Just open the bag and get on the air with this antenna quickly. It offers a lot of gain but being lightweight made from arrow shafts it can get busted but its a back pack portable antenna. I also have the solid aluminum rod versions that are perfect for base or field operations. No problem hitting repeaters with 100mw from hilltops. From the Skyloft Resort I could hit VE3TWR full quieting. I would figure gain to be 13db from the ARRL Handbook tables.