JSTARR@SIMTEL20.ARPA (Jim Starr) (03/04/85)
I do nor consider the difference between a rubber duckie and a 5/8 whip to be negligible.. 6 db is never negligible at those low power levels. Jim Starr WA4QLB -------
andy@aids-unix (Andy Cromarty) (03/06/85)
You're right; in fact, the difference is often more than 6dB, since some duckies have negative gain. My comparison was an attempt to provide intuitive bounds on the expected performance loss of the TH-21AT given its lower-than-average power. In fact, I generally carry a 5/8 wave whip with me and swap antennas when the going gets rough, despite the bulk of a collapsed whip vs. a duckie. By the way, it's instructive to consider the cost-effectiveness of amps vs. antennas for most 2m work in the same light, while we're on the subject. In general, if you have a 2m linear feeding a tiny antenna you've probably wasted a lot of money. Not only do you get more dB of transmit gain per dollar invested from a good antenna, but you get the same gain improvement on receive, too. Linears may be good for one's self-image, but if what you're interested in is communication then there are usually some better alternatives that could be explored first. Andy N6JLJ