ARES Communications
- A Foundational Truth
Having the right equipment to get the message through is a key component of being successful in completing the circuit and communicating.

Observation
It is really amazing what you can do with 5 watts (nominal) from an HT…
- IF you have an Antenna with “gain” (e.g. Diamond X50A, Comet GP-3, JetStream JTB-3)
- IF you have a 20' mast for additional height above ground, and
- IF you have a LOW-LOSS 1/2" coax to feed it.

Wishful Thinking
However, it is equally amazing to see that there are some among us who blithely believe that the stock rubber duck antenna that came with their little HT is going to get the job done after a “Black Sky“ event .
- That is just wishful thinking.

Reality Check
VHF/UHF are “Line Of Sight” Frequencies
That little rubber duck antenna frequently won’t make the connection IN THE FIELD… even during “Blue Sky” drills/exercises/Public Service Events (PSEs).
- This is due to the “dummy load”(RF attenuating) nature of the rubber duck itself in conjunction with the Connecticut terrain that frequently shadows the operator.

Solve the Problem
- Use a better antenna (with gain),
- Add a 20' mast to get it UP it in the air,
- Feed it with a ½” low-loss coax suitable for VHF/UHF frequencies
(Hint: Not the 1/4" RG-8x coax)
- Use More Power
(with either: a 25w (+/-) amplifier, or a mobile radio capable of 20 – 50w)
- Use larger Power Supply (Battery, Generator)

One Example
Portable "20ft." mount (16' Extendable Mast / 3' Tripod) + Gain Antenna + 1/2" Low Loss Coax
ctaresregion2.org/forum/vhf-uhf-144-440-...-mast-tripod-antenna