There is limited discussion on the installation and performance of Yagi antennas in situations where there is no outdoor mounting structure, specifically on forums. I am curious about the configuration of a 5W handheld transceiver plus a Yagi antenna, and how it performs for everyday communication, besides making long-distance contacts. Can this setup help to alleviate the problem of insufficient power that leads to "not being able to hear or make contact"?
Environment: Exterior window, no air conditioning unit outside, no clothes drying rack, no security windows, the small countertop outside has a thick insulating layer and cannot support weight.
Requirement: When it is winter or the weather is bad, and I cannot open the windows, my voice quality with Tonglian (Association repeater 438.450, Changping Association 439.250) reaches 4+.
Equipment: Handheld radio, maximum transmit power of 5W
Location: Outside Ring Road 5, Southeast of Beijing. Window faces north. 5-story building height. No high buildings within 30 meters that obstruct the view. Within visual range: 6-8 story residential buildings.
ANT: Diamond A430S10R2, approximately 1.5 meters long, single-element Yagi antenna with 10 elements.
Too long; didn't read conclusion:
- The outdoor performance is best; the gain effect (directivity) of the transmission is more noticeable than that of the receiver.
- The indoor performance is also very good, with better signal strength than the SG7900 antenna (5W successfully opened a long-distance repeater, with voice quality improved by approximately 3 levels to 4-4+)
- The radius of rotation is slightly more than half the total length of the antenna, resulting in greater freedom of movement outdoors.
- This diamond-tipped antenna is very lightweight, and it's easy to operate with one hand near the center of gravity. However, holding it by the tail end can be a bit difficult (the design has a short tail end, which makes it unsuitable for handheld use).
- Regarding communication effectiveness, the 40km-distant Changping repeater (around 1W power) had slightly choppy audio with 3 channels, while the 90km-distant Miyun repeater (around 5W power) had a clearer audio signal with 3-4 channels.
- Note: This Yagi antenna has a female connector (M type). The feedline at the antenna end typically also has a female connector, so you will need an MJ-MJ (dual M male) adapter.
- Note: A single-element Yagi antenna can receive frequencies from the VHF to UHF bands, and even aviation band, but its performance is slightly inferior to a dual-element GP antenna. **Do not transmit on frequencies that are not compatible.**
Regarding the deployment scheme:
Outdoor solution: Use an outdoor clothesline, with two galvanized pipes to ensure the antenna is vertical (the horizontal polarization and repeater are not aligned, resulting in poor performance).
Advantages: The outdoor signal quality is the best, although it's close to the building, the impact is minimal. This option offers the widest signal quality and coverage range among the three options.
Price: Two galvanized pipes (40+70cm, 17 yuan) + 3 double U-shaped cross pipe clips (4 yuan) + no-drill clothes drying rack (40 yuan), total 61.
Indoor Solution 1: Use a heavy-duty microphone stand with a crossbar to ensure the antenna is vertical.
Advantages: Includes a built-in crossbar and convenient, adjustable rotation; heavy base (5 kg) for stability and space saving.
Price: Char Shao Net "Golden Giant" Heavy-Duty Microphone Stand - 339 yuan (The horizontal bar is not very stable, and the lifting mechanism can exceed its limits and cannot be returned to its original position. Mine has broken, so I'm giving up on it.)
Indoor Solution 2: Use a photography tripod with the Buno GAC502PRO universal horizontal axis (without worrying about damaging the tripod, horizontal placement ensures the antenna is vertical).
Advantages: The camera tripod provides the best stability, with no shaking at all (although it takes up a lot of space), and professional photographers can use it without needing to purchase additional support equipment.
Price: Benu GAC502PRO universal horizontal axle, 158 yuan.
Existing Tripod: Manfrotto 055CXPRO4, SmallRig XB-2R Gimbal
The above are only personal test results based on subjective feelings, using radio field strength and spectrum analysis. We welcome feedback and sharing from those with instruments for more rigorous testing.
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