Thunderpole Antennas - Trucker Center Load vs. Super Nova

Hello. After some difficulties with signing on to the new CT forum I'm finally back. Have been wondering for a while about the two mobile aerials I use on my car. Had owned the Trucker CL by Thunderpole for a while when I got curious about their Super Nova. Been trying the two alternately now for a while and can't really tell a massive difference, if any at all, on transmit and receive.
Was wondering about your experiences. By theory, I believe the Trucker should be better than the Super Nova because the straight bit on the bottom should provide some good radiation (current = field strength), whereas the Super Nova starts of with a coil from the mount (meaning more of a base load which is less current=weaker signal) and then another coil in the middle.
I'm slightly puzzled by Thunderpole's description where they indicate the performance of the aerials with a bar indicating the range in miles. They give the Trucker CL a 5 miles where they state 10 miles for the Super Nova.
In practice I did not notice a difference in transmit and receive between the two. Either one looks quite nice on my black Kia Sportage old model. Either one gives me a decent performance. So, putting all theory aside now. Who tried the two? Which one really is the better one?

Whilst there is some theory at  play here, essentially you have two antennas of equal length and the performance is as I would expect. If you're looking for meaningful improvement you'd need to go with a loaded 1/4 wave antenna at around six foot. Even then you may not notice much difference.

I've no actual experience of the two antennas you have but perhaps someone else here has.

73's Gary.

C.T. Admin.

When I first returned to radio a couple of years ago I had a Supernova antenna (which was recommended by Roy in Corsica who has had some great contacts using one) attached to a camera tripod and with an "artificial ground-plane". Although it was indoors and my QTH is only 160 Mtrs A.S.L. with hills all around me I could still get contacts about 15 - 20 miles away. It seems rather heavy and not very "bendy" for a mobile antenna but it certainly works well. I've no experience of the Trucker antenna so I can't comment on that.