Wednesday, Jan 02, 2013 at 23:04
Only can echo this comments. I have successful connection with 5W handheld with factory 15cm rubber duck for about 100km. Needs to be noted that I was sitting on Mt Magdala, so line of sight was excellent. Forget about all this gains - UHF very capable for long distance connection, but indeed require line of sight. In other words it utterly useless in hilly and forestry terrain, does not matter what antenna do you use.
Now explanation of this "gains". Spherical antenna will emit in all directions with the same effectiveness and if you chart a graph it will be sphere (surprise, surprise!). Rod (whip) one will emit more in horizontal plane then in vertical, so graph will look like doughnut. More gain one will emit even less vertically and more horizontally - heck, power still remains the same and for "gaining" in certain directions we will need to give up other ones. Consequences very simple - you will not be able to talk to people who on
hill while your vehicle on flat. Moreover if high gain antenna is fairly flexible, it will not work that
well on the move - particularity on rough road, because it will flex "bending" direction accordingly. So who would need those high gain antennas? Simple - truckies. They can put it high, they run on fairly flat ground and they will appreciate little more reach on flat road. For average 4WDer it will do more bad then good - put even simple piece of wire, it will be perfectly adequate.
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