Human body resistance/Height of signals above ground?

[Dave13]

My handhelds really recieve better when held, instead of "docked" on a table or in a Mobile cradle!
Anyone know just how much the Human body's resistance is figgured into the recieve of a HH Scanner? The HH is meant to be held, but...
Do the radio manufacturers take this into account when devising an antenna?
Kinda frustrating.
At what "general" height do UHF/VHF signals travel above ground? I seem to get my best reception holding the HH Reciever at about 4 1/2 ft above the ground.
I've used a fistfull of antenna types and models before posting this query.All seem to exhibit these general tendencys.

Dave 13

 

[Al42]

My handhelds really recieve better when held, instead of "docked" on a table or in a Mobile cradle!
Anyone know just how much the Human body's resistance is figgured into the recieve of a HH Scanner?

It's not - but the body forms a counterpoise for the antenna. Just wrap a quarter-wave long wire around the base of the antenna jack and lay it out horizontally and it'll work at least as well as your body if it's pointing in the right direction.

Do the radio manufacturers take this into account when devising an antenna?

If you design an antenna that needs a counterpoise (like the rubber duck supplied with scanners) it needs a counterpoise. There's no "taking into account". (I don't know of any manufacturer that supplies a scanner antenna that's 1/2 wave on all the bands it covers - or if that could even be done in the real world.)

At what "general" height do UHF/VHF signals travel above ground?

All heights. Where they're strongest is determined by the "takeoff angle" of the transmitting antenna.

I seem to get my best reception holding the HH Reciever at about 4 1/2 ft above the ground.

How high above ground the receive antenna works best has nothing to do with where the transmitting antenna is sending the signal. If the signal strength is the same from the ground to, say, 25 feet above the ground, you'll get best reception where the receiving antenna works best.

 

[Dave13]

AL,
Thanks for the help!
OK I understand the counterpoise concept, used it before with CB's.
My local elevation is 18ft above sea level
Local 2m/440 repeaters are at least 1800 ft within 60 miles, they come in GOOD. Local SO car to car (158MHZ) comes in like gangbusters up to 45 iles away, PD (460MHZ) too.No trouble with Air or Mariene Freq recieve either.
Just the Weather Frequencys that are so spotty?
I don't get that!
Kinda weird that a $49 FRS Radio with a 1" antenna beats-out meduim grade Scanners, even with "trick" aftermarket antennas!
Now, my Yaesu VX-2R ALWAYS gets the Weather Frequencys reguardless of time of day, or antenna type!
SO much for superior reciever circuts, eh?
Thanks again,

Dave13