“I can hear him. How come he can’t hear me?”
This is a common question among new hams. Most new hams start out operating on VHF or UHF frequencies. This means line-of sight in most cases. Assuming a majorities of new hams have a “handy-talkie”, a little radio of usually 5 watts, let’s take a look at some reasons why the person you are listening to on your new radio can’t hear you.
First, the other person may have a more powerful radio than you do. More power, more distance, up to a point.
Second, if you are talking on a simplex frequency, the other person may have a bigger antenna than you do. If you have not purchased a better antenna than the stock “rubber duckie” antenna that came with your new rig, it might be well worth looking into. Also, an outdoor antenna usually beats an indoor antenna.
If you are considering purchasing an outdoor antenna, there are two main kinds. The first is an omni-directional antenna. It radiates equally in all directions. The other kind of antenna is a directional antenna. It sends all or most of your signal in one direction only. It does not use any more power, but throws all or most of transmit power in one direction. A directional antenna will also receive a weaker signal in the direction it is pointed at, too.
Third, consider height. Since we are talking about line-of-site propagation, it should go without saying that higher is better. You might be in a lower elevation that the other station or the other station has a higher antenna than you do. Take that handy talkie with you the next time you go to the top of Stone Mountain!
Repeaters. Repeaters almost always have a high antenna, and they usually have more power. Hence, you might hear a repeater on your radio, but your signal might not make it to the repeater’s antenna.
In my situation, I live on the back of a hill. Hitting the repeaters in Lawrenceville and points north was not easy. I put an antenna up on a nearby tree, and what a difference it made. Yet even with a power amplifier, I cannot hit the North Fulton repeater from my location. Getting a better signal out is a continual process.
73,
David Harden
KJ4CMY