Chapter 3

Is a tall antenna more powerful than a short antenna?

No. In the frequencies used in cellular, 0 db gain or quarter wave antennas are very short, usually 4 inches and shorter and gain antennas are usually 8 inches or taller. It is a popular misconception that the bigger or taller the antenna the more powerful or better it is. This misconception may be rooted in the various antennas that we see around us, CB antennas, Police vehicle antennas, two way radio antennas etc. all seem to be quite tall. The length of antennas used in different types of communication is generally dictated by the frequency being used rather than the "power" of the antenna. Lower frequencies have longer wavelengths, therefore to achieve the same radiation pattern with the same energy, antenna length must be longer in low frequency communications than high frequency communications. For example: a quarter wave 0 dB gain antenna that is used for the cellular band should be approximately 3 1/2 inches in length and a 0 dB gain antenna that is used for a CB band should be over 100 inches in length. These two antennas will achieve the same range in their respective frequencies under the same conditions, but their length difference is substantial simply due to the frequency that each antenna is transmitting.