I've used several mobile HF antennas, they all 'worked' to some extent, some better than others (naturally). I've spent a lot of time on 80 meters and have found that the 'bigger' and 'uglier' the antenna the better it worked. 80 and 40 meters are the least 'efficient' bands as far as mobile antennas go, they just require 'large' antennas. Even then, the efficiency is down into the single digits, and the lower the frequency the lower those 'single digits' get. There's just no way around that. But, that doesn't mean that you can't do a lot of communicating HF mobile, you certainly can. And you don't need a lot of power either (it does help though).
For a lot of years the 'bugcatcher' antennas were the most efficient/best around. The distinction between a bugcatcher and the next in line isn't all that great anymore, but it's still there. So what's the 'runner-up' to that bugcatcher? A really big screwdriver antenna. The diameter of the loading coil really does make a difference. In a very general way, the fatter that coil and the longer the whip on top of it, the better it will do. There are limits to that though, so getting carried away with that fat coil thingy turns into a liability sort of quickly.
So what's best? Depends on the person using it and just what he wants to do. The biggy about the screwdriver antennas is that you don't have to stop and change coil taps. They are great for us lazy people, even us cheap ones.
Most of all of this is dealing with 80 meters. I've tried 160 meters and just gave up on it, too much antenna even for me.
- 'Doc
(Ain't got rid of my bugcatcher and don't plan to. Would sell my screwdriver, but only for more than what another one would cost. I think that's saying the same thing just in another way, huh?)
