Why Clever Antenna Trickery Doesn't Always Pay Off: A Real-World Test

In the world of multiband vertical antennas, it's common to see designs that use creative methods to force resonance on multiple bands. Techniques like folding back wires, adding loading coils, or creating complex element geometries are often used to "trick" an antenna into offering a low SWR across many amateur bands. A popular example of this type of antenna is the fan-style multiband vertical, often called a "multi-element quarter-wave vertical" 

But is a low SWR the only thing that matters?

We set out to answer this question with a real-world test. Two antennas were built:

  • Antenna A: A fan quarter-wave vertical using single straight wires for each band, individually tuned without any folding or loading tricks.
  • Antenna B: A similar fan quarter-wave vertical, but with clever wire folding, small loading coils, and element tricks to compress element length and fit everything more neatly.

Both antennas were fed with the same length of coax, through the same switch, using the same radio and power level. SWR readings were taken across all bands. Antenna B, with the clever folding and tricks, showed consistently excellent SWR: <1.5:1 across nearly all bands. Antenna A had slightly worse SWR on some bands (especially 15m and 17m, approaching 2.5:1), but still within the range any internal tuner could easily handle.

Next, we tested transmission performance using FT8, monitoring signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) reports from distant DX stations.

The results were surprising:

  • Antenna A (straight elements) consistently achieved better SNR values at the receiving DX ends.
  • Antenna B (trickery) had noticeably lower SNR points, despite its better SWR readings.
  • On the bands where the radiators where without any trickery both antennas preformed the same !

Why does this happen?

The answer lies in the science of antenna efficiency versus impedance matching:

  • Tricks like wire folding and small coils introduce reactance and cause current cancellations.
  • High currents, which should be distributed along the full length of an element, become distorted or concentrated in less ideal locations.
  • As a result, less of the RF energy is radiated effectively, even though the impedance looks better to the radio.

In simple terms: a low SWR doesn't guarantee a strong radiated signal. You can have a "happy" transmitter feeding a "lazy" antenna.

Luckily, for ensuring good power transfer between the radio and the antenna, we have a clever solution: the Tuner. And guess what? It does not need to be installed at the antenna. In fact, the tuner can be located right next to the radio with negligible losses. The losses are truly negligible. For more insight, see:

Conclusion:

If you have the space and mechanical ability to install full-length resonant elements, it's almost always better to avoid clever tricks and accept minor SWR imperfections. You'll be louder and heard better on the bands, especially for modes like FT8 where every dB of SNR matters.

Sometimes, the simplest solution really is the best one.

This experiment highlights an important lesson for all builders and operators: don't get trapped by the pursuit of perfect SWR numbers alone. Focus on real-world performance. After all, it's not about what your meter says — it's about how far your signal actually travels.

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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.