I proposed augmenting the ruber ducky on my Apelco 510 handheld VHF for a Metz 3db bottom loaded 3' stainless whip (with internal ground) connected to the radio with 15 ft. of RG58. The predictions here ranged from "its worth a try" to "it will get worse." Limited test results are in. The test was line of sight across a harbor, from points approximately 50 ft. above the harbor. The receiver was situated approximately one mile away. The purpose was to see if there was a difference in signal strength. At 5w, both antennas were OK. At 1w, the ducky was fuzzy; the Metz was clear. The Metz at 1w was equivalent to the ducky at 5w. The Metz looks worthwhile for paddlers. Not only does it seem to give a stronger signal than the ducky, but -- if you need it -- you can strap it to a spare paddle, fishing pole or tent pole and get it way higher than the ducky. I wouldn't be surprised if you triple the range from 2 miles to 5 or 6. If you are in need of assistance, this increases the area you can reach by a factor of 9. Ken Cooperstein *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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