Quad Helix

The Quad Helix antenna prefers to point straight up for best reception. Thus when you turn it on to get a fix you should hold it a little higher than you might with a patch antenna to be able to view the screen easily. It can go in your pocket and still see about 1/2 the sky. Like the patch unit this one likes to be as high on the body as possible but since it likes vertical it may do a better job in a pocket than the patch would. It also works well mounted to a bulkhead or attached to a pack frame. It would be hard to hide one of these units under your hat and it is a bit larger than most patch units.

Some units have a quad antenna mounted on a swivel. This permits turning the unit while the antenna can be oriented for best reception. The antenna can be folded next to the unit when not in use but it won't receive very well until it is extended. These kinds of units require a little more care since it is possible to break the antenna from its swivel mount.

Like the patch antenna units, just letting this type unit hang from a lanyard is not recommended although it is likely to do better than a patch would do while dangling.

Some people claim that the quad helix is better than the patch for reception but there is no reason why they should be. Generally the difference is based on the preferred carrying position of the user. Of course there are some units that may not be quite as sensitive as others but this is part of the design of the unit and not just a function of the antenna choice. A patch antenna may be slightly cheaper which can lead to its use on poorer units however external antennas that enhance performance are almost always patch antennas.