Don’t be confused—today’s featured product on OnAllBands has nothing to do with Donald and Daffy, two ducks who are, indeed, “toons,” but likely know little about “tuning.” In fact, an antenna in the hands of Donald would be about as useful as, say, a pair of pants.
What is useful to portable enthusiasts is DX Engineering’s DualDuck Portable HT/Mobile VHF/UHF Antenna Mount Kit.
This mount is designed for operators who need to quickly elevate their VHF/UHF handheld or mobile transceiver antennas for improved signal performance. By raising the antenna, users can significantly enhance both transmission and reception, making this mount an excellent choice for Field Day, camping trips, or emergency communications setups.
Rated to handle 20W of power, the DualDuck supports two identical “rubber duck” HT antennas, one acting as the radiator and the other as a counterpoise. Recommended options include the Comet SMA-24 dual-band whip. The mount’s center hole allows it to be placed over the top tapered section of fiberglass push-up masts, such as the DX Engineering Nomad Portable Telescopic Mast. The mount includes guy line holes for added stability if needed. A bottom-mounted BNC connector allows for your feedline attachment, and two SMA connectors let you mount the two rubber duck HT whip antennas. One right-angle SMA adapter is included for vertical antenna configurations.
Operators using mobile transceivers will need to select the appropriate coaxial cable and adapter for their setup. Compact and lightweight, all components of the DualDuck system can be easily stowed in a backpack for portable ops, mountain topping, temporary portable deployment, POTA, SOTA, and even search and rescue.
Please note that the SWR will vary greatly depending on the antennas selected and how they perform on 2M/70cm. Monoband antennas will perform better on a specified band (either VHF or UHF) than dual-band antennas, where one band may be compromised at the benefit of the other.
Check out these other products for portable ops available at DX Engineering:
- DX Engineering Low Power Portable Dipole and Winder Kits
- DX Engineering Low Power Feedline Choke
- DX Engineering Portable VHF/UHF Antenna Mount
- Spooltenna End-Fed Half Wave Portable Wire Antenna
- Alpha Antenna HF/VHF/UHF MagLoop EmComm Antenna
Watch DX Engineering’s Troy Blair, AC8OW, discuss some of the latest portable gear with DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR:
Find many options for portable and stealth antennas at DXEngineering.com.
