On Tue, 06 Apr 2004 15:04:37 GMT, Jim Volstad wrote:
Curious how effective these antennas are in a portable/base environment?
Any users out there?

Jim: I have used many different mobile antennas. They work, like any
other antenna. You will make QSO's with them but they can never be very
efficient even though the screwdriver marketeers say they are the most
efficient mobile antennas. They will always be a very shortened vertical
- that still would require an excellent ground plane to work as a
portable/base antenna. They are also very cumbersome to "mount" and they
pick up a lot of QRN.

I got into QRP a few years ago. I tried to make QRP QSO's using my
Terlin Outbacker mobile antenna set up as a portable antenna with a
rigged up ground plane of 4 radials. I had a few QSO's but poor signal
reports (although I had very good success with my Outbacker in the car
with 100 watts). I then made a very simple multi-band tapped dipole
(W2CV Gusher) for my QRP portable operations and have never looked back.
Signal reports were way up, easier to erect, MUCH more efficient and a
hell of a lot cheaper!

In summary, if you already have the screwdriver go ahead and try it
portable. If you are going out to buy one to be a multi-purpose
mobile/portable/base antenna I would forget it and build yourself a good
dipole or inverted V instead!

Larry VE7EA







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