The "Just OK Mini" Antenna
Introducing the Just Okay Mini Antenna
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The ultra-portable 20 meter solution for portable, QRP, and parks-on-the-air operations.
We were vacationing in Florida in an airbnb with a balcony and really wanted to play radio. Unfortunately, there were no options for deploying one of our normal full sized antennas. That was when this ultra-portable "Just OK Mini" Antenna was born!
This antenna is a vertical antenna with a loaded base. It works by using an extendable whip that is just 7" when collapsed and extends to about 5' (1.2 meters). The loaded base allowing it to be used for the popular 20m band without a tuner, by resonating on 20m and matching to your radio. It has a built in ground connection so that you can use it with the many popular QRP radios that don't have easy ground connections. You can also mount it just about anywhere, as it also features a standard 1/4" tripod connector for connecting to any standard tripod or tons of mounting options from Amazon.
This is not a perfect efficient antenna. Actually, it is far from it. We call it the "Just OK Mini" because it is Just OK but gets the job done. We have a very similar antenna that is more rugged and goes on our truck. It is based on the same principles and we have had fantastic results with it – very similar to our hamstick. This might be a compromised antenna, but it allowed Becky to make a contact from almost 5k miles away in the Netherlands the last time we did a POTA.
This antenna was created by us, the HamRadioDuo, for the way that so many of us love to operate. It works with the popular affordable radios such as the QMX, QCX-mini, and G90, including the ones with no tuner and no easy ground connection. We love inexpensive gear and wanted something that would pair well on price also.
Why You’ll Love It
- Pocket‑Sized Portability
You can bring this with you anywhere and deploy without space requirements.. - Tripod‑Ready
Screw it onto any standard tripod mount—small tabletop tripods, rugged camera tripods, or even a simple ground‑spike base. There are tons of options on Amazon. - Built‑In Ground Connection
A dedicated ground lug makes it a breeze to attach the included 13 ft radial bundle. Perfect for radios without a chassis ground point (hello, QCX Mini!). No extra adapters needed. - Tuner‑Free Operation
Factory‑tuned to the lower portion of the 20 m band, you can be on‑air instantly. Want to slide up the band? Just shorten the whip a hair—no external tuner required.
Why You Might Not Love It
- Not very efficient
Like any of these types of antennas it is highly compromised. That means it will turn your QRP signal into extra-QRP. It may have a low SWR, which will make your radio happy, but that doesn't mean you are getting all the power out. - No tuner needed, but you'll want to use an analyzer
You'll want to bring an analyzer with you for a quick check and final tune by adjusting the whip before each use. The frequency where the SWR dips can change significantly based on the environment – how far it is from the ground, if you are near metal, and even how close you are. Also, compared to a full sized, efficient antenna, the useful bandwidth is very narrow, so you'll want to make sure the dip is where you want it.
Key Features
- Ultra‑compact design: 7 inches retracted, ~40 inches fully extended
- Tripod mount base: Standard ¼‑20 thread fits any camera or survey tripod
- Ground lug: Secure connection for included 13 ft radial set
- No‑tuner needed: Pre‑tuned to CW portion of 20 m; fine‑tune via whip length
- Lightweight: Weighs just 3.8oz—ideal for backpacking, biking, or minimal‑kit ops
Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 20 meter band (14.000 – 14.150 MHz) (factory‑tuned on the low end and use the whip length to fine tune) |
| Power | 5W (QRP) Built for QRP radios, but we've had no issues using it at 20W on a G90. |
| Size | Fits in your hand collapsed, use almost anywhere. 7" collapsed, 60" extended |
| Retracted Length | 7 inches (17.8 cm) |
| Weight | 3.8 oz (108 g) |
| Mounting Thread | ¼‑20 standard tripod thread |
| Radial Length | 13 ft (included) |
| Connector | Integrated grounding lug |