My antenna is on a 20ft mast. Would adding an additional 5ft help with receiving/transmitting?

[WSBV579]

I've got a 6ft steel fence post that I could add onto my telescopic 20ft antenna mast...it would basically add 5ft to the height, taking the top of the antenna from 23.5ft to 28.5ft.

Would adding 5ft even be worth it? I could spend $25 on a 10ft steel post, but I figured since I already have a 6ft section laying around, I should try that first. But would it really make much of a difference at all?

For reference, I can hit a repeater about 30 miles out, and simplex clearly out to about 12 miles and I start to get a bit of static after that, with no reception at all at about 18 miles. Compared to the area I'm in, my antenna is in a bit of a low spot.

[Guest]

What antenna are you using?   How many watts on the radio?  Your distance seams very close.  What are the surroundings.  Mine is 30’ to the tip and 60miles simplex is no problem at all with a 20w radio.  

[WSBV579]

2 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

What antenna are you using?   How many watts on the radio?  Your distance seams very close.  What are the surroundings.  Mine is 30’ to the tip and 60miles simplex is no problem at all with a 20w radio.  

I'm on a 25w Btech amateur radio, with a Tram 1477 antenna. I'm at 945ft in a hilly area, with immediate (2 mile radius) surrounding elevations varying from 900ft to 1100ish feet.

It's odd, because going east I can get close to 15 miles on simplex clearly, but going south, I can't even hit parts of town 3 miles away...but past that is the repeater I can hit. North I get about 9 miles clearly. West around 15 miles...but I could probably get further since it's pretty flat out that way, I just didn't try it past 15.

[Guest]

I’m not a fan of tram and if you can go higher I’d recommend a comet712efc but any height will help you out.   Is you coax of good quality?  How far is your run?   

[WSBV579]

I'm using a 50ft run of KMR400. I've got about 10 feet coiled, which is part of the reason why I was considering adding to my mast.

I'm still fairly new to GMRS, and don't have to fun money to buy a new antenna right now...also, I just recently got the Tram, and the wife wouldn't be happy if I got another antenna. But, I've got some Comets on my wish list for the future.

[Guest]

Sounds good. Well if you have the coax and the pipe just toss it all up and see how it goes.  Hope it works out. 

[WRYZ926]

I say go for it since you have plenty of coax and a 6 foot pipe already. An extra 5 feet might not make much difference or it could help out quite a bit. You won't know without trying.

[SteveShannon]

55 minutes ago, WSBV579 said:

I've got a 6ft steel fence post that I could add onto my telescopic 20ft antenna mast...it would basically add 5ft to the height, taking the top of the antenna from 23.5ft to 28.5ft.

Would adding 5ft even be worth it? I could spend $25 on a 10ft steel post, but I figured since I already have a 6ft section laying around, I should try that first. But would it really make much of a difference at all?

For reference, I can hit a repeater about 30 miles out, and simplex clearly out to about 12 miles and I start to get a bit of static after that, with no reception at all at about 18 miles. Compared to the area I'm in, my antenna is in a bit of a low spot.

For antennas the simple answer is always “Try it.” It might work. 

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, WSBV579 said:

I've got a 6ft steel fence post that I could add onto my telescopic 20ft antenna mast...it would basically add 5ft to the height, taking the top of the antenna from 23.5ft to 28.5ft.

Would adding 5ft even be worth it? I could spend $25 on a 10ft steel post, but I figured since I already have a 6ft section laying around, I should try that first. But would it really make much of a difference at all?

For reference, I can hit a repeater about 30 miles out, and simplex clearly out to about 12 miles and I start to get a bit of static after that, with no reception at all at about 18 miles. Compared to the area I'm in, my antenna is in a bit of a low spot.

You can plug the numbers into this on-line range calculator. It's just a "ruff" estimate and the real range maybe a bit more or less depending on the local terrain. At least you'll get an idea what to expect.

http://www.hamuniverse.com/lineofsightcalculator.html

[SvenMarbles]

Height is the main variable for improving your GMRS performance. The 5 feet could be just what gets you past a hump somewhere, or it could not matter at all, depending on said hump.. If you've got the coax coiled up, you might as well be up there the extra 5 feet.

[TDM827]

1 hour ago, SvenMarbles said:

Height is the main variable for improving your GMRS performance. The 5 feet could be just what gets you past a hump somewhere, or it could not matter at all, depending on said hump.. If you've got the coax coiled up, you might as well be up there the extra 5 feet.

Exactly, don't know until you try. You have the coax and the pipe, sounds like a good excuse to do some "testing."