ORIGINAL: CGRetired
Not so. The length is completely dependent on frequency. 1/4 wavelength for the 72 MHz band is about 39 inches. 1/4 wavelength for the 50 MHz band is longer, 59 inches, and is even longer for the CB bands, around 27 MHz, which is around 102 inches.
Now, antennas may be cut in shorter lengths, but they are in the wavelenth for the frequency involved but increments of 1/8 wavelength.
I don't see what difference it makes on a receiver. I can understand on the transmitter, but the receive circuit could care less about wavelength. I can attatch a pair of vice grips to a 200 ft. piece of RG 8, throw it over the roof of my house and recieve just fine on my heathkit (HAM radio). I'd have to use a matching unit to transmit though. I replaced the antenna on a Futaba receiver a while back. It's 64" long and has been working fine (I fly almost every day). I needed the extra length to route it through the fuse, back up behind the canopy and to the vert stabilizer (for scale appearance). According to your above statement, it shouldn't even work since it's neither 1/4 wave nor 1/2 wavelength @ 72 MHz.