FrancisTLim wrote:yoladu wrote:Antenna length per se is not important but what is critical is that the antenna length must match the frequency wave length.
Ahh... Just to avoid misunderstanding, I am referring to the external visible stub length of the aerial on the set. Most (I hope) manufacturers try to have the actual wire length of the aerial to "match" (ie. electrically match) the frequency, but after that, they coil the length of the aerial wire into a short stub. This is to save space. Wire length is about 16cm for quarter-wave aerial at GMRS/FRS frequencies. Most GMRS/FRS sets I have seen have stubby aerials of lengths between 3cm to 7cm. If you cut open the rubber/plastic shell of the aerial of a GMRS/FRS set, you will see what I mean.
It is the external visible length of this rubber coated aerial of the GMRS/FRS set that I am referring to because that is what you can see when you buy the set. Generally speaking, the longer this aerial is, the better the range. I tested quite a number of sets when I was in the USA, and this proves to be true. Even the lower power sets with longer looking aerials give better range than the supposedly higher power sets with shorter looking aerials.
Good explanation. Maybe while still hunting for replacement set, I can get a longer antenna for my 8-miles set. At the least, that should boost its performance a little bit more.