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.