EchoTriad: 6–12 dB Better SNR Than a Yagi — Because Hearing Is Believing
In the 21st century, ham radio reception isn’t about brute-force gain or aluminum acreage anymore. It’s about one thing: Signal-to-Noise Ratio. And that’s exactly where the EchoTriad redefines what matters.
The System
The EchoTriad is a high-performance, fully active receive array system designed to deliver six fixed directional beams simultaneously. It uses three wideband vertical probes arranged in an equilateral triangle (~0.23λ spacing) and an industrial-grade phasing matrix to output six discrete, phased RF channels.
All six directions are available at once — no switching, no relays, no latency. This makes EchoTriad perfect for remote multi-operator environments, diversity receivers, and SDRs.
At the heart of the system is a precision analog phasing network, built from high-isolation industrial hybrids to deliver sharp beamforming with minimal insertion loss. Each input is driven by a separate active antenna — ensuring clean signal delivery, high linearity, and zero passive loss.
Note: Active elements are not included.
Band-by-Band Optimization
EchoTriad + EchoTracers (30–6 m)
- Use three EchoTracer active vertical probes
- Optimized for 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10, and 6 meters
- Compact spacing (~2.5–5 m triangle) makes deployment easy
- Delivers 6 simultaneous beams, spaced 60° apart, with:
- ~4.5–5.5 dB gain per beam
- ~100–120° beamwidth
- ~12–18 dB front-to-back rejection
- Dramatically lowers urban noise pickup by avoiding local QRM lobes
The phasing engine is broadband and remains consistent — delivering precision analog beamforming across the entire 1–50 MHz range depending on your chosen active probes.
Why It Crushes a Yagi on RX
Yagis are fine for transmission. But for reception? The EchoTriad turns them into glorified noise funnels.
| Metric | 3-El Yagi | EchoTriad RX |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Gain | 7.5–8.5 dBi | 4.5–5.5 dBi per beam |
| SNR (urban shack) | 3–5 dB typical | 10–15 dB (6–12 dB better) |
| Directions | 1 (rotator required) | 6 fixed, real-time |
| Beam Control | Slow (mechanical) | Instant (parallel outputs) |
| Noise Rejection | Poor | Excellent (CMC + beam nulls) |
| Physical Size | Huge tower + boom | Compact triangle layout |
The EchoTriad doesn’t just point — it listens smarter. It suppresses noise from unwanted directions, rejects common-mode junk, and lets you pick the best signal path without moving a thing.
And what about the popular Hexbeam? While it's a clever mechanical compromise, its forward gain is typically only 5 to 6 dBi — barely more than what each EchoTriad beam delivers, and without the benefit of multiple simultaneous directions. Even before factoring in the EchoTriad’s SNR advantage, it can already match or outperform a Hexbeam in raw forward signal strength. Add the EchoTriad’s superior noise rejection and instant directional agility, and the Hexbeam simply can’t keep up. In an age of QRM, it’s not just about hearing more — it’s about hearing better.
Summary
- 6 fixed RX directions (cardioid beams) spaced 60° apart
- Zero signal loss with fully active front-end
- No mechanical parts, no switching — true parallel output
- Optimized for 30–6 m when used with EchoTracers
Specs at a Glance
- 3 Active Antenna Inputs (EchoTracers not included)
- 6 RF Outputs, phased and buffered
- Phasing: analog ±90° hybrid matrix
- Operating Range: 1–50 MHz
- Supports full SO2R and multi-operator RX
The Bottom Line
In the modern RF jungle, gain is cheap. Clarity is everything.
EchoTriad delivers 6–12 dB better SNR than a Yagi — with smarter patterns, cleaner feeds, and zero delay.
EchoTriad: Because hearing the signal is what really counts.
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Written by Joeri Van Dooren, ON6URE – RF, electronics and software engineer, complex platform and antenna designer. Founder of RF.Guru. An expert in active and passive antennas, high-power RF transformers, and custom RF solutions, he has also engineered telecom and broadcast hardware, including set-top boxes, transcoders, and E1/T1 switchboards. His expertise spans high-power RF, embedded systems, digital signal processing, and complex software platforms, driving innovation in both amateur and professional communications industries.