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I live in an area where technically antennas are not permitted. I also do not have any high trees or a large enough lot for any type of wire antenna. After doing some research I plan to install a “Flagpole” antenna next year after the winter which is permitted. My question is can I use an ICOM IC-AH2B antenna along with the IC-AH4 Tuner as a temporary solution with an ICOM IC-7300 Transceiver? I do not plan to mount it on a vehicle but rather on a tripod. Do you see any problems with this approach? Or could you suggest another option. Any ideas would be appreciated.
As Ward Silver, N0AX, once wrote, “The best antenna is the one that is in the air.” Any antenna “WORKS” (WithOut Real Knowledge by K0BG). The Icom antenna will “work” and best with the tuner at its base. It is very inefficient and gets worse when going lower in frequency.
A ground rod could work as a base, but does NOT help with efficiency. It requires a counterpoise or radials to increase efficiency, possibly a challenge in your location due to permitting. You’ll need the same for the flagpole antenna which is more efficient only because it is taller. The more radials, especially if buried, the better. Little is gained beyond 32. Also, like the antenna, longer is better up to one-quarter wavelength at the lowest frequency used.
Neither antenna will be a good performer for NVIS work, up to a few hundred miles at 30m and below in frequency. Since you can’t install wire antennas, I won’t get into the NVIS myth of lowering antennas to make them work better.
You’ll find great, helpful information at K9YC.com and W8JI.com on antennas and more. You won’t find much useful help at places like QRZ.com and QTH.net.
Finally, the shorter and more shiny an antenna, the worse it will perform. If it comes in a small package and is easy to setup, it probably won’t be very efficient. But, like crows, hams like short (small) and shiny!
Anecdotes are useless. Comparisons made simultaneously with other antennas using WSPRLite are meaningful. I worked an Italian station on 20m SSB from NM with five Watts with a mobile screwdriver. I didn’t remove my dipoles after that!
However, a short and shiny antenna is better than a dummy load or not antenna!
73, Bill, K8TE
You might want to take a look at a Buddipole. It would be useful for operating portable as well.
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