The Rubber Duckie style is an Omni-directional antennas used where communications between devices are spread all over the place or when distances are small. High gain style antennas like Yagis and Flat Panels are used when distances are greater and communications are between two points or in the same general direction.
Since antennas pick up noise and other RF signals, Omni antennas receive the signal in from one device and also receive interference from a completely different device from a different direction. Flat Panel antennas are very directional receiving signal from a device in one direction and rejecting interference from a different direction. These high gain antennas have increased signal strength in one direction and increased signal rejection in all other directions.
![antennas.jpg](./download/file.php?id=23&sid=f286e0bbdd7f25827554a164e78db76e)
The above overhead view RF signal pattern graphics (antenna is in the center) illustrates how the Omni listens in all dIrections equally (red outlines) while the Flat Panel listens only to the right side of the graph and very little from other directions. All the receiving is concentrated in one direction. The same applies to transmissions. Omni antennas send signal in all directions while the Flat Panel antenna focus the same amount of RF power in a concentrated area. The RF signal goes farther with the Flat Panel because more power is aimed in that direction and little power is wasted in unwanted directions.