A 5/8 wave base antenna has more gain than a 1/2 wave, as well as a lower TOA, and a straight 1/4 wave typically has more efficiency than a shortened center or top coil type.
The Merlin is a center-fed 1/2 wave with the top 1/4 wave shortened by using both a coil and a capacity hat.
The full 5/8 Shockwave should deliver a solid s-unit more performance over the merlin 55 in most real-world applications.
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