Simple Wire Antennas:

First of all, an explanation of why we feel antennas need to be classified. Nowadays in contests, DXing, and chasing awards, often a QRPer will feed his 5 watts transmitter output into a high gain antenna that boosts the 5 watts to a much higher ERP. In the case of an antenna with a gain of 13DB, the effective radiated power will be very close to 100 watts.

Let's state right now, we have no objection whatsoever against QRPers who use high gain antennas, just as we have no objections to hams who use QRO or other modes besides CW.

What we do object to is that virtually all ham clubs and organizations make no distinction at all between QRPers running close to 5 watts ERP and those QRPers running much higher ERP's from their high gain antennas. Thus the QRPer, who for one reason or other, uses minimal antennas stands no chance of competing in a contest at the same level as the QRPer with the high gain antennas. Also those QRPers who earn DXCC or other awards with their minimal antennas are lumped right in with the QRPer with the high gain antennas. We feel that is not fair either, as it was much more difficult to earn the award for the minimal antenna QRPer.

The NAQCC is going to address this matter by having contests with categories based on the type of antenna used. The minimal antenna QRPer will only compete against other minimal antenna QRPers, and the ham with the high gain antennas will only compete against others in the same situation. We heartily invite the QRPer with the high gain antennas to compete in our contests as long as they realize they will only be competing against others with similar high gain antennas.

Also the NAQCC is offering awards to those hams who make DXCC, WAS, WAC, etc. using minimal antennas since no other organization is doing so. We do not feel additional awards for QRPers using high gain antennas are necessary since the organizations issuing regular DXCC, WAS, WAC, etc. awards endorse them for QRP.

So we need to define what antennas belong in which category, and after much thought and research, a simple wire antenna by NAQCC standards is defined as follows: Any single element antenna that does not provide significant gain over a standard half-wave dipole.

Using that definition, most antennas fall clearly into one of two categories, either a simple wire antenna, or a high gain antenna. There are exceptions, and since we have no intention of creating more than two categories, there will be some controversy.

Let's mention the controversial antennas first. A loop antenna is a single element wire, however some loops are constructed in such a way that portions of that single wire may act as a driven element while other portions act as a reflector or director similar to a two-element beam. The gain of such a loop antenna can be as much as a few (5-6?) DB in a very well engineered loop to as little as 2 DB or less for most loop antennas in common use. Since most hams use loop antennas because of space considerations and other factors, and not because of their gain, and because actual gain is extremely difficult to measure without elaborate test equipment due to the almost infinite configurations of a loop, we have decided to allow the use of loop antennas as a 'simple wire antenna', even though in certain cases it will give the QRPer using one an advantage.

A single wire antenna that is significantly longer than a wavelength will also provide some gain. However, as in a loop antenna, that gain is not easily measurable. Hence any very long wire antennas are also considered simple wire antennas.

Another antenna that was brought to mind by Kevin, KI4DEF is the collinear array. Since the purpose of this antenna is to provide gain and it is a multi-element antenna, it is not a simple wire antenna at the frequency it was designed for. However it can also be used at lower frequencies with a transmatch and acts much like a simple dipole. Therefore we have decided to split collinear arrays into both categories as follows: If the array has an overall length of more than one half-wavelength at the operating frequency it is a gain antenna. Otherwise it can be counted as a simple wire antenna.

A misnomer is involved with a vertical antenna or in some cases a rotatable dipole since these are often made of aluminum tubing, not wire. However since they do not provide significant gain over a half-wave wire dipole, they are considered simple wire antennas nevertheless. In other words the material of which an antenna is made is not really a consideration.

With the controversial antennas explained, that leads now to a list of what the NAQCC considers simple wire antennas and high gain antennas.

Simple wire antennas:

- Dipole - horizontal, vertical, sloping, inverted vee, rotatable
- Long wire - any length or configuration including a closed loop.
- Random wire - any length or configuration including a closed loop
- Inverted L
- G5RV
- Windom
- Zepp - regular or extended
- Vertical - ground or ground-plane mounted
- Mobile whip - vehicle or home use
- Collinear array - length of one half-wavelength or less at operating frequency

High gain antennas:

Any antenna with more than one element such as a beam, quad, log periodic, phased dipoles, phased verticals, phased loops, etc.

If there is any other antenna type not clearly included in one of the above categories, then the following criteria apply. If you installed the antenna to increase the ERP of your QRP signal, then it is a gain antenna. That's pretty plain and simple.

Copied from the NAQCC website