Fred W4JLE wrote:

1. Never eat at a place called Moms.
2. Never buy an antenna that has the word "Miracle" in the name or
description.

Other things to avoid pertaining to antennas:

"This new principal cannot be modeled in existing programs because of their
limitations"

Claims that a particular geometry has magical properties.

E/H CFA or some other alphabet soup descriptions coupled with any of the
above.

Things to be sceptical about:

Any antenna that touts take off angle and F/B ratio as primary features.

Low SWR from DC to Daylight

Any 1/4 wave virtical that needs no radials because of some wizzbang loading
system.

Special gadgets in the feedline that makes it become a radiating element.

This by no means the extent of things to watch out for. A real education is
to read the adds for CB antennas, then when the same claims are seen for a
ham antenna put the credit card back in your wallet.

P.T. Barnum should have sold antennas. His statement would then have been
"There is a sucker born every 30 seconds"

Regarding the miracle Whip antenna.

1. It isn't a miracle.

2. It does not work "great"

3. However, it gets a signal out within its abilities. A good operator
can work a lot of stations with one.

4. The folks who build and sell it are pretty honest about it's
performance. The only part I have an exception with is their performance
being rated in regards to SWR. But they put it right out there, so no
one can say the information wasn't available.


5. Do we really think that a person believes that the antenna is going
to be some kind of top performer? It's a niche antenna.

6. Is it better to have a modest setup, or no setup at all? Seems like
a nice way to have a quick setup and operating station in a hotel room
or while traveling. Maybe even for mountain topping.


- Mike KB3EIA -