DylanMadigan
Member
I'm fairly new to radios, I know that the higher the gain on an antenna, the more the radiation pattern is horizontal and less vertical, but how much gain do I really want, and how much of an effect could it have on our signal quality?
I'm on GMRS, we have a repeater just above tree line (highest I can go without it being too expensive), and that has a +5db gain antenna on it. The repeater is running at 35 watts right now, and can go up to 50. The trucks can switch between 15 and 25, or 25 and 50 watts and so far they have a few cheap 4db antennas. Were in a suburban area with buildings every couple hundred to few hundred feet, and quite a few trees. Not too sure what else would need to be bought into consideration.
Most vehicles, I can put the antenna right on top in the middle, but there's a couple cars that have FD antennas there so I have to put the GMRS one on the trunks. Oddly enough, one of those cars seems to have better connection when the vehicle is pointing towards the repeater (from a distance), as opposed to away where the antenna would be less obstructed my the body of the vehicle.
I'm on GMRS, we have a repeater just above tree line (highest I can go without it being too expensive), and that has a +5db gain antenna on it. The repeater is running at 35 watts right now, and can go up to 50. The trucks can switch between 15 and 25, or 25 and 50 watts and so far they have a few cheap 4db antennas. Were in a suburban area with buildings every couple hundred to few hundred feet, and quite a few trees. Not too sure what else would need to be bought into consideration.
Most vehicles, I can put the antenna right on top in the middle, but there's a couple cars that have FD antennas there so I have to put the GMRS one on the trunks. Oddly enough, one of those cars seems to have better connection when the vehicle is pointing towards the repeater (from a distance), as opposed to away where the antenna would be less obstructed my the body of the vehicle.