GeorgeF wrote:
Great Lib Net 3950 wrote:

"GeorgeF" wrote in message
...


Then I must have a really crappy dipole ////snip////


Yup, I bet you do!
case closed


Sorry I asked a question about an ham radio antenna problem....I didn't
realize this was a CB radio group.

Hi George.

As a more usable answer for you, as opposed to some, the Isotron is a
member of a class of antennas that claim to put out a good signal,
despite having a very small size.

Another example of this sort of antenna is the Backpacker.

Pretty much what these antennas do is place a significant tuned circuit
at the end of your coax. The shield of the coax then acts as a radiator.

Does the antenna work? Despite what some say, it will work as long as
you have that length of coax doing the radiating.

So why the hand wringing and gnashing of teeth? Well, there are better
ways of getting a signal out - and safer ones - than having radiating
coax. In general coax is meant to take a signal from one place to
another, not serve as the launchpad for it! 8^)

One of the hazards of radiating coax is the possibility of RF getting
into places where you don't want it, such as the radio in general, the
audio signal you are transmitting, or your person. I got one rf burn,
and plan on no more!

Now the comparison to your dipole. When comparing the two, it is good
to know what the conditions were. Did you do a direct comparison, or was
it displaced by time? Also the frequency and distance can be important.
Were both DX? That radiating coax would likely be functioning as a
vertical, with a lower angle of radiation.

But in general, a decent dipole should outperform an Isotron. So I
suspect there might have been a problem with the dipole.

Hope this helps.

- Mike KB3EIA -