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Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna vs Half-wave dipole antenna

Diagram of a quarter-wave ground plane: vertical radiator and four radials drooping at 45 degrees Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna Specs and details Diagram of a half-wave dipole: two quarter-wave legs fed at the centre Half-wave dipole antenna Specs and details

Specifications side by side

Bands Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna 6m · 2m · 70cm Half-wave dipole antenna 80m · 40m · 20m · 15m · 10m
Gain Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna About 2 dBi (close to a dipole) Half-wave dipole antenna 2.15 dBi in free space (0 dBd)
Feed-point impedance Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna 36 Ω with horizontal radials; about 50 Ω with radials at 45° Half-wave dipole antenna About 73 Ω; 50–90 Ω depending on height
Polarization Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna Vertical Half-wave dipole antenna Horizontal
Radiation pattern Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna Omnidirectional in the horizontal plane Half-wave dipole antenna Bidirectional (figure-8); nearly omnidirectional when low
Front-to-back ratio Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna None (0 dB) Half-wave dipole antenna None (0 dB)
Bandwidth Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna The whole 2 m band with SWR below 1.5 Half-wave dipole antenna About 3–5% of frequency with SWR below 2
Approximate size Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna 2 m: radiator about 49 cm, radials about 52 cm Half-wave dipole antenna 40 m band: about 20 m long
Tuner needed Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna No Half-wave dipole antenna No (on its design band)
Build difficulty Quarter-wave ground plane (GP) antenna Easy Half-wave dipole antenna Easy

Highlighted rows differ.