Hello Doug,

Thank you for your guidance. My call sign is KI5KFA. Will have to try getting onto the repeaters. 

It's good to see everyone's response.

Hello Timothy,

Thank you for your guidance. I purchased one this evening. 

Antenna gain and coax loss are absolutely factors in station performance but line of sight, dictated by antenna height (HAAT) will be the dominant factor in a given station's effective range.  No amount of power or antenna gain can manufacture range, only height can do that.  Yes, enough feedline loss could ultimately overcome signal strength and effective range.  But factoring typical system and path losses for a basic V/U FM station, you are far and away better off to have a high antenna with some feedline loss vs a low antenna with little feedline loss.  

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

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Well, Mark, I wonder about that.  According to https://kv5r.com/ham-radio/coax-loss-calculator/ , the loss in 100' of RG-8X coax at the upper end of the 70cm band (450MHz) is 8.281 dB if the SWR is 1.0:1, and increases to 8.455 dB if the SWR is 1.5:1. So with his 5 W HT connected to that coax, his output power is 0.743 W if SWR is 1.0:1, and only 0.714 W if SWR is 1.5:1. He loses 85 - 86% of his HT's power.

The specs for a Comet GP-3 base antenna show a 7.2 dBi gain on 70cm, and for a similar Diamond X50A a 7.2 dB gain on 70cm. So the gain from those base antennas does not make up for the coax loss (but if his HOA allows the antenna at significant height, he may improve his coverage nontheless).
https://cometantenna.com/amateur-radio/base-antennas/ba-dual-band/
https://diamondantenna.net/Product_Catalog/base_station.html

Mr. Moen might first try the inexpensive 34 - 37" HT antennaes, such as the Pryme AL-800 (5.6dB@440MHz) or the Diamond RH770 (5.5dB@430MHz).
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32687288231.html
https://www.amazon.com/SAM-Male-Transceiver-Telescopic-Antenna-Extendable/dp/B0753GK1NS/

Doug Schafer, AB7DG, Tacoma. WA

On Tue, Apr 26, 2022 at 06:18 PM, Doug - AB7DG - Tacoma WA wrote:

(3) I doubt that connecting your HT to a base station antenna would accomplish much...your HT's signal will be severely attenuated by the antenna's feed line unless you have a very short, or very expensive, feed line.

It would take an especially long, or especially lossy feedline to overcome the signal increase by putting an antenna in a better location (e.g. roof).  One can come up with a loss number that would negate installing a given antenna configuration but it's not likely that you would encounter this in any typical residential installation.  A unity gain or nominal gain antenna on the roof and say up to 100' of moderate loss line like 8X is still a very useful antenna installation for most FM operating, most certainly better than a rubber duck on the radio inside a house.  

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

(1) I suggest including your call sign in your posts, so readers can easily identify your location. Perhaps you're KI5KFA  in Willis, TX.
https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAmateur.jsp

(2) Unless you're communicating line-of-sight with another HT operator, your 5W HT needs to connect to a higher-power repeater that will repeat your signal to a much greater area, and will relay any responses to you. If you are KI5KFA, then there are 10 FM repeaters near Conroe, TX that you may be able to hit with your HT. Most likely, some of those repeaters will host regularly scheduled nets that you might be welcome to participate in.
https://repeaterbook.com/repeaters/location_search.php?state_id=48&type=city&loc=Conroe

(3) I doubt that connecting your HT to a base station antenna would accomplish much. Recognize that on the 2M and 70cm band frequencies, your HT's signal will be severely attenuated by the antenna's feed line unless you have a very short, or very expensive, feed line.  My first, and perfectly adequate, base antenna for my FT-991A (100W) was a $35 J-pole that I bought at a hamfest, but the 50-ft feed line to my rooftop mount was about $100.(Altelix AX600).

I have found the discone antenna because of its gain and wide frequency coverage.
73, Doc - K2PHD

Careful what you ask for there, HOA's are not your friend.  I've always gone the forgiveness is easier than permission route.  I have several groundplanes made from mobile whips and from a couple dozen feet a way you can't even see them.  A mobile whip has a pretty small profile and would be easy to mount most anywhere, so that could even be a final solution if that's all you could get away with. The Diamond/Comet colinears are decent antennas though, if you can put one of those on the roof you will be doing pretty well for basic FM simplex and repeater operation.  In terms of coverage (range) height trumps all, so if you have a choice of a "good" antenna mounted low or an "OK" antenna mounted high, take the higher one.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

Hello Mark,

Starting with a mobile antenna seems like a good approach, as I am waiting for a response from my HOA about putting up an antenna.

73

Hello Anthony,

Thank you for your guidance.

Looking into the Diamond V2000.

73

Albuquerque, NM

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