Curley Q's

[scanmanmi]

I've seen some antennas with Curley Q's on them. Is that just psychological or does that help?

 

[W8RMH]

It definitely helps. Basically, it makes a short antenna resonant at its operating frequency.

 

[cmdrwill]

Curley Q's, think of them as loading or matching coils that make the two or more straight antenna parts work together. Also known as open coil antennas.

 

[prcguy]

Most curly Qs are found on stacked colinear vertical antennas as the 1/4 wavelength phasing (90 deg phase shift) between radiators. As an example you might find a half wave over a half wave or 5/8 over 5/8 wave and an air wound 1/4 wavelength coil in the middle to place the top antenna in phase with the bottom. There are a few antennas out there that are a simple loaded 1/4 wave vertical and the loading coil is an exposed curly Q but those are not as polular these days.
prcguy