An apparatus, system, and method manage a transmission antenna system by measuring an antenna performance indicator of an alternate antenna configuration during a reduced data rate transmission. After an antenna performance indicator is measured in a current (first) antenna system configuration, the antenna system is configured to an alternate (second) configuration during a reduced data rate transmission and the antenna performance indicator of the alternate (second) configuration is measured. The antenna performance indicators for both configurations are evaluated to determine the optimum antenna system configuration for transmission. If the alternate (second) configuration will result in decreased performance, the antenna system is changed back to the first antenna system configuration. Otherwise, the alternate (second) configuration is defined as the current configuration and the first antenna configuration is evaluated during reduced rate transmissions.