PNI antennas any good ?

[KILLERPARSNIP]

Hello everyone,

What do you think of PNI antennas ? Will they last ? Some of them seem very similar to Sirio antennas are they copies ?

Thanks all

[scanhermit]

I've got a PNI ML145 that I haven't got around to tuning yet but these two vids are interesting. Vid 1 is the SWRing in of 5 PNI and 3 Midland antennas. Vid 2 is the field testing.

https://youtu.be/mziMVI2F9-E?si=aXzp6TzOXorMjn6z

https://youtu.be/RTZPy7doqu4?si=rYOh69Vy6WQ9W9UQ

These aren't DX tests but give an idea of the relative performance of each.

[scanhermit]

I now have data on my own ML145. Used here, on a 50 ft hill overlooking York.:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/RbTj6BewL9yHYfPq5

The radio is the Thunderpole TX handheld. Results:

1) 2.5 miles - R5 S9. Previously, with the handheld and telescopic antenna it was R4 S6
2) 4.5 miles R3-4 S7 . Previously R1 S4 on the telescopic.
3) 4.8 miles unreadable, but this is the contact with S7-8 noise floor. Have never reached on the telescopic
4) 7.6 miles R3 S4. Have never reached on the telescopic

[scanhermit]

More info - From Garrowby Hill (790ft high) with Thunderpole TX and PNI ML145 I had:

* 12 miles - R5 S7
* 15 miles - R4 S5

[scanhermit]

6.5 miles mobile across Vale of York terrain. No idea what my signal was but I could be understood.

[lambrettadave]

Year's ago I was wanting a sirio ml145 but at the time I didn't have the money so I bought a TTI ml145 which has worked a lot better than I expected and it's lasted two but after a few years the base on the mag kept losing a chunk of plastic. In theory the mag could easily be replaced.

Recently I bought a pni 180 which came with a metal mag mount so I am hoping for a longer service.

The tti was left on my car for years and never got took off, so maybe the weather had something to do with the plastic mag.

[scanhermit]

The Sirio saga described on the other thread has made me appreciate my PNI more. Won't break any records but given I'm running a handheld through it and getting even 6.5 miles isn't too shabby.

I had to cut it a fair bit to make it sit down on UK but it sat