open dipole V gamma match dipole

[109 Jim]

i am stumped , i had a 2 el open fed yagi and it worked great but it started to droop down a bit so i replaced it with a gamma matched dipole from a 3 el yagi using the same reflector , SWR is fine ( i know low SWR doesnt say the antenna is always working properly ) but its garbage.
I took the reflector off incase it was that but TBH the dipole is still crap ie my mate a few miles away on a vertical was getting Australia on a s7 and another mate driving along the road was getting him a s5 , he was hardly a s1 here.

My mate a few miles away has a really bad path into asia and pacific and has a 4el but my old 2 el was getting things better but now its the other way , can a gamma matched dipole show a low SWR but be faulty ???? cheers Jim

[LondonCbRadio]

Are the elements electrically connected to the boom ?

[109 Jim]

yes , its a dipole that came from a sirio 3el , yesterday i made my old 2 el open feed yagi , i am going to put that back up

[Black_Pirate]

how high was it...!