In terms of miles, how far away are some of the stations that you can normally monitor? I know it depends on power, freuency, antenna height, etc. Here in CT, there are towns that are 15 miles away that I cannot hear. With Florida being flat as a board, I would think someone in a central location and a high antenna can monitor most of the state.
How far can you hear?
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Sometimes I hear as far as Orlando area sometimes further south. I do hear GA sometimes far as W Virgina depends on weather and stuff. I live in FL
Depending on conditions, I can pull in Putnam Co. Fire/ EMS. I live in Santa Rosa Co.(a distance of over 300 miles !) One of my set ups, (living room) is a RS 2050 and RS 20-176 at 28 feet. What's interesting is that when I am able to pull them in, it's during the middle of the day. Under standard/ normal conditions I'm able to pull in about a 60 - 80 mile radius.
I also live in Santa Rosa County. On normal days I can hear 70 - 100 miles very clear. On most night when temps drop I can pick up VHF traffic over 100 miles away. During Tropospheric Ducting I have picked up signals 300 miles away. Most of my area is VHF/UHF.
The map shows what I can hear. The areas in blue show my normal listen range The areas in yellow reflect what I can hear during night time condictions. The areas in green and beyond depend on ducting condictions.
During my daily scanning, I monitor the areas in blue.
The map shows what I can hear. The areas in blue show my normal listen range The areas in yellow reflect what I can hear during night time condictions. The areas in green and beyond depend on ducting condictions.
During my daily scanning, I monitor the areas in blue.
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SkipSanders
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95% of your 'range' is antenna height, yours and theirs, for everyday situations. Maybe more than that.
square root of antenna height in feet= high reliability range in miles. May get up to double this. Add result for height of your antenna, and result for their antenna height.
So, typical scanner installation, antenna on roof, 25 foot. Range, 5-10 miles. Their antenna, typically if local city install, 50-100 feet. Add (for 100 feet), 10-20 miles. Total, 15-30 miles. However, many cities, counties, etc, set up repeaters or remote base on the highest possible locations, to include local hills/mountains. If the antenna is at 400 feet, that's 20-40 miles. 1000 feet, 31-62 miles. On a local mountain, at 2500 feet, 50-100 miles.
Now, some radio systems are deliberately designed to be 'local', and use low level antennas, and low power, sometimes with many sites, but none of them high level. Those, you may not hear more than 5-10 miles away at best.
If you have true line of sight, power barely matters. I've talked to a space shuttle 150 miles away with a 4 watt HT, telescopic antenna, no problem. (except them dealing with all the OTHER people on channel trying to talk to them, that is)
Your antenna, and your feedline (don't ever use RG58. Not ever) are your critical components. You may find you need to add an FM trap to your feedline to prevent your front end being overloaded, and losing sensitivity, with an outside antenna, though.
square root of antenna height in feet= high reliability range in miles. May get up to double this. Add result for height of your antenna, and result for their antenna height.
So, typical scanner installation, antenna on roof, 25 foot. Range, 5-10 miles. Their antenna, typically if local city install, 50-100 feet. Add (for 100 feet), 10-20 miles. Total, 15-30 miles. However, many cities, counties, etc, set up repeaters or remote base on the highest possible locations, to include local hills/mountains. If the antenna is at 400 feet, that's 20-40 miles. 1000 feet, 31-62 miles. On a local mountain, at 2500 feet, 50-100 miles.
Now, some radio systems are deliberately designed to be 'local', and use low level antennas, and low power, sometimes with many sites, but none of them high level. Those, you may not hear more than 5-10 miles away at best.
If you have true line of sight, power barely matters. I've talked to a space shuttle 150 miles away with a 4 watt HT, telescopic antenna, no problem. (except them dealing with all the OTHER people on channel trying to talk to them, that is)
Your antenna, and your feedline (don't ever use RG58. Not ever) are your critical components. You may find you need to add an FM trap to your feedline to prevent your front end being overloaded, and losing sensitivity, with an outside antenna, though.
Tonights one of those nights where I'm picking up distance systems. Right now I'm listening to Bay Saint Louis Fire Dispatch in Mississippi which is 147 miles direct line from me. On my BCT15, I'm getting 4 out of 5 bars on the meter.
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Don't forget how important it is to get over the treeline. Particularly above VHF, this is of
critical importance. You can see an amazing difference in the signals you can pick up by
simply raising your antenna above the treeline. You wouldn't think it makes that much of
a difference to go up an extra ten feet, but if it's the difference beween being over
the treeline or in the trees, it can be remarkable.
Elroy
critical importance. You can see an amazing difference in the signals you can pick up by
simply raising your antenna above the treeline. You wouldn't think it makes that much of
a difference to go up an extra ten feet, but if it's the difference beween being over
the treeline or in the trees, it can be remarkable.
Elroy
mkh
Member
I only listen listen to local PO/FD and haven't tried for distance.
However, I have worked a ham in Charleston SC on 2 meters. I was running 65 watts and I tripped his repeater which was on the U.S.S. Yorktown which is on permanent display in the Charleston Harbor. That is a distance of a little more than 200 miles according to Google Earth. There are no other repeaters between us using the frequency so I know it was me making the trip and not just repeaters talking.
However, I have worked a ham in Charleston SC on 2 meters. I was running 65 watts and I tripped his repeater which was on the U.S.S. Yorktown which is on permanent display in the Charleston Harbor. That is a distance of a little more than 200 miles according to Google Earth. There are no other repeaters between us using the frequency so I know it was me making the trip and not just repeaters talking.
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