RD>> For a dual-band hand-held try a Diamond RH-77.
 RD>> The RH-77 is  a 1/4 wave on 2m and a 1/2 wave on 70cm.
 II> Excuse me?  If it's 1/4 wave for 2M, wouldn't it be 3/4 wave at 440?
 Nope.
 On 2m it is a 1/4 wave whip,and on 70cm it is a loaded 1/2 wave whip.
 The antenna is 20 inches long with a loading coil in the base.
 Blows most duckies I have away,even my home-brewed 1/4 wave 2m duck.
 The gain on 70cm is 2.1dB according to the paperwork it came with,but I have 
never bothered to measure it.
 RD>> I have used both at one time or another and they work very well and
 RD>> are  sometimes far better than the antenna that comes with the radio.
 II> Rule of thumb for antennas:  As long as it's resonant, the bigger the
 II> better.
 And know what is around you to help make that antenna work better if and 
hen
you need it.
 Large flat objects like tables,car-hoods,-trunks and -roofs can all be used 
as
a temporary `groundplanes' to help you get into the repeater from an HT.
 I have an antenna no bigger than the average human thumb that works great 
for close-in use on my HT, and have used tables,serviette dispensers,parts of 
cars and other vehicles to make parasitic groundlpanes to get that little 
tub
into many a repeater.
 Goofy as it may sound it does work.
--- GoldED 2.42.G1219
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