UHF choice.... opinions please?

[Pokey]

I've nearly always had a 6 dBi gain antenna and travel the remote beaches, dunes of NW/W Tassie and happy with the results. I'm also no expert !! but do believe it matters where it's mounted

[mudski]

Depends what you call high gain.

The Simpson is a significant amount of dune travel IE the vehicle is pointing at the moon or the dirt 50 metres in front therefore so is your antenna radiation lobe.

I would def not recommend anything higher than 6 dBi and 4.5 dBi would be close to ideal

8 or 9 dBi co-linears etc would be fairly problematic and cause comms issues unless you are both on top of a dune

Stupid question ET. Could you run both a hi and low or mid DB antenna together? So you got the best of both? I'm assuming not as if you could everyone would do it....

[the evil twin]

Stupid question ET. Could you run both a hi and low or mid DB antenna together? So you got the best of both? I'm assuming not as if you could everyone would do it....

The short answer is no, at least not to any advantage for what you are after... you would be more than halving your power for starters.

The long answer is you can deliberately run two antennas for an apparent gain but it is directional and very very specialised and is called co-phasing.
It is used to produce specific radiation patterns that would be terrible for a most 4WDers.

If the antennas aren't co-phased but still coupled the radiation patterns would be very unpredictable and vary with frequency versus distance apart if they are on the same plane.

[mudski]

Thought it wouldn't work. Just didn't know why...
Thanks.

[menace 2]

run 2 antennas....just use one of these ...instead of a triple , get a double one ...switch over when you want to..there is another connection on the other side that goes to the set

split.jpg

[megatexture]

Oo where is that one from ? I have 3 bases on my bar but only have a 2 way splitter

Here is a twin.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-POSITIO...-/190688386130

[menace 2]

Oo where is that one from ? I have 3 bases on my bar but only have a 2 way splitter

Here is a twin.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-POSITIO...-/190688386130

on ebay...I would post up the link but I don't know how to do that...the photo is from the item...I just copy and pasted it....I have the double also