radio range increase???

[RADIOMAN015]

I would try an external antenna on your vehicle first.  I've used a 1/4 wave magnetic mount and attached to the old Vertex 150, with 5 watts output, and hit our CAP repeater 35 miles away, (scratchy a bit but it worked).   Also with my FT60 portable running 5 watts with the same antenna I'm fine to the club repeater about 19 miles away.

Again there's going to be "hot spots" with VHF FM/P25 that will allow access to the repeater.  Even as you get closer, there's going to be spots with no signals at at all.

Others are correct about the issue of using an external antenna with portable radio equipment under the new tech standards.  I would think that you do what you have to do in order to support ES operations.   Especially while mobile, inside a vehicle is terrible for the radio to operate range wise.  Base wise, I'm aware of CAP members  that use their personally owned CAP portables attached to base antennas (and also mobile antennas).   Gee it's only a 5 or 6 watts portable, the world isn't going to end as far as interfence is concerned -- which I highly doubt is an issue anyways.

As far as using booster to 50 watts, that could be very problematic because of the construction of the booster which might spur that signal somewhere else also.   So I wouldn't do that.

Generally the concept with portables anyways is for ground to air comm and not for mobile to base comms.  I'm sure your wing or squadron comm guy could give you a chart for your state showing the repeaters coverage, which is based on 50 watt mobile radios, using an outside mobile antenna.

RM     

[Eclipse]

Assuming you have an A-Cut, here you go: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=10738.0

As you are a cadet, whether your wing has any gear on the shelf or not is a moot point, however so is any independent ES function.


So while you can't be issued corporate equipment, you will also never be away from a team and therefore I have have no idea why
a radio of your own would be a priority.

If it is, your answer is above.

[cap235629]

Mass wing has some of the best comm resources, I even think all there repeaters are linked by microwave.  I think this is a case of "I want it cause it's kewl and I am spoiled and want my way and will make up any excuse to get my way"

[SarDragon]

No argument there - but not everyone on the hunt needs a radio, only one point person on each team (YMMV, of course).  Actually I could think of a few creative ways that having an open conference bridge with an earpiece would be infinitely more effective than simplex comms.

I may need to try that next mission.

Don't read into it, or make assumptions.

Let me elaborate. My vehicle, sans radio, with me and a UDF trainee who has neither a radio nor a BCUT. Second vehicle, radio equipped, with a rated UDFT member, and a UDF trainee. CAP Plane, two aircrew. IC at home with full comm assets.

I could talk to the IC and the other UDF team on the cell phone. Being unable to talk to the aircrew severely hampered the effort.

I live in a county with four times as much dirt as yours, and a lot higher percentage of rural area. An air search capability makes things a lot easier, especially when there are multiple targets. I think we ended up turning off six or seven of them on that mission.

Every operating unit (UDF/aircrew/IC) needs a radio.