Batboard

Hello members:
I have often wondered what others have experienced for lo band transmit range on a portable 6 watt radio in the 36 to 50 mhz band .
My experience wasnt all that impressive and left me rather unimpressed with the range i found.
Now ill admit i had used MT1000 portables and the rubber long antenae designed for low band use.
But i can not garantee the antenaes were cut to the exact freq that was in the radios and more than likely they were not .
Assuming all was cut and tuned to specs ect = What did you have for portable to portable transmit range no repeater invovled just radio to radio at 6 watts as portables ?
I found in town performance with flat terain with houses and many trees in full foilage and no big structures known in the path that the tx range was something like 3 miles .
Portables were on freq with 6 watt tx at that time .
What could you expect for performance on open water with many rock islands for tx range ?
Anyone have any experience with any of these conditions ?
Im not looking for the best you had one day but the normal day to day performance.
Thanx Satelite

My best was Vt, NH, Maine, New York, Mass, Conn, PA, Delaware, Oregon, Washington, Cal and Nevada from Northern AZ using the stock rubber duck at 6 watts on 52.525 but these were good band openings over a period of a several years of sparodic e cycles.

For regular daily use If the antenna is correctly cut and you are at least 6 feet away from any surrounding metal I have done repeaters 45 miles away up here in Oregon and 90 miles in Arizona ( taller mountains) and for simplex using simple base stations to the HT, about 5 miles in the city and 8 to 9 miles in rural terrain with some deep rolling hills in the way at both of my QTH's.

Now the 29.6 MHz model is more picky to surrounding metal, it likes to be clear for around a 10 foot radius but even here I have done 8 or 9 miles simplex when out in the clear to base stations using 1/4 or 1/2 wave verticals at not very high locations.

If your using the correct Motorola antenna it should be 6 1/4 inches long for 52.525 MHz and 11 1/2 inches for 29.6 MHz.

I also tuned my radios Power amp tuning cap and the L output network using a FS meter into each of my radios antennas.

Typical tx bandwidth was around 750 KHz for 6 meters and 400 for the 10 meter version before I measured a noticeable drop in the field strength reading.


Mike

Hello:
Thank you for the input of your experiences.
Im thinking that from your info provided that i more than likely got aprox the normal range within a couple miles then.
So with your 8 to 9 miles out in the open i was obiviuosly short on the tx range but still falls short of what i was looking for.
I was hoping for twice your mileage out in the open and it would appear im expecting too much for what they will do as the normal day to day .
So ill just have to sit back and say *&^%$#@ .
Thanx Satelite

Looks like you need to buy a pair of FRS radios so you can get 35-miles range.

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MR350R-3 ... B001UE6MJ8

(I hope my sarcasm was not lost on anyone)

Hello :
Yup laughed my butt off when i read that and i knew you were headed for the FRS 35 mile radios.
Actualy if you get 35 frs portables and space them out across 35 miles you could couldnt ya ?
I owe you a cold beer.
satelite