Chris,
Good show here, asking questions!
And, I need to be brief... So, I'll get right to work!
1) First off, we are assuming that the "net" you write of is on a specific repeater? (but, we aren't sure about that)
2) If it is a repeater, where is it located? And, most importantly, how high-up is its antenna? The number that is important here is HAAT (Height Above Average Terrain), height above sea level or height above the ground immediately below the repeater are not important....(just as example, a repeater on a 30' tower on top of the tallest hill for 100 miles is infinitely better than a repeater on top of a 500' tower in the bottom of a deep valley surrounded by 600' high hills, etc., etc..)
3) Is it closer to your home, or work? Which direction is it, when you're driving each way?
4) Have you tried this same drive over many days? Have you made sure that there weren't any local tropo-enhancement during your earlier drives with your previous antenna? {I wish to stress this point / question here...as, this past few weeks we've had some early morning and late afternoon temperature inversions here in Florida and the SE US....not everyday, mind you, but quite often enough that I've had distant VHF-hi-band Digital TV stations interfering with my local TV stations! And, if your previous antenna testing was done on those days, the tests of the "new" antenna cannot be accurately compared....now, maybe you've not encountered any enhancement, or you've already thought of this and accounted for it....so, forgive me if I'm bringing-up a red herring!}
5) You made no mention of what antenna you replaced? And, this would normally be my number one point....but, wanted to highlight a few other things here as well...
Nor, where / how it was mounted on your Accord? And, confirming that whatever antenna it was, wherever/however it was mounted/installed, you are using the same repeater / net as before? (also confirm, you were also using 50 watts with that antenna?)
6) And, as others have asked....where / how is this new antenna mounted? If you have a strong roof mount (not a mag mount!) on the roof of your Accord, then you're golden....but if it's on a bumper-mount you've got some issues with both the vehicle blocking part of the antenna as well as the significant skewing of the antenna's azimuthal pattern....if you have a "trunk-lip" mount, it's usually about halfway between these two install situations, but also remember that you must make sure you have a very good antenna base to vehicle contact (make sure you have very good contact, not on the paint but on the steel)...
Many times, we find a simple antenna on the roof center will outperform the "big boys", because of where the "big boys" are mounted/installed....just saying, even if all is done as best you can, sometimes having a smaller antenna on the car can be better!
7) FYI, the NR22L is two 5/8's waves (with a loaded 1/4-wave decoupling/stub, that should not radiate)....and it is a big bugger! (even bigger than the old "king" of 2m mobile antenna's the ole' Hustler 5/8's over a 1/4-wave colinear) As such when moving at highway speeds it WILL bend over....and, since it's elevation radiation-pattern is tighter than a single 5/8's and much tighter than a simple 1/4-wave whip, you will find yourself introducing a null in your pattern on the horizon while moving at speed, but having a better pattern on the horizon when stopped (or moving slowly)
This is one reason that these larger 2m antennas are mostly almost exclusively out in the country, on back roads, where speeds are lower....and, where the tight elevation pattern is accepted as the compromise needed to "get" to the distant stations (as opposed as to those in cities / suburban areas, where close obstructions rule the comms range)
Of course, the other reason is they are so big that most cannot mount them properly (center of their vehicle roof)... hi hi...
8 ) Finally a comment of the NR22L itself....make sure it is assembled properly and that the softer metals (brass?) isn't flexing too much and that it is making good contact all the time it is bending/flexing in the wind at highway speeds.
Okay, Chris, I have to go....hope this helps?
73,
John, KA4WJA
P.S. In regards to "crappy" repeaters....allow me to defend my fellow repeater owners....it's a friggin' thankless job! And, when a problem does come up way up on top of the tower it is a COSTLY and time-consuming adventure to arrange a crew, etc. to repair/replace antennas!
So, some times a repeater can have issues that "arm-chair" hams complain about, but there's not more than one in a thousand that will pony-up and take the reponsibility (and pay the $$$$) to be johnny-on-the-spot and keep it working 100%, 100% of the time!
Just saying, yes...yes, some repeaters are CRAPPY! But, some are also just waiting for the time and $$$$ to clean them up! So, please be kind.
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Topic: Need help with signal readability and strength after changing antenna vhf / uhf (Read 276 times)