At 5/10/2008 10:16, you wrote: >Which begs the question: Why are antenna manufacturers and vendors still >using dBi to express gain for antennas operating at VHF? The term dBi >represents gain of an isotropic (point-source) radiator such as an antenna >with a parabolic reflector; it is inappropriate to use dBi for a dipole >radiator. I think we all know the answer- it "sounds better!"
Actually, dBi makes more sense from a theoretical (designer's) standpoint. The late antenna expert L. B. Cebik W4RNL once published an article explaining why he preferred dBi over dBd. I can't find a link to it now, but the gist of the article was that the ideal dipole "standard" is almost as theoretical as the isotropic source, & that it is possible to closely approximate the isotropic radiator, so the "real world" dipole reference is in fact a fallacy. Bob NO6B
