Mirkit 15.6-inch Dual-Band Whip (SMA-Female) vs Nagoya NA-320A (Tri-Band)

The Nagoya NA-320A is the clear winner here. Both antennas perform identically on UHF at 2.9 dBi, but the Nagoya's addition of 1.25m band support and superior VHF performance make it the more versatile choice. The Mirkit's VHF electrical length of 0.19 wavelengths is compromised and will noticeably underperform, dropping to -1.0 dBi. The Nagoya reaches 0.22 wavelengths at VHF, delivering -0.4 dBi, a meaningful improvement on a handheld where every dB counts.

The single most important differentiator is VHF electrical length. The Nagoya's closer approach to quarter-wave efficiency on 146 MHz gives it significantly better performance on the most popular amateur band.

The Mirkit suits budget-conscious operators who primarily work UHF and can tolerate VHF compromises. The Nagoya belongs in the radio of anyone who regularly operates across all three bands and wants consistent, predictable performance without marketing overstatement. The Nagoya's 3.5 dBi claim is realistic given its electrical lengths.

Choose the Nagoya. The three-dollar price difference is negligible against the performance gains on VHF and the added band coverage.