KIO Technology
Which hexbeam performs the best?
Easy answer to this; None. All hexbeams are kings.
All hexbeams built after the broadband model invented by G3TXQ perform on air about the same. You can run computer models and get gain figures and they will be close on all hexbeams, no matter what the manufacturers claim. If the differences claimed by a seller look significant, it will only be because gain over ground is being used by one manufacturer and gain in free space is being used by the other manufacturers. It is a little like Fahrenheit and Celsius. Freezing point is the same but you get different numbers, depending on which measurement system.
The main differences among hexbeams are in the physical construction details. How robust is the hexbeam? How will it fare in salt water environments, wind, snow and ice? Sturdiness and survivability are important and you can make a hexbeam like an M1 Abrams tank but what is the cost and is it too heavy to mount on an inexpensive mast or do you have to have a broadcast quality tower to support it? As with all good engineering, it is a matter of balancing cost vs survivability. You can spend huge bucks and get a beam that might withstand a Category 5 hurricane but if you just want one that will stand the weather conditions in 99.9% of the time, you won’t have to pay your retirement nest egg for it.
Save a few hundred dollars and look for the best balance of price and structural integrity.
