Comparing Range of 70cm vs 2m Bands on Nagoya 666 Antennas with Yaesu VX3 & ICOM IC E90 Radios

Question

Recently, with a friend, I tested the range of Nagoya 666 antennas on Yaesu VX3 and ICOM IC E90 radios. I performed the test in a city in a heavily built-up area in Silesia. Both radios were outdoors. On the 2m band we could barely hear each other after about 1km, after changing the frequency to...

SP5ANJ · Answer

Hello.

Of course, frequencies around 150MHz are definitely better than frequencies around 450MHz.

Better means that with lower power you can achieve a greater connection range.

____________

However, I wonder about the question itself???
Which band is better, 70cm or 2m?

Because it's obvious.

I will ask - at what frequencies were the range tests performed? ??? :?:

Regards.

sexijan · Answer

tests performed at 144MHz and 430MHz

Adik · Answer

Mainly when it comes to the band, it's ok, but I don't think tests could have been done at these frequencies, and if they were, there's something wrong.

Moskit · Answer

I do not entirely agree with the previous speakers because the operation of the 70 cm and 2 m bands depends on the terrain. According to my knowledge, radios in the 2 m band work better in mountainous areas, i.e. hills, hills and built-up areas.\ (see uniformed services - they work in the 2m band), which means no matter how you look at it, it is the southern part of Poland. However, the 70 cm band will certainly perform better in open plains, i.e. central and northern Poland. If I'm wrong, please correct me

uważny_czytelnik · Answer

The 450 MHz band was chosen to create NMT mobile networks not by accident. In dense buildings it performs much better than 150 MHz (smaller QSB, better building penetration). The author's attempts confirmed this. Why couldn't these tests be done? What do you think is wrong with these frequencies (bands)? In large agglomerations (dense development), uniformed services have moved to 450 and 380 MHz. In even larger agglomerations, with even denser development, they use the 800 MHz band.

MariuszC · Answer

Friend sexijan, the test on duobander antennas was heavily distorted by different antenna gains for the 2m and 70cm bands (do not be guided by the single value of 2.15 dBi for this antenna). I would conservatively assume that in the 70 cm band the antennas worked three times more effectively. Hence the large disproportion in the ranges achieved. Any difference in the sensitivity of receivers on these bands also had some significance.
As for your question - I can answer from experience that in forested areas the range at 70 cm is several times smaller than at 2 m. That's why the Forest Service uses very low VHF. I don't have much experience with such comparisons in built-up areas, so I won't comment.
Regards
Mariusz

sexijan · Answer

Let me just remind you that the antenna is 23 cm long, the gain of this antenna is 2.15 dB, but it is probably different for both bands.

However, the test cannot be reliable because at the 144MHz frequency the antenna works as 1/8 wave and at 430MHz as 3/8 wave, which could result in better performance on the 70cm band.

I used the antenna calculator from this website:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaevcalc.html

tinek · Answer

Interesting topic. A program for calculating ranges was once described in the "Świat Radio" magazine (it was also discussed on the electrode). I did a simulation with this program. I chose a random point in Katowice and drew the ranges for 144Mhz in yellow and for 430Mhz in green. As you can see, on 144Mhz the range is greater. Please note that I have not fully explored this program and there may be errors in the calculations. This is probably due to the fact that at a lower frequency, Fresnel lines have a larger radius and overcome the curvature of the earth and terrain.
On the other hand, in urban areas, higher frequencies, as my colleagues have described, will be more effective, with better penetration and greater reflections.

sq6ade · Answer

At 2 meters it flies further, whether it's a city or a village - these are my observations after quite a long time of beating foam from the mobile. But for 70 it's looser and cheaper

Radiowiec 2 · Answer

Sexijan, take a look at the telecommunications manual. The model for the propagation of 430 MHz waves and similar is described there. Study the model of Okumura and Walfisah Ikegami. There is also the Bulington model. It is clear from this that: If you test on a 5/8 lambda monobander (for 145 MHz) at altitude transmitters in the base and on the car. Then the result will be reliable, otherwise it won't. Moreover, waves above 300 MHz propagate between buildings and in bunkers and mines as if through waveguides. And the penetration through concrete walls varies depending on the amount of iron in the walls. It's similar in the city. Regards ! )

Comparing Range of 70cm vs 2m Bands on Nagoya 666 Antennas with Yaesu VX3 & ICOM IC E90 Radios

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