[KYHAM] KEN Training for Sept. 2: Getting the Most from Your Hand-Held Part 1

[Ron Dodson]

Getting the Most from Your Hand-Held Transceiver 
(First in a 3 Part Series)
�1998-2002 Virginia RACES, Inc. Nonprofit reproduction
permitted with source attribution By Ed Harris, KE4SKY,
Virginia RACES State Training Officer 

If repeaters are unavailable after a disaster and you are
limited to simplex operation, a portable transceiver with
its original flexible antenna is inadequate for emergency
communications.  

I started with a "handy-talkie" or "HT" when I first got my
ham license.  Today, as Virginia RACES training officer I
recommend that new operators buy 2-meter mobile
transceivers.  They cost no more than a portable.  Today's
equipment is compact, rugged and reliable.  For portable
operation, carry the mobile transceiver in a briefcase with
a 17ah-gel cell battery and telescoping 1/2 wave or
magnetic-mount mobile antenna. Include 25 feet or more of
coax to get the antenna up high, away from people.  This
arrangement may not work for everyone.  Therefore, if all
you have is a portable transceiver, the following will help
you to make the most of it!

An "HT" makes perfectly good sense for:

� Anyone who doesn't drive;
� Commuters who use public transportation;
� Controlling a mobile radio as a cross-band repeater;
� As a spare, backup or loaner. 

The National Institute of Science and Technology tested
Public Safety "high-band" VHF and amateur 2-meter antennas. 
Flexible antennas commonly used on portable transceivers
have  -5db negative gain compared to a quarter wave whip
held at face level.  This means that 5-watt portable VHF
with stock antenna has an effective radiated power of only
1-watt.  Placing the portable on your belt produces  -20db
of attenuation, reducing EIRP to 50 milliwatts!  UHF results
are no better...  

"Rubber ducky" antennas are rubber covered helical springs,
which are intended to withstand some rough handling, but
they are not indestructible.  Flexible antennas used on
California fire lines for several weeks showed a 60% failure
rate.  Flexible antennas should be replaced annually or as
soon as they show ANY apparent kinks, cracks, abrasion or
other wear to visual inspection.

An effective expedient to improve a flexible antenna is to
attach a counterpoise  (19.5" long for the 2-meter band, or
6.5" for the 70 cm band) of stranded wire, crimped and
soldered to a battery clip or ring terminal which will fit
over the antenna connector.   Reinforce the soldered
connection with heat shrink to resist flex.  When attached
to the outer collar of the BNC connector or the antenna
shield, the counterpoise prevents transmitted RF from
coupling with your body. This enables it to perform like a
center-fed dipole, instead of an "end-fed dummy load!"  The
main lobe of the radiation pattern can be "aimed" by,
grasping and pointing the end of the counterpoise in the
direction where you need a stronger signal.