Posted: 10/19/2015 12:19:14 PM EDT
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I'm starting to get involved with the public-service end of this.... marathons, cancer walks, etc. Haven't yet needed anything more than the HT and an upgrade rubber duck, but want more capability just in case. So.......
I know that antennas, like speakers, have an upper power limit. Do they have a lower power limit? For instance, with, say, 50' of coax, could I use an X-50 or similar with a 4-watt HT? Would there be losses internal to the antenna? Or would I need a smaller/more efficient antenna? If I'm sent to a remote station, I'd like to be able to use the HT. I can stick a bunch of batteries into a bag instead of dealing with a full-size mobile and portable power supply. As far as height goes, I'm experimenting with using a collapsible mast, about 16' total height. |
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the N9TAX roll-up would be the simplest answer...http://www.n9tax.com/
this one, with BNC connector add a SMA to BNC Pigtail to connect to the radio |
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Quoted:
When your running low wattage (and when your not) watch your coax run. Shorter is better. You don't want to loose most of your signal in the coax before it gets to the antenna. I get this. I'm using 50' as a worst-case scenario, I can't imagine a circumstance with this where I'd need more than that. When it becomes a reality, it may only be 25'. Good coax should allow me about 1.5 dB loss per 100'. I know that I wouldn't get much out of a Marshall speaker stack if I plugged a pocket transistor radio into it, and I'm wondering if hooking an HT up to a large antenna would be analogous. |
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Quoted:
I get this. I'm using 50' as a worst-case scenario, I can't imagine a circumstance with this where I'd need more than that. When it becomes a reality, it may only be 25'. Good coax should allow me about 1.5 dB loss per 100'. I know that I wouldn't get much out of a Marshall speaker stack if I plugged a pocket transistor radio into it, and I'm wondering if hooking an HT up to a large antenna would be analogous. Quoted:
Quoted:
When your running low wattage (and when your not) watch your coax run. Shorter is better. You don't want to loose most of your signal in the coax before it gets to the antenna. I get this. I'm using 50' as a worst-case scenario, I can't imagine a circumstance with this where I'd need more than that. When it becomes a reality, it may only be 25'. Good coax should allow me about 1.5 dB loss per 100'. I know that I wouldn't get much out of a Marshall speaker stack if I plugged a pocket transistor radio into it, and I'm wondering if hooking an HT up to a large antenna would be analogous. Not really. An antenna with more gain will help radios large and small. 
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FWIW an antenna with lots of gain is not better for a Baofeng...I hooked up my Baofeng to a homemade 2-el yagi, and a station was coming in so strongly that it overloaded the receiver and I heard absolutely nothing. The other station said I was hitting him nice and strong, but I couldn't hear him. Just a heads up 
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Worked the TC marathon a few weeks ago and we had all sorts if issues.
In cases like this and if you can park a vehicle reasonably close by is to cross-band. The principal benefit of an HT is not being tied down with heavy batteries and fixed antennas. Running any sort of j-pole, dipole or similar essentially fixes you unless you carry a stick/pole that you can hang your antenna from. Bonus points if you hang a coon tail from the top of the pole 
Probably the easiest trick with HT's is to make a Tiger Tail. It'll improve your Tx and keep you fully mobile. Next best would be to cross-band. Beyond that, you might as well make an EMCOMM box and run 50w as your antenna will keep you from moving around. |
| OP, My shack antenna is an X50 at 45' with 110' of LMR600 coax. Every now an then I will hook up one of my handhelds, and all I can say is it really booms!!! The higher gain antenna, and the higher you get it, equals better performance no matter what the radio is. I'm always telling folks I know it's all about the antenna!! |
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Quoted:
I'm starting to get involved with the public-service end of this.... Outstanding: it's great training at first and practice as you do more. Lot of good info so far, I'll just add a few things to the pile: - Consider a 1/4 wave ground plane as your antenna. You can make your own for about $8 if you have to buy all the little hardware for the radials, less if you have some laying around or just direct solder. Seal up the center conductor and feed with quality coax. No matching network problems, RF on the feedline, easier to tune, omnidirectional pattern, all kinds of good qualities. - If you'll be hiking in, look in to the collapsible "Crappie Pole" fishing rods. If using a 1/4 wave ground plane, like above, attach or bend a loop in the top of your radiating wire and suspend with an insulating rope or fishing line. - On Coax: for short runs of field-deployable coax, consider LMR 240 Ultraflex. Low loss, very easy to work with, coils nicely, known quality. - On crossband repeating: I like to walk around at events, shadow the leaders, and find the answers to questions from net control myself. Crossbanding lets me do this with ease, especially if I'm alone. Just keep in mind, there's "dead time" at the beginning and end of a crossbanded transmission. Let Net Control know you're crossbanding (so they can coordinate local frequencies and wait after key-up before speaking) and give yourself some time after YOU key up before speaking. If your rigs allow for it, consider using CTCSS tones on transmit and receive of your local frequency to cut down on interference to the main net. |