Advice on RF Antenna Selection

[Not_A_Llama]

So you're looking for something a bit more advanced than a standard Yagi antenna setup?

I would bet it is that under the plastic. Maybe a backing ground plane.

[ChadAmberg]

I would bet it is that under the plastic. Maybe a backing ground plane.

Yeah and then a battery powered preamp. Which is useful some times but harmful other times.

I think it isn't as much great technology but it's handheld and has been upgraded with a laser pointer!

[DireWolf]

Looking at their data sheet, I am highly suspicious of their claims being true, especially the antenna gain spec (my guess is they are including their pre-amp gain to make it look more appealing). Also, the wide frequency range means it will suck across most of them.

It's a 30? directional antenna, so it'll be okay for trying to find the direction a signal is coming from, but it will take some effort.
(Although you still have to have a spectrum analyzer).

Yeah, I was hoping someone might have experience with these to know if those product specs were legit or not, as that was a main consideration, as is finding a cheaper alternative.

Sure, there's lots of basic yagi options out there (slightly less when you start looking small/portable), but seems challenging to find a combo of very high gain, very low noise/high-snr, and performance over wide spectrum, while also being easily portable/manageable, and the self-calibration data would be useful I'm thinking.

Beam width/pattern is probably optimal (assuming their graphs are accurate), but will admit there's going to be a little trial & error with that.

Also, while open to the option of multiple antennas to cover the desired spectrum, I don't think that would be optimal for my uses; hoping to find something with acceptable wideband performance, as functional requirements include both rapid wideband sampling as well as signal isolation & resolution.

Also, not sure if relevant, but all signal processing logic will be managed using GNU Radio.

I think it isn't as much great technology but it's handheld and has been upgraded with a laser pointer!

Yeah, the laser did seem kinda gimmicky, but wasn't really a factor I was interested in...