Richard Clark wrote:

The standard rubber duck and a quarterwave are going to have the same
failings: they both have the same response curve in space. Basically
they both are designed to work with transmitters located at right
angles to them. And if you stand in the conventional upright manner
of a biped, then those antennas are going to be vertical with the
favored direction lying along the horizon.

Richard,
Thanks for the advise. However, I thought 1/4 wave antennas were more
isotropic than 'most' other antennas... (see link below)

http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/Radio/dipole-height.gif

What am I missing?

Basically, all I'm trying to do is increase the sensitivity of my
handheld scanner for the 2m range.

Thanks,
Dave