This is an example of precisely why I utilize medium-gain repeater antennas over their high-gain cousins. In mobile FM service, the user will not see the difference. I save money, they are easier to install, don't have as much wind loading, hold up better mechanically, take up less tower real estate, fill in coverage better in the valleys and cause less "swishing" (signal fade) when the wind is blowing them all over the place.
Yet the mentality seems to be "I've got to run the highest gain antenna I can get and pump the most power into it as possible." Years ago an FM broadcast station near here had their 5KW transmitter go down. They quickly bypassed the PA and ran 10 watts. Grocery stores in a 40-mile radius subscribed to their SCA "store music." Not one of them experienced a problem - no complaints at all. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it ;-) Chuck WB2EDV ----- Original Message ----- From: "Neil McKie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 12:14 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Mobile Repeaters? > > > Larry, I agree with you on the coverage issue. > > My 2 meter repeater very near you, the PA deck quit several years > ago. Ran the repeater on the 400 mw output exciter until we got > the PA deck fixed. Like you, by the time the RF got to the antenna, > I'd be surprised if there was more than 100 mw. > > The users apparently never noticed the difference in power output > or they never said anything about it. > > 73, > > Neil - WA6KLA > > > "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" wrote: >> >> I have a 2-Watt MICOR UHF Ham Repeater (came from the factory in >> the 2-watt version) in service locally. The coverage is excellent. >> >> I've cooked a few 2-Meter PA decks over the years, and had to jumper >> around the PA deck to use just the 400 milliwatt exciter as the >> transmitter, while the PA deck was getting fixed. By the time it >> went through the three transmit cans of a 6-cavity duplexer, another >> pass can, all the jumpers, several hundred feet of old feedline, >> etc., I'd bet that there wasn't 100 milliwatts of power actually >> reaching the antenna. The coverage was excellent, only the people >> using mobile and portables behind some hills that were completely >> blocked seemed to notice that the Repeater wasn't up to its usual >> strong signal. This is on a very small hill, not some high >> mountaintop. >> >> If you have 10-20 watts for your repeater, you'll probably be >> surprised how well it works. >> >> LJ >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
