Product Review
Nagoya NA-F30 /
F30G
Foldable Gain Antenna
John Miklor K3NXU
April 2023
What is a Nagoya NA-F30 / F30G
The Nagoya NA-F30G is a 30" Foldable Tactical style Dual Band antenna.
The F30 series comes in two distinct models. The F30
dual band Ham version, and the F30G cut specifically for
GMRS operation. The following review is for the Dual
Band ham version.
A common misconception is that a VHF/UHF antenna is capable of
covering the entire spectrum when in fact they are tuned
to cover specific frequencies within that range.
To confirm the characteristics of the NA-F30, I used an analyzer to determine the
resonant frequency. The antenna's SWR 'sweet spot'
was at 1.2:1 at 144MHz and a respectable 1.7:1 at 440MHz.
Nagoya NA-F30
click to enlarge |
Base Connector
The F30 terminates with an SMA-F connector making it
compatible with Baofeng, BTech, and most ham handheld
radios. Be sure to verify this prior to purchasing.
Operation
These antennas mimic the military style folding antenna.
Although the antenna can be folded for convenience when
traveling, hiking, etc., it must be
fully extended perform properly.
The sweep below shows how the tuning is distorted when
folded. The SWR jumps to nearly 8.0:1 on VHF and 4.0:1
on UHF.
click to enlarge |
Over-the-Air Testing
When compared to the stock antenna on my DMR-6X2 PRO,
there was a noticeable increase in performance with the
F30 on both transmit and receive.
Very Important
When purchasing an antenna, quality and precision is
critical. Beware of counterfeit or 'fake' antennas on the
market. They look authentic but the appearance doesn't
make the antenna perform. For that reason Nagoya has
published a page on how to determine whether the antenna
is authentic. Here is a link to that article.
How to identify a Fake Nagoya antenna
NA-F30G
Based on the factory specifications, the F30'G' is cut
for higher frequencies (155/465MHz) that covers MURS and Commercial
bands as well
as GMRS.
Conclusion
This Nagoya NA-F30 antenna measures 30" long, comes with an SMA-female connector,
a small rubber O-ring grommet to assure a snug fit and a
Velcro strap to secure the antenna in the folded
position.
Available from:
Amazon: NA-F30
NA-F30G (GMRS)
BTech:
NA-F30
NA-F30G (GMRS)
Note: This antenna was received for the purpose of a
fair and unbiased review. All findings are factual based
on the equipment I received.
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