Best Two-Way Radio Antennas of 2025

"I really like the ABBREE antenna. It's about ¼ wave length on 2 meters, which is great. I measured around 1.5:1 SWR on 2 meters and 1.2:1 SWR on the MURS band. Just a heads-up: measuring the SWR for a handheld vertical antenna can be tricky since the person holding it acts as the ground radial. However, I noticed a significant improvement over my NA-771 type antenna, and it's definitely worth the price. Just remember not to use it folded over; otherwise, a rubber-ducky might perform better. It's taller and performs better on UHF, which I appreciate."

"This antenna fits perfectly on my Baofeng UV5R and provides all the radio range I need. I love its foldable feature, making storage so easy. I would highly recommend it!"

"I'm absolutely impressed with this ABBREE antenna. At 18.8 inches, it's essentially the lightsaber of ham radio! The signal quality went from 'just static' to 'crystal clear voice from two counties away.' Its foldable design is super convenient for packing, and its versatility is unmatched. It feels like it could double as a fishing rod or even a self-defense tool! If you're serious about ham radio and don't mind the looks, this antenna is a must-have for clear signals and foldable convenience."

"I purchased this for my Boafeng UV-5G plus, and I noticed greatly improved clarity over the stock antenna while testing the weather alert channel and FM radio. There is a visible gap between the antenna and the radio’s receptacle, which could affect the weather resistance. However, the size and reception clarity definitely outweigh this concern, so I won’t deduct a star for its fair price."

"With my Baofeng UV5RA 144/440 radio, this antenna performs much better than the original short stubby. I was able to hit a distant 2m repeater from inside my house, which was impressive."

"This antenna significantly improved my transmission and reception on my GMRS handheld. I can reach a repeater 9 air miles away from my home, with hills in between. The stock antenna couldn’t do that. I highly recommend this product!"

"I use this antenna for my Allstar nodes and my walkie-talkies. The SWR is great (under 1.3:1) from 430 - 440 MHz. I bought a 4 pack for just $2.50 each. The performance is close to a full size rubber duck. My friends are also impressed. Note that these are NOT dual-band antennas and work specifically on certain frequencies."

"I bought a couple of these for my son and me to use on our woods patrols, and the range is about half a mile to 3/4 mile in open terrain. Perfect for keeping our communications discreet during our 'training' tasks."

"I paired this with a UV-5R for a pocket-friendly police scanner. While I can't comment on the transmission yet, I wouldn't expect much from an antenna that's smaller than a pinky finger."

"I built two hotspots, but the supplied antennas were subpar. The center pins would push in, leading to unreliable connections. After purchasing these replacements, I found they work like a charm. So far, I’ve only tested them on a hotspot."

"I was pleasantly surprised by how well these antennas performed on my VHF radios. They receive signals just as well as the standard rubber-ducky antennas. While transmission isn’t great due to size, they are perfect for monitoring and close communications."

"I chose this antenna for my Baofeng radio because it fits perfectly and has fantastic signal reception. The dual-band capability allows seamless switching between UHF and VHF. Its solid build quality and sleek design make it an excellent addition to my radio setup."

"I recently tried this antenna during a HAM NET check-in, and I was amazed at how well people could hear me using a UV-5R. The clarity was impressive!"

"I had to make a slight adjustment to fit this antenna on my Baofeng UV-17 Pro Max, but the performance is fantastic. I gained about 6 miles with obstacles and 15-20 miles line-of-sight! I would definitely buy this again!"

"This antenna is quite long when unfolded, but it folds up nicely for easier handling. The reception is significantly better than the original antenna!"

"These antennas have greatly improved my radios' reception compared to the stock antennas. They provide a great value for the price."

"I love the flexibility of this antenna; it allows me to move around without stress. It’s the perfect length for my needs!"

"While I initially enjoyed the performance, I noticed a decrease in reception with my Baofeng shortwave radio compared to the original antenna, but it's still not a bad item overall."

"I found the installation extremely easy and the antenna fit perfectly in place. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone in need."

"Originally, I bought this antenna for GMRS and MURS VHF use. After a bit of trimming, it performed well on both bands. The construction quality is top-notch, and I would certainly make this purchase again for amateur radio."

"I tested this short antenna and was pleased to see low SWR results across various channels. The base is heavy and well-sealed, ensuring durability. The only downside is some cosmetic pitting, but it doesn’t affect performance."

"I bought this for someone else, so I can't provide a long-term review. However, they were really pleased with its performance. I did test it on an antenna analyzer and found it has a low SWR not just in the UHF range but also around 150 MHz in VHF. While it’s not marketed as a dual-band antenna, it's a nice bonus. Just a heads up, this is an NMO-mount antenna, meaning it needs an NMO base to function, which is standard and widely available."

"I use this on my ranger for clear reception with my icon radio. The fit and clarity are simply amazing!"

"I bought one for my tractor with a magnet mount on the roll bar. It successfully reaches 5 out of 8 repeaters in my area! I also have another with a trunk mount NMO, and I can still connect with friends 80 miles away using the same antenna and repeaters. I had to trim a bit off the back to achieve an SWR of 1.1 on the trunk mount, specifically for the repeater channels. It’s a fantastic antenna!"

“I loved everything about this product! My antenna works great and fits my Beofeng Ham radio perfectly. It picks up better than the factory antenna. I would recommend it to anyone. It’s an awesome product that’s affordable and easy to install.”

“I thought I’d have better reception with this antenna, but I couldn’t get the weather station that well. However, after removing the rubber gasket from the contact between the antenna and radio, it now works much better.”

“These antennas work well, just a heads up to avoid accidentally keying both radios at the same time—it creates a crazy sound!”

“I usually look for shorter, high-performance antennas for my HT radios. I was pleasantly surprised by the Tidradio TD-805S, which matched or exceeded the performance of my Smiley antennas, especially on the GMRS band. Plus, it’s about half the price!”

“This little stubby antenna fits perfectly on my Tidradio and works with other models like the UV-5R family. It’s ideal for communication at short distances, like at a campground. It offers privacy by keeping my signal from traveling too far, and I appreciate how easy it is to store in my pocket.”

“I bought this antenna to enhance the performance over the stock rubber duck. It definitely provides clearer reception and better transmission. The VSWR improvement is noticeable, and I could see about a 25% increase in range during my testing.”