The rubber ducky antenna (or rubber duck aerial) is an electrically short monopole antenna, invented by Richard B. Johnson, that functions somewhat like a base-loaded whip antenna. It consists of a springy wire in the shape of a narrow helix, sealed in a rubber or plastic jacket to protect the antenna.[1] The rubber ducky antenna is a form of normal-mode helical antenna.
Electrically short antennas like the rubber ducky are used in portable handheld radio equipment at VHF and UHF frequencies in place of a quarter-wavelength whip antenna, which is inconveniently long and cumbersome at these frequencies.[2] Many years after its invention in 1958, the rubber ducky antenna became the antenna of choice for many portable radio devices, including walkie-talkies and other portable transceivers, scanners and other devices where safety and robustness take precedence over electromagnetic performance. The rubber ducky is quite flexible, making it more suitable for handheld operation, especially when worn on the belt, than earlier rigid telescoping antennas.
- ^ Johnson, Richard B. (2006). "Rubber Ducky Antenna". Abominable Firebug. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2011-04-06.. A note at the bottom of the page says this page is not copyrighted, and text from this page has been quoted verbatim in this article
- ^ Reed, Jeffrey Hugh (2002). Software Radio: A Modern Approach to Radio Engineering. Prentice Hall Professional. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-13-081158-5.