Just for fun... 83 miles

[WRHS218]

I live on the east side of a large valley at around 3300 feet elevation. There is a repeater on the west side of the valley at 4700 feet. I do not have a perfect line of sight. I had been hearing traffic on the  correct repeater frequency occasionaly but couldn't tell if it was on that specific repeater. At one point I had thrown a slim jim roll up j-pole in a tall oak tree and did open the repeater with a handheld. I spoke to someone that didn't know where they were or what repeater they were on.

Last week my daughter and her family were on the other side of the valley. I had asked my son-in-law to see if he could hit the repeater in question. He texted me that he could and that he was listening. I was able to talk to him on my 5w handheld but the signal wasn't very strong and reception was spotty at best. I threw the j-pole back up in the tree, 16' off the ground, and has a great signal. I am 83 miles from the repeater. Pretty good for GMRS.

Just a good reminder of what a few feet of elevation and a good antenna can do for you. I got my s-i-l and I each a roll up to carry when one of us goes up into the high country. 

 

The picture is the peanut gallery watching me throw a line into the tree.

[Borage257]

That’s awesome! Next time you go out, try taking a higher gain antenna like a yagi or coax collinear.

[WRUU653]

Outstanding! I love the support team there with you too. 

[kmcdonaugh]

A lot of people seem to underestimate what a better antenna with just a little bit of a higher gain can do for them. And of course just getting the antenna higher. Height is might. 

[Borage257]

1 hour ago, kmcdonaugh said:

A lot of people seem to underestimate what a better antenna with just a little bit of a higher gain can do for them. And of course just getting the antenna higher. Height is might. 

I went from a roll up jpole at 30 ft, that on days when conditions were optimal could get into repeaters 45miles away to a higher gain collinear that can get into the same repeaters with out problem when conditions are bad. 
 

Each antenna has its use. Some are better at filling space and some are better at pushing signal at greater ranges.

[dugcyn]

nice, no disrespect to suggestions but I would not change a thing. that is awsome for gmrs. fun stuff to push the envolope and win.

 

[Bugkiller]

Yeah, conditions have been crazy good lately.  I was listening last night on my wife’s mobile to an unfamiliar group, on a usually quiet channel.  Got home, turned on my HT, and heard them loud and clear in the house.  Caught a call sign, looked it up, and figured out it was a repeater about 90 miles away.  

So, what the heck, I went upstairs, hooked up my HT to a N9TAX roll up, and keyed up.   HELLO?   Hello!   I was hearing them, and was heard full quieting.   Chatted for about an hour, conditions shifted, and could not reach them.  Still heard them.  

That is unheard of in Florida.   We don’t even have mole hills to get any height advantage.  

 

[WRVX790]

Listening on my KG-935G 5W HT to GMRS repeater "Ranchino" which is 49 miles distant- I'm backed up to the Pacific ocean, but 150' higher than the rest of  the southern California coastal plane... almost line-of-sight. 

Sounds like a good group of guys yammering on about family, the weather and Jeeps. 

Perhaps once my 20W mobile is functional I might be able to reach that one from here.