The one and only radio thread

[Ditchplains1]

Fusco0520,
Yes you can mount it to the bedside. Yes you will lose some range. Yes it will work. In perfect conditions with out any interference from hills/buildings your range with a groundplane antenna on the roof would be upwards of 20 miles +/-. Mounting it on the bedside you would still be able to still get upwards of 15 miles in the same conditions. A 100 watt radio will reach further than a 50 watt radio. An antenna cut to 1/2 wave length will reach further than one cut to 1/4 wave length.
On a typical run you are usually within 1-2 miles of your fellow participants; as such the difference is moot. Going off by yourself in the Canadian Rockies the range becomes ever so much more important...

Eddie

 

[Fusco0520]

Fusco0520,
Yes you can mount it to the bedside. Yes you will lose some range. Yes it will work. In perfect conditions with out any interference from hills/buildings your range with a groundplane antenna on the roof would be upwards of 20 miles +/-. Mounting it on the bedside you would still be able to still get upwards of 15 miles in the same conditions. A 100 watt radio will reach further than a 50 watt radio. An antenna cut to 1/2 wave length will reach further than one cut to 1/4 wave length.
On a typical run you are usually within 1-2 miles of your fellow participants; as such the difference is moot. Going off by yourself in the Canadian Rockies the range becomes ever so much more important...

Eddie

Thank you so much for a reply. I been doing research about it a lot but never really got the answer I was needing. Dumb question but cut to 1/2 or 1/4 wave? That just mean 1/2 wave would be a longer antenna ?


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[Ditchplains1]

Fusco0520,
Yes.
The longer the antenna the greater your range. Depending on the frequency you will predominantly be using, there are charts for "tuning" your antenna.
I mainly use my radio in the MURS frequencies....
151.820
151.880
151.940
154.570
154.600
The Larsen antenna I bought for 1/2 wave came with a list of lengths to cut the antenna for best transmission at certain frequencies. I trimmed my antenna to 37.5" for best transmission in the middle of the above 5 frequencies. For even better range a full wave antenna length of 75" would have been optimum.
When driving with a group I usually use a 1/4 wave antenna of 18" to keep the antenna from being struck by low branches.
Keep in mind that using the above MURS frequencies the FCC stipulates you can only transmit at 2 watts. Legally sold radios that transmit with greater power have to be modified to transmit with full power on these frequencies. Usually the modification is simple; however once modified and transmitting with higher than legal wattage..25, 50, 75, 100 watts, you are breaking the FCC rules...

Eddie

https://www.ruggedradios.com/PDF/Antenna-Install-and-Tune.pdf

ps read through this thread there is a wealth of knowledge here!

 

[phydough]

Better yet, get licensed as an amateur radio operator (HAM) and have legal access to many more frequencies.

 

[Fusco0520]

Better yet, get licensed as an amateur radio operator (HAM) and have legal access to many more frequencies.

I’m going to do this. Now at the Texas raptor run can transmit to the group legally?


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[phydough]

Forgot to add the link......

ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air

---------- Post added at 03:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:38 PM ----------


By bedside, do you mean the outer skin or stake pocket?

 

[Ditchplains1]

Fusco0520,
TRR uses the MURS frequencies, as do SnoBall, Dirty Dozen, and many more group runs.

 

[BIGt0007]

Hey guys
A while back I had a great you tube vid to program freqs into my TYT9000D.
Can’t seam to find here.
Anybody have a link?
Thanks

 

[Booth9999]

Hey guys, beginner on the radio stuff so go easy. I’ve been reading and I absorbed some. This is what I am planning to run, ang comments or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I have the GJ Motorsport 3rd brake light kit for the antenna mount and am planning on running the Icom ID-5100a ID-5100A VHF/UHF Dual Band D-STAR Transceiver - Features - Icom America
Honestly I’m super lost in all this lol....

 

[Wilson]

why didn't we buy a channel as an frf group?