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Whip Antenna

Vertical Antennas VHF Mobile

A flexible rod monopole used on vehicles and portable radios.

Band: HF to UHF
Gain: ~0-2 dBi
Polarization: Vertical

Photos

Real-world photo of a Whip Antenna in use — Real-world example. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0; F1jmm).

Radiation / wave patterns

New to these diagrams? How to read a radiation pattern →

Radiation pattern of the Whip Antenna — Mounted vertically on a vehicle/handset; omnidirectional around the horizon when seen from above.

How & why it works

A whip is a slender, often telescoping or flexible monopole that uses the vehicle body, device chassis, or a counterpoise as its ground. Its flexibility lets it survive motion and impacts while staying close to resonant length, and base or center loading coils let a physically short whip behave electrically like a full quarter-wave on lower bands. Performance depends heavily on the size and quality of the ground/counterpoise it works against.

Real-world uses

Vehicle-mounted radios, handheld transceivers, CB, and military man-pack sets.