PulseRooth vs Traditional Full-Length Beverage
The Beverage antenna has long been the gold standard for low-band receive antennas, particularly on 160 m and 80 m. Its excellent RDF (receiving directivity factor), strong front-to-back, and low noise floor make it unbeatable for rural DX sites. The PulseRooth — a terminated BOG (Beverage-on-Ground) with a push-pull MMIC preamplifier — aims to deliver comparable utility in a compact footprint.
Size and Deployment
Traditional Beverage: 100–300 m of elevated wire (1.5–2.4 m AGL). Needs insulators, supports, termination, and lots of space.
PulseRooth: 40–80 m BOG, just cm above ground, deployed in minutes. Integrated MMIC handles low-level output.
Winner: PulseRooth — portability and ease of use.
Noise Floor and Local QRM
Beverage: Quieter than verticals but elevated wire picks up more suburban noise.
PulseRooth: On-ground, less sensitive to E-field hash. Push-pull MMIC ensures high IMD resistance and noise immunity.
Winner: PulseRooth — especially in noisy QTHs.
Directionality and RDF
Beverage: 200 m terminated design = 8–12 dB RDF, sharp lobe, 15–30 dB F/B.
PulseRooth: 40–80 m BOG ≈ 5–7 dB RDF, broader lobe, 10–15 dB F/B.
Winner: Beverage — for RDF and sharp directivity.
Signal Strength and SNR
Beverage: Strong induced voltage; often padded down.
PulseRooth: BOG outputs are weak, but MMIC restores level. In noisy QTHs, SNR is often similar; in quiet rural sites Beverage wins.
Winner: Beverage — in quiet locations.
Bandwidth and Frequency Coverage
Beverage: Optimized for 1–2 bands. Multi-band = multi-wire or switching.
PulseRooth: Broadband MMIC covers 500 kHz–30 MHz. Best from 160–40 m with 40–80 m wire length.
Winner: PulseRooth — for versatility.
Terrain and Soil Impact
Beverage: Works reliably across soils. Height mitigates ground losses.
PulseRooth: Ground conductivity matters — dry sandy soil degrades BOG performance.
Winner: Beverage — more consistent across terrain.
Head-to-Head Summary
| Feature | Full Beverage (200 m @ ~2 m) | PulseRooth (40–80 m BOG + MMIC) |
|---|---|---|
| RDF | 8–12 dB | 5–7 dB |
| Front-to-back | 15–30 dB | 10–15 dB |
| Noise immunity | Very good | Excellent |
| Signal level | High | Low (amplified) |
| Footprint | Large | Compact |
| Coverage | Narrow | Broadband (160–40 m best) |
| Setup complexity | High | Very low |
| Soil dependency | Moderate | High |
PulseRooth in the QuadraTus 4-Square
Four PulseRooths with the QuadraTus controller yield 8 directions simultaneously: forward, reverse, and four diagonals. Array performance:
- RDF up to 10 dB forward
- Nulls of 20–30 dB
- Full azimuth coverage in ~60×60 m footprint
- Comparable to 8 Beverages with far less land and hardware
Conclusion
A full 200 m Beverage remains unmatched for raw RDF and DX sensitivity in quiet locations. But in space-limited, suburban, or contest stations, the PulseRooth is a competitive and far more practical alternative. In phased arrays like QuadraTus, it rivals Beverage farms in performance while using a fraction of the space.
Mini-FAQ
- Does PulseRooth equal a full Beverage? — Not in raw RDF, but it comes close in real-world noisy QTHs.
- How long should a PulseRooth wire be? — 40–80 m, ideal for 160–40 m performance.
- What makes PulseRooth practical? — Small footprint, broadband coverage, integrated MMIC preamp.
Interested in more technical content? Subscribe to our updates for deep-dive RF articles and lab notes.
Questions or experiences to share? Feel free to contact RF.Guru.