top of page

My pick for the top 8 commercial antennas for P.O.T.A. and S.O.T.A.

NOT SPONSORED - Antennas I have used, or own. I have ranked these by TYPE, if I were to list them as top overall I would have multiple of the same type antenna listed here. As 2025 draws to a close, QRP portable operations in Parks on the Air (POTA)  and Summits on the Air (SOTA)  remain incredibly popular. Activators continue to seek lightweight, efficient antennas that deliver reliable performance with low power. Based on activator reports, reviews from QRPer.com , Reddit

Why your Homebrew 5/8 wave antenna isn't working as designed.

A 5/8λ (five-eighths wavelength) antenna is very popular on GMRS (462–467 MHz) because it offers more gain than a 1/4λ or 1/2λ whip, especially when mounted high and in the clear. In the UHF band (GMRS is ~462 MHz), a 5/8λ vertical is roughly 15.5–16 inches long physically (not counting any loading coil at the base that some commercial designs use). Radiation Pattern Characteristics (Free-Space, Ideal 5/8λ over Perfect Ground Plane) Maximum gain : ≈ +3 to +3.5 dBi in free spa

I will return all contacts via HSHL and email.

Contact Information:

HamShack Hotline Number: 5691

Email: n4cly@live.com

Winlink: N4CLY

© 2023 by Train of Thoughts. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page