Comet SMA-24 (SMA-Male) vs Nagoya NA-701 (SMA-Male)

The Comet SMA-24 is the clear winner for most users, despite nearly identical scores. The single most important differentiator is electrical efficiency on VHF, where the Comet performs as a proper quarter-wave antenna while the Nagoya is electrically short and significantly compromised.

The Nagoya's claimed 5 dBi gain is overstated by about 4.2 dB; its 203 mm length only supports roughly 0.8 dBi on UHF. This misleading specification is a red flag. On VHF at 146 MHz, where many hams spend time, the Nagoya delivers minus 3.6 dBi compared to the Comet's minus 0.4 dBi, a meaningful 3.2 dB disadvantage.

The Comet's longer 450 mm design gives it proper electrical length on both bands, particularly valuable on VHF where it functions as an actual quarter-wave. The Nagoya's portability advantage is minimal since both are whips under half a meter. Price difference favors the Nagoya by 13 dollars, but antenna performance scales with length, not cost.

Buy the Comet SMA-24 if you operate across both VHF and UHF and want balanced performance. Buy the Nagoya only if extreme portability on a handheld is your sole priority and you work primarily UHF. The Comet offers better all-around value.