"Firestik/Hustler stated that any normal antenna for the 11m band will require 9 sq ft of sheet metal as a counterpoise."
Sorry, just not true. Otherwise, I can't think of any CB antenna that has 9 square feet of that 'counterpoise'/'ground plane'. I'm not too sure there would be 9 square feet if you totaled the area of the whole antenna.
That NGP antenna does have another part to it, or it uses something as the 'counterpoise' or it's 'other half'. That part that's used is the feed line's outer shield. I figure that's just more 'advertising gimmick'. How you run that feed line will definitely have an affect on how the antenna works. There's nothing 'special' about it at all.
And if you have a choice between a 2 foot antenna and a 4 foot antenna, take the 4 footer! You can only miniaturize/shorten an antenna so much before it looses any value as an antenna. That 4 footer just barely qualifies, sort of.
Good luck.
- 'Doc
Sorry, just not true. Otherwise, I can't think of any CB antenna that has 9 square feet of that 'counterpoise'/'ground plane'. I'm not too sure there would be 9 square feet if you totaled the area of the whole antenna.
That NGP antenna does have another part to it, or it uses something as the 'counterpoise' or it's 'other half'. That part that's used is the feed line's outer shield. I figure that's just more 'advertising gimmick'. How you run that feed line will definitely have an affect on how the antenna works. There's nothing 'special' about it at all.
And if you have a choice between a 2 foot antenna and a 4 foot antenna, take the 4 footer! You can only miniaturize/shorten an antenna so much before it looses any value as an antenna. That 4 footer just barely qualifies, sort of.
Good luck.
- 'Doc
Of course, now I'm thinking of Walter White and Jesse going out to the desert for another cook. (Breaking Bad reference, thank you very much).