Bruce Array Antenna

The Bruce array is a vertically-polarized single-band curtain antenna. The primary

advantage of the Bruce array is a relatively low height requirement. With Bruce array
elements being only 1/4 wavelength tall, 3/8 wave tall supports will often provide adequate
overall height. Each element is fed by the wire in preceding elements, all connected in series.
With series-fed arrays on lower frequencies, current has to flow a considerable distance
through conductors, sometimes hundreds of feet. Because of this series current feeding,
system efficiency decreases with physically longer antenna lengths. This is particularly true
with higher RF resistance conductors, and with lossy earth close to conductors.
A four element Bruce array is a good compromise between gain, directionality and size.

The 5 element Bruce array has about 1 dB extra gain but also less forward/side-ratio
compared to the 4 element one. Its length is only 1/4 longer.

Bobtail Curtain Antenna

Bobtails are vertical arrays that look
like the letter "E" turned 90 clockwise onto its
tails. They have 3 quarter wave vertical
elements and are one wavelength long. The
Half Square is a shortened Bobtail- it has 2
quarter wave vertical elements and is a half wave long. The tops of the verticals are all
connected together by a wire or other conductor. The bottoms of the verticals are all insulated
from ground. Bobtails are fed from the bottom of the middle element. Half squares may be
fed at either end- it matters very little in the resulting pattern.
The horizontal pattern of a bobtail is a bidirectional figure 8 broadside to the plane of
the antenna. The two lobes are rather narrow- only about 50. It has a respectable gain of
about 5dB over a single vertical. The half square has a beamwidth of about 60 and a gain of
about 4dB. Apparent gain for DX (over single verticals or low horizontal antennas) will seem
to be greater. Both antennas have good side rejection that helps hear the DX better. The
bobtail has a cleaner pattern that better rejects close-in noise and signals (some of your
competition in the pileups.) The vertical angle of radiation is low, in the 20 to 30 range,
depending on the conductivity of the local earth.

Mobile and Maritime Antennas

Stubby Antenna

Rubber Ducky antenna or Rubber Duck aerial is an electrically short monopole

antenna that functions somewhat like a base-loaded whip antenna. It consists of a springy
wire in the shape of a narrow helix, sealed in a rubber or plastic jacket to protect the antenna.
Electrically short antennas like the rubber ducky are used in portable handheld radio
equipment at VHF and UHF frequencies in place of a quarter wavelength whip antenna,
which is inconveniently long and cumbersome at these frequencies. Many years after its
invention in 1958, the rubber ducky antenna became the antenna of choice for many
portable radio devices, including walkie-talkies and other portable transceivers, scanners and
other devices where safety and robustness take precedence over antenna capabilities.

Coaxial Whip Antenna

A whip antenna is an antenna consisting of a single straight flexible wire or rod. The
bottom end of the whip is connected to the radio receiver or transmitter. They are designed to
be flexible so that they won't break off, and the name is derived from their whip-like motion
when disturbed. Often whip antennas for portable radios are made of a series of interlocking
telescoping metal tubes, so they can be retracted when not in use. Longer ones made for
mounting on vehicles or structures are made of a flexible fiberglass rod surrounding a wire
core, and can be up to 35 ft (10 m) long. Whips are the most common type of monopole
antenna. These antennas are widely used for hand-held radios such as cell phones, cordless
phones, walkie-talkies, FM radios, boom boxes, Wifi enabled devices, and GPS receivers,
and also attached to vehicles as the antennas for car radios and two way radios for police, fire
and aircraft.

Radiation pattern - The whip antenna can be considered half of a dipole antenna, and
like a vertical dipole has an omnidirectional radiation pattern, radiating equal radio
power in all azimuthal directions (perpendicular to the antenna's axis), with the
radiated power falling off with elevation angle to zero on the antenna's axis. Whip
antennas 1/4 wavelength long or less (the most common type) have a single main
lobe, with field strength maximum in horizontal directions, falling monotonically to
zero on the axis.
Gain and radiation resistance - If mounted above a perfect ground plane, a quarterwave whip has a gain twice (3 dB greater than) that of a half wave dipole, or 5.19 dBi,
and a radiation resistance of 36.8 ohms.