antenna differences

[pluto1914]

We are looking at getting some new UHF portables and we are concerned with what antennas to get. We have the option to either get the UHF whip or the uhf stubby. Our radio system consists of a repeated frequency and three voter/polling stations located on the out skirts of town. Any suggestions?

[mancow]

Generally, the whip will give you better range.

[440roadrunner]

A general rule for antennas, assuming they are properly tuned, matched to the feedline, and other variables, is,.......

the bigger, the better

[HLA]

if you have multiple voters, you can get away with the stubbys. on uhf the stubby isn't a whole lot smaller than the whip, unlike vhf where it's half the size. which radios are you thinking of getting?

[AEC]

Stubbies or whips......It all depends on where the radios will be used, and under what circumstances...buildings, basements, street level..

What is the farthest point of use from where the main site is located?

Since you have voters, I suspect you have satellite links placed in good locations to cover spots the main site has difficulty with.

In a close-in usage(under 5 miles), I doubt you'd notice any difference with either antenna, only when you travel outside this 5 mile radius would you notice signal degradation due to the usually innefficient stubbies.

The(stubbies) do work well in localized, urban areas where repeater sites are on 'tall' structures, the stubbies radiate upward about as well as they radiate horizontally, but both would provide good service.

Your best bet is to field test the differences with both styles, with a drive test and make several calls to a fixed location, that should give you the best data, and far better than reading about it here.

I always say: Test it yourself, then you will know for sure.