At the RepeaterBook.com lab, we tested the SWR of the Comet SBB224 antenna using the RigExpert AA-1000. According to Comet, the antenna is a mag mount 1/4-wave on 2-meters and 5/8-wave on 1.25-meters and 70-centimeters. They report a VSWR of 1.5:1 or less. The gain on 2-meters is 1.15 dBi, 3.5 dBi on 1.25 meters, and 6.0 dBi on 70-centimeters. It is capable of handling 100 watts of power with an overall length of 36 inches. It comes in both UHF and SMA configurations. We tested the SMA version with a mag mount.
We tested the antenna on a cookie sheet and attempted to adjust the antenna length to the best possible SWR. Your results may vary as the ground plane can affect SWR.
2-meter Band
| Frequency | SWR |
| 144.000 | 1.37 |
| 145.000 | 1.36 |
| 146.000 | 1.36 |
| 147.000 | 1.35 |
1.25 -meter Band
| Frequency | SWR |
| 220.000 | 1.7 |
| 221.000 | 1.5 |
| 222.000 | 1.32 |
| 223.000 | 1.19 |
| 224.000 | 1.21 |
| 225.000 | 1.37 |
70-centimeter Band
| Frequency | SWR |
| 430.000 | 2.1 |
| 435.000 | 2.1 |
| 440.000 | 1.8 |
| 445.000 | 1.05 |
| 449.000 | 1.5 |
GMRS
This antenna is not marketed towards GMRS users. These are very high SWR readings and should not be used for transmitting on GMRS channels.
| Frequency | SWR |
| 462.000 | 3.2 |
| 467.000 | 3.0 |
33-centimeter Band
This antenna is not specifically sold as a 33-cm band antenna, but it is well-tuned.
| Frequency | SWR |
| 902.000 | 1.9 |
| 903.000 | 1.46 |
Verdict
This antenna performed remarkably well in the bands specifically marketed for and is a must-buy. The bonus is the low SWR in the 33-cm range. GMRS-licensed users should not use this antenna for GMRS use.
We will re-run these tests with the antenna mounted to a vehicle and report back on the results.