jhs%Mitre-Bedford@d3unix.UUCP (03/05/85)
I have compared an ICOM "rubber duck" with a Larceny (? I think they make it) flexible quarter wave, and there was a distinct difference in favor of the flexible quarter wave. We tried the antennas on two identical IC2ATs sitting on a restaurant table and with all four combinations of antennas, radios, and positions on the table, to show up any differences due to power output, standing wave patterns, or whatever. On several marginal repeaters, the quarter wave always brought up the repeater but the duck always did not. The result was the same, incidentally, in all four test setups (antenna on radio A or B and in position 1 and position 2 on the table). Based on this test, I would recommend the flexible quarter wave as a better "standard" antenna than the duck. I have also compared rubber duck antennas with telescoping 5/8 waves, and found an ENORMOUS advantage to the 5/8. The ones I have used were the Vocom and the Tuned Antenna Co. 5/8 waves. They seemed to work about the same. In tests between a Larceny mag-mount "Kulrod" 5/8 wave, mounted in the center of a car roof and the telescoping 5/8 waves, I couldn't see much difference when bringing up distant repeaters. The Larceny 5/8 wave is widely regarded as "about the best" 5/8 wave implementation around. Note that the 5/8 wave antenna on a hand-held has a significant advantage over a 1/4 wave in that it is much less sensitive to ground planes. Therefore it is reasonable that a 5/8 wave on a hand-held should do nearly as well as an ideally mounted 5/8 wave over a decent ground plane. Note also that an ideal HALF WAVE should be even less sensitive to ground impedance and ground planes, because of its very high feed point impedance (assuming it is end fed). One source of a well-executed half wave HT antenna is Austin Custom Antennas of Sandown NH. (I can get his phone nr. but dont have it handy. Area code is 603, though.) This antenna should be excellent both for HT operation and for those "talk-in stations" you set up with a whip stuck on the back of your misappropriated mobile rig. As it is totally ground-independent, it should work happily on picnic tables or whatever. Its pattern should remain nearly ideal (this is characteristic of Dick Austin's antennas in my experience) in both HT and picnic table use. 73, John S., W3IKG