Best Mobile Antenna in the 70's-80's

[Zman]

I can remember (vaguely) in about '72--'73 some people in the area (Ohio) had a mobile setup called a "ladder" or "stepladder" setup used on their cars. It consisted of an approx. 1" by 8" long square alum. bar stock with a drilled hole in the center bottom of one side to receive the coax, and on the top side at both ends, drilled to hold two 102" steel whips. There were plastic spacers going up the whips about a foot apart all the way to the top to keep them separated (hence the name). They were bumper mounted and had a line attached to one of the spacers going to the front lip of the trunk lid to hold them erect while driving. I don't know how well they tuned, but they claimed the receive and transmit was exceptional with them. I don't know if anyone else has ever heard of this, but they seemed to be pretty popular there at that time.

Yes! I know an OTer that gave me a 102" whip(the other was missing) and the spacer bar and a ball mount. He said it was the best mobile set up he ever used....

 

[The Bruce]

I just un-boxed an NOS Avanti Hippo that I bought a while back which made me think... I realize the 102" Whip is the best when it comes to mobile applications but...sitting that aside what other antennas of the 70-80's were considered good mobile antennas.

The laws of physics haven't changed since then -- just sayin'. If you're not mounting a quarter-wave on your roof, you're doing it wrong (a compromise antenna).