Ian Jackson wrote:

As for short range mobile and portable communications, propagation
relies so much on 'bouncing off things' that it probably doesn't
matter. Circular is probably best, but vertical physically easier. I
can't imagine why anyone would want to use horizontal.
Cheers,
Ian.

In message , Scott
writes
I use a horizontal omnidirectional antenna for 2M in the truck while
working SSB. Most home-based 2M SSB stations run horizontal
polarization (at least here in the USA). I use it to help avoid the 20
dB or so loss that occurs from crossed polarization.



Same here in the UK. However, SSB is generally associated with longer
distance working (for lots of reasons), and folks tend to have larger
antennas then for local ragchews on FM (often through a repeater). If
you have a large antenna, it's physically easier to make it horizontal
(eg fewer problems with mounting it and avoiding the mast). If you
regularly work the SSB guys, you would certainly want to use horizontal
when mobile, especially as SSB is much less forgiving than FM is to the
deep and rapid flutter that is accentuated by cross-polarisation.
However, I think it's not so much a case of 'wanting' to use horizontal,
it's more like 'having' to.
Ian.
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