Today I finally got around to some rubber ducky performance testing in the wooded hills up here, recording a 401HH stock handheld with stock rubber ducky and a 5/8 MACO 5000 onto a 2995 DX, using two separate computers at home, with the 401HH on two plastic pales at "hip height" outside the cabin, and the MACO on the roof. Mobile was another stock 401HH handheld with regular rubber ducky, and a Cobra 29 LTD stock, barefoot, with a 102" whip on top of a 6" spring center of a 79 Continental (great ground plane) for a higher performance reference. Thus, both the home and mobile setup had two systems for dual reference. The mobile HT was always used outside the car, for full effect and no shielding.
The effect of height, obstacles, and the gain of the antennas was interesting. The 401HH at home, receiving the 401HH on foot, was either a full 5 reception at a quarter mile through the trees when the height was relatively even, and DOA when the elevation became even a slight issue. At all further distances, the two HT's could not connect, even when height was good, and wood terrain was at its best. Further tests with cleaner LOS to establish best case limits will have to be done in the future.
The interesting part was the fact that the receiving 401HH handheld at home was able to capture the Cobra 29LTD at a full 2 miles away with poor LOS and lots of woods to interfere, although at 2 miles it was a "4" quality reception. Indicating that HT to car rig performance has a LOT of potential in the current setup. Was honestly surprised with the compromise antenna working with the full quarter size the way it did.
The MACO and 2995 was expected to perform extremely well, and did better than I thought. All signals were "5" quality, all the way to two miles, and also challenge tests through extremely heavy woods at a mile away. Height is might, and the 2995's reception and audio processing is Grade S stuff, so not surprised. The test was limited to two miles, and I might have to drive further to see the final limit of "calling back home" through the woods. Final proof that CB HT's are fine for covering the property up here for use on the estate.
Still, if you have read the tl;dr and are still interested, is how come I can get a rubber ducky to work with a 108" mobile antenna up to 2 miles away, yet I hear all sorts of CB types on places like the Youtube acting like they climbed Mount Everest if their two mobile whips like the WIlson and others get out to three miles?
Is the 108" just that mighty? Are the compromise mid length CB antennas that poor performing? Low noise floor in the country? Great ground conductivity playing a role here in North Dakota? A combination of such things? Is there something I'm missing? When so many CBer's report such terrible results, and mine are exceeding their reports?
The effect of height, obstacles, and the gain of the antennas was interesting. The 401HH at home, receiving the 401HH on foot, was either a full 5 reception at a quarter mile through the trees when the height was relatively even, and DOA when the elevation became even a slight issue. At all further distances, the two HT's could not connect, even when height was good, and wood terrain was at its best. Further tests with cleaner LOS to establish best case limits will have to be done in the future.
The interesting part was the fact that the receiving 401HH handheld at home was able to capture the Cobra 29LTD at a full 2 miles away with poor LOS and lots of woods to interfere, although at 2 miles it was a "4" quality reception. Indicating that HT to car rig performance has a LOT of potential in the current setup. Was honestly surprised with the compromise antenna working with the full quarter size the way it did.
The MACO and 2995 was expected to perform extremely well, and did better than I thought. All signals were "5" quality, all the way to two miles, and also challenge tests through extremely heavy woods at a mile away. Height is might, and the 2995's reception and audio processing is Grade S stuff, so not surprised. The test was limited to two miles, and I might have to drive further to see the final limit of "calling back home" through the woods. Final proof that CB HT's are fine for covering the property up here for use on the estate.
Still, if you have read the tl;dr and are still interested, is how come I can get a rubber ducky to work with a 108" mobile antenna up to 2 miles away, yet I hear all sorts of CB types on places like the Youtube acting like they climbed Mount Everest if their two mobile whips like the WIlson and others get out to three miles?
Is the 108" just that mighty? Are the compromise mid length CB antennas that poor performing? Low noise floor in the country? Great ground conductivity playing a role here in North Dakota? A combination of such things? Is there something I'm missing? When so many CBer's report such terrible results, and mine are exceeding their reports?
