Rubber ducked dB gain?

[prowisscan]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what is the average dB gain of a stock rubber duckey antenna that comes in the box with a handheld scanner?

 

[kayn1n32008]

0dBd, or less.

 

[prcguy]

0dBd, or less.

Much less, probably around -6 to -10dBd on VHF and -2 to -6dBd on UHF.

 

[AF1UD]

Then there is the quality of the rubber duck. The Commercial ones are going to be much more efficient, and they should be for the cost.

 

[paulears]

On a scanner, you have to work out if the antenna is a simple straight piece of wire - so probably 0dB at the cut length, up in the UHF band. At all other frequencies, it's not remotely resonant, so is a bit of metal in the sky - in real terms prcguys figures are best case values. Could easily be -20dB on some bands. Better than no antenna, but not by a lot! Luckily many signals are still strong enough to survive all the losses.

 

[prowisscan]

Thanks for all replys. I am trying to find a good antenna for vhf through 800 for my handhelds. I live in an urban environment with heavy RF from nearby sources. The ducks work well but of course are limited in range. My favorite HT antenna is the Diamond RH77CA which is too much gain for my sensitive receive scanners. So I was looking for something slightly higher in gain than the duck but not too much like the above mentioned Diamond. Any thoughts.

 

[prcguy]

Thanks for all replys. I am trying to find a good antenna for vhf through 800 for my handhelds. I live in an urban environment with heavy RF from nearby sources. The ducks work well but of course are limited in range. My favorite HT antenna is the Diamond RH77CA which is too much gain for my sensitive receive scanners. So I was looking for something slightly higher in gain than the duck but not too much like the above mentioned Diamond. Any thoughts.

The RH77CA has no gain to speak of but it is a little more than a stock scanner duck.