Mike Kaliski wrote:
"Tom Horne" wrote in message
news:Md4Zi.36$WN2.29@trnddc08...
Is it possible to ask questions here without triggering an arcane
debate about competing views of theory. I'm about to find out. I
asked earlier in another thread what measuring instruments I would
need to have the use of in order to compare the effective radiated
power of different antennas. As near as I can tell there was no answer.

I built a collinear J pole using copper tubing. I'd like to know if
it is more or less effective at radiating whatever works to the
stations I'd like to be able to talk to under conditions of emergency
operation then say a collinear ground plane or any other omni
directional antenna.

I would like to deploy the most effective practical antennas that
field testing can devise and not have to wait until the next
breakthrough in physics to be able to get my local governments Email
out to my county's government, the state government and the responding
relief forces.

My question, again, is what measuring instruments can be effectively
applied to the comparison to provide results that will be born out by
real world performance. I have to admit that I find the endless
theoretical debate wearying. As long as it continuous then the
newsgroup will be useless to newer licensees, like my self, who would
like to get some "patient council to the beginner" from those of you
who have been there and done that. Before I have to go there and do
that would be soon enough.
--
Tom Horne, W3TDH

Tom

Get together with some friends and have them drive out and assess your
signal under real life conditions. Make a day of it and all get together
in the evening for a social gathering and to compare notes. You really
need to know whether it works okay or not, not what the 'S' meter is
reading.

Mike G0ULI

Mike
I already own the J pole I mentioned and an Isopole for two meters. I
expect to have a third two meter omni to cover APRS, Packet, and voice.
I can see me throwing up each of these antennas in turn in a shopping
center parking lot on a Saturday night when all the cars are gone and
doing some measurements. I cannot see me rigging each in turn to the
eve brackets on my house while my victims, I er mean buddies or at least
they would be at first, cool their collective heals waiting for each
successive test. Then there is the possibility that we may need to
pre-install some sort of dual or mono band antenna at each of thirty
plus fire stations and you can see why we might want to know which of
the designs we can build or buy will put out the strongest signal. If I
test at my home I will know which antenna works here but I'm unlikely to
be called on to provide emergency communications from my home. I'd like
to find out in as objective way as possible which antenna has the best
chance in terms of power out to get the signal through in conditions
that cannot be known in advance.
--
Tom Horne
--
Tom