Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
all directions.

That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.

Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
lunch :(.

I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
drives it up over 2:1.

It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).

Howard.

On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:

>I concur!
>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>
>

*Snip*

 

Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
all directions.

That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.

Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
lunch :(.

I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
drives it up over 2:1.

It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).

Howard.

On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:

>I concur!
>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>
>

*Snip*

 

Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
all directions.

That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.

Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
lunch :(.

I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
drives it up over 2:1.

It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).

Howard.

On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:

>I concur!
>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>
>

*Snip*

 

From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


Howard Eisenhauer wrote:
> Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
> i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
> all directions.
>
> That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.
>
> Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
> impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
> some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
> lunch :(.
>
> I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
> that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
> drives it up over 2:1.
>
> It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).
>
> Howard.
>
> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>I concur!
>>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>>
>>
>
>
> *Snip*

 

From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


Howard Eisenhauer wrote:
> Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
> i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
> all directions.
>
> That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.
>
> Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
> impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
> some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
> lunch :(.
>
> I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
> that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
> drives it up over 2:1.
>
> It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).
>
> Howard.
>
> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>I concur!
>>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>>
>>
>
>
> *Snip*

 

From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


Howard Eisenhauer wrote:
> Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
> i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
> all directions.
>
> That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.
>
> Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
> impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
> some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
> lunch :(.
>
> I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
> that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
> drives it up over 2:1.
>
> It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).
>
> Howard.
>
> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>I concur!
>>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>>
>>
>
>
> *Snip*

 

From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


Howard Eisenhauer wrote:
> Yeah, thats the problem for sure. To work properly the ground plane,
> i.e. Jeep, should extend 1/4 wavelength away from the antenna base in
> all directions.
>
> That would be one whacking big Jeep :>.
>
> Even at that you need a matching system (loading coil) to bring the
> impedance to 50 ohms, which will compromise the bandwidth & burn off
> some of the signal with resitive losses. There just ain't no free
> lunch :(.
>
> I've got a Lil'Wil stuck to the top of my Durango, tuned to something
> that isn't too indecent-, ~1.3-1@ ch. 20. Just opening one door
> drives it up over 2:1.
>
> It's a small miracle that the things work at all :).
>
> Howard.
>
> On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 16:00:52 -0400, FrankW <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>I concur!
>>What you describe is absolutely correct by my experience.
>>The real trick is to get the antenna to match the xmtrs' rated load
>>Typically 50 ohms unbalanced.
>>
>>
>
>
> *Snip*

 

The ones I have DO have a decent speaker, external antenna, among other
things. Check em out:

<http://www.popularwireless.com/gmrsradioshack211850.html>


FrankW wrote:

> From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
> Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
> while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
> for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
> from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
> to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
> Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
> FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
> they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


--
__________________________________________________ _________
tw

03 TJ Rubicon - Rubicon Express 4.5"
01 XJ Sport

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
-- Dave Barry

Pronunciation: 'jEp
Function: noun
Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80-inch wheelbase,
1/4-ton capacity, and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in
World War II.

(Please remove the OBVIOUS to reply by email)
__________________________________________________ _________

 

The ones I have DO have a decent speaker, external antenna, among other
things. Check em out:

<http://www.popularwireless.com/gmrsradioshack211850.html>


FrankW wrote:

> From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
> Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
> while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
> for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
> from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
> to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
> Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
> FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
> they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


--
__________________________________________________ _________
tw

03 TJ Rubicon - Rubicon Express 4.5"
01 XJ Sport

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
-- Dave Barry

Pronunciation: 'jEp
Function: noun
Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80-inch wheelbase,
1/4-ton capacity, and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in
World War II.

(Please remove the OBVIOUS to reply by email)
__________________________________________________ _________

 

The ones I have DO have a decent speaker, external antenna, among other
things. Check em out:

<http://www.popularwireless.com/gmrsradioshack211850.html>


FrankW wrote:

> From what I understand CB was the FCCs' biggest mistake
> Allocating the band for short range mobile communications
> while it's very good at skip almost makes it useless
> for intended purposes. The skip we pick up here in the north
> from the people in the south with the BIG boots makes it hard
> to hear buddy a couple miles away. Audioooooo Audioooooo.... sheesh
> Unfortunatly it was so, because of the technology of the time.
> FRS is much better suited for short range comms. To bad
> they don't make a radio with at least a decent speaker.


--
__________________________________________________ _________
tw

03 TJ Rubicon - Rubicon Express 4.5"
01 XJ Sport

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
-- Dave Barry

Pronunciation: 'jEp
Function: noun
Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80-inch wheelbase,
1/4-ton capacity, and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in
World War II.

(Please remove the OBVIOUS to reply by email)
__________________________________________________ _________