[VHFcontesting] Re: [Kenwood] HTs and metal siding

[Bill Gallagher WA3RA]

Effectively, you are living inside a faraday shield!

The easiest solution is a 'passive repeater'...the same trick we use at
work...


I use a pair of dual-band mobile antennas, but you could use a 1/4 wave
inside and something bigger outside...

Simply put a mag mount antenna inside the trailer, hanging from the roof. On
the outside, set up another antenna, then simply run coax from one antenna
to the other!

The trailer makes a great groundplane!

btw...the antennas that I use are the 'hershey's kiss' type, and all you
need is a bnc barrel connector to hook 'em up!

73!

Bill WA3RA




----- Original Message -----
From: "John Geiger" <johngeig at yahoo.com>
To: <icom at mailman.qth.net>; <yaesu at mailman.qth.net>;
<kenwood at mailman.qth.net>; <vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu>;
<vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 21:21
Subject: [Kenwood] HTs and metal siding


> I have lived in my present location for 2 years-a
> house with steel siding.  I am sure that others live
> in similar setups, with aluminum or steel siding, or
> in metal trailers.  I am wondering how bad the metal
> siding affects RF inside.  I wasn't too active on VHF
> FM for 10 years before moving here, but now have
> become much more active on the local repeater.  I seem
> to have more problems than anyone else does getting
> into the local repeaters with an HT.  There seems to
> be spots in the house where I can't get in with 5
> watts.  I have tried about every HT on the
> market-Kenwood, Yaesu, Icom, with varying results.
> Aftermarket antennas help to varying degrees also, but
> there are still problems.  I also notice a decent
> amount of fading at times on receiving the signals
> from the repeater.  I know that our local repeater
> isn't the greatest, but am wondering how much of the
> problem is due to my QTH.  And no, I won't move
> because I have an awesome house, and can't afford
> vinal siding at this time.
>
> Am I doomed to failure because of all of this steel?
> I notice some problems on receive also.  I am
> seriously considering going crossband repeat so I can
> use the outside antennas with my FT100D.  The HT is
> nice to be able to move around the house while QSOing,
> instead of being tied to one spot in the shack.
>
> I am interested in others' experiences in similar
> setups.  Would UHF work better or worse than 2 meters?
>  What else might help in such a situation?
>
> 73s John NE0P
>
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