Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 11:09:27 -0700
From: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kenharker@kenharker.com>
wrote:
>To add FM, you'll at least want a different antenna for each band, as
>FM users are typically vertically polarized and not horizontally
polarized.
>Adding additional antennas either means putting up verticals (relatively
>lower gain) or taking up valuable mast space with vertically-polarized
>yagis.
During the last few contests, I've noticed something interesting on
222 MHz.
I have a 222 MHz FM rig that I use for QRP portable work...cheap,
light, compact...
I use a horizontally-polarized yagi antenna, since most of the
stations out there
will be horizontally polarized. So I live with the inefficiency of
FM but not the
polarization loss. I figure I work 90% of the locals that have 222
MHz, missing
a few that can't switch over to FM. I am sure I'd miss some distant
grids on 222 MHz
...if there are any :-) Sometimes we work on 223.5 MHz, sometimes
lower in the band to accomodate antenna tuning.
The funny part is that the general activity often shifts over to FM,
with even the serious
SSB stations working each other on FM.
73, Bob K0NR
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