psneeld
Guru
It's obvious to me that very close and far comms require different tools for the job.
The far or weak comms can use the highest db you can get.
Close comms don't need high db and too high can be a detriment..but I am talking yards, not miles....
I have used 9db antennas for assistance tow use and rarely had issues....usually only in about the same distance as I could shout. Now if the other boat had a 9 db antenna and we were within say 1/2 mile, transmissions occasionally had issues....overpowering may be the factor but I would just switch radios if the other boater complained.
To me, I would never have a cruising boat without both aboard. Not a 3db though, the 6 db is just fine .
A side note, because of bad installs on mast top 3 db antennas on sailboats, I think I had better luck with sailboats that had 6 db antennas on stern rails or radar arches/towers.
And a portable aboard is handy for many reasons.
The far or weak comms can use the highest db you can get.
Close comms don't need high db and too high can be a detriment..but I am talking yards, not miles....
I have used 9db antennas for assistance tow use and rarely had issues....usually only in about the same distance as I could shout. Now if the other boat had a 9 db antenna and we were within say 1/2 mile, transmissions occasionally had issues....overpowering may be the factor but I would just switch radios if the other boater complained.
To me, I would never have a cruising boat without both aboard. Not a 3db though, the 6 db is just fine .
A side note, because of bad installs on mast top 3 db antennas on sailboats, I think I had better luck with sailboats that had 6 db antennas on stern rails or radar arches/towers.
And a portable aboard is handy for many reasons.
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