it is built ultra durable, but I am
concerned if the mono band antennas are big enough.

Does anyone have the Hy-Gain antennas?  They look like a bargain?

Any others I missed?

Thanks and 73,
Joe kk0sd