Rat Tails and Counterpoise adapters for VHF Rubber Duck Antennas. Post #1283.


If you can't view this video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-JqK7w_1d8.

Are you disappointed in the performance of the stock "rubber duck" antenna that came as standard equipment on your HT?  You're not alone.  The "rubber duck" antenna is sometimes no better than a "dummy load", especially if you're trying to hit a distant repeater.

In this video from "Mountain Parameters", we learn about a quick and easy antenna attachment that will help improve the efficiency and range of your "rubber duck" HT antenna.  A simple, effective, and inexpensive improvement that can be made for any HT antenna is the creation of a "counterpoise" made from cheap, locally available components. This homemade "counterpoise" creates a virtual ground plane, by adding the "missing half" to your HT's antenna. This simple device is often called a "Rat Tail."  This wire attachment to the base of your HT's antenna will improve the efficiency of the antenna and permit better connections to repeaters or simplex stations.  If you enjoy hiking or camping, be sure to pack one of these "counterpoise" wires in your "go kit."  This simple attachment may make the difference between having a contact or losing one.

For the latest Amateur Radio news and information, please visit these websites:

http://www.HawaiiARRL.info.
https://oahuarrlnews.wordpress.com.
https://bigislandarrlnews.com.
http://www.arrl.org.
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news (a weekly podcast which is updated each Friday afternoon).
https://paper.li/kh6jrm/1430289353 (Amateur Radio News & Information).

Other sites of interest:

Hawaii Science Digest (https://paper.li/f-1476233615).
Hawaii Intelligence Digest (https://hawaiiintelligencedigest.com).
Hawaii Intelligence Daily (https://paper.li/f-1482109921).

Be sure to check the blog sidebars for more antenna and propagation articles.

Opinions expressed in this blog are mine unless otherwise stated.

Thanks for joining us today.

Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).

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Thank you for visiting my Amateur Radio Blog. I value your comments and suggestions. For Amateur Radio Antenna Topics and Discussions, stay here. For Amateur Radio News and Trends, please visit my news site at https://bigislandarrlnews.com.
Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).

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