Yes, there is. I have a fifth wheel camper I leave on a permanent site in the mountains. I've got a big VHF/UHF antenna and a 4-bay UHF bowtie array at 35' on one end of the camper, and a 5/8 wave ground plane at 20' on the other end of the camper. When I key up my 2 meter radio with anything more than 5 watts, the TV blanks out.

However, you might not have the problem I do if you have a strong HDTV signal. The TV signals at my camper are very weak across the board and is reflected from many angles due to the terrain.

Well, there is a repeater almost 90-100 miles from me that I can hit with 15 watts quite nicely. But it is at 7200 feet. If you have line of sight the high gain antenna doesn't matter as much because your signal wants to make it there and has only atmospheric attenuation to deal with.

Where I find the high gain antenna shines is when you don't have a direct line of sight and are relying on scatter. Then the gain and radiation pattern seem to really help. If you are really bored, look up Albion, Fort Bragg and Willits in CA. My QTH is in Albion. A quick glance at google earth shows that I have no line of sight with either of those towns. The GP-9 gets me into those towns when the J-POLE wouldn't. I'm sure the Tram would too. Mind you, the stations I can hit are also good stations with good gear or in good locations. It's not like I can talk to anyone on a HT in those areas, but still.

So the measure of a good 2M antenna isn't really about how far away you can hit a line of sight repeater but how good your overall penetration power is, IMHO. I get great coverage of my area.

As to weatherproofing I am a belt and suspenders kinda guy. While the GP-9 needs no weather proofing I do anyway. Most folks don't and they don't run into any problems. I just can't help myself.

As to your jpole it probably just needs to be re-tuned or has a short in the coax or something. They pretty much have to work if correctly connected and tuned. Always good to have back up antennas so don't throw it out.

Hopefully, you're going to be at the July 9, meet.
I have some kind of a ham-type transceiver that I got from the family of a silent key. I looks like a 10m unit. Yours FOC. :thmbsp:

I plan to be there Sunday.
I just got home from a week in the north woods this evening....It is hard to get internet up there for long enough to open the new posts here in tabs (especially with McDonalds blocking VK).

Thanks for digging it out for me, Dave! That sounds like it would be fun to get working.



I think I've found a way to test the TX function on the Midland (still need to get to it though). I remembered I have a Regency Z30 scanner that will receive 6, 10, and 2meters (plus some other stuff) in FM mode. I should be able to tune the midland on the Regency and confirm operation.

Congrats buddy!!!!!!! :)