The statement of "If you get 10 miles with a handheld you are doing well"
Is probably correct for receiving. Transmitting is below that range.
Where I sail we have repeater stations. When transmitting on channel 27
(used by the Coast Guard to transmit up river using repeater stations) we
are able to exceed the normal range. One interesting thing is, at times, we
(from Rothesay, New Brunswick) hear the US Coast Guard broadcasting from
South West Harbor, Maine. We can hear the May Day, PAM PAM and security
messages clear as a bell. The distance is about 150 miles. The only
explanation I can think of is that it could be caused by bouncing radio
waves. Or the fact that we can only received the May Day, Pam Pam and
security messages may be that the US Coast Guards are broadcasting on High
Power? What the you think.


"Don White" wrote in message
...
Netsock wrote:
On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 14:40:34 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:


On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 13:31:02 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:


*JimH* wrote:

I was told by my friend, an electrical engineer with NASA, that the CG
could
pick up the transmission on my 5w handheld most everywhere on Lake
Erie.

================================================ ==

Total BS. If you get 10 miles with a handheld you are doing well.


Well...it really depends on antenna height and gain. You certainly are
NOT going to get a 10 mile range on a rubber-duck antenna, but 5 VHF
watts on a high mounted, high gain antenna could do very well over
flat seas.

I also heard a few years ago, that the CG has solar powered, buoy
mounted, VHF repeaters throughout the US Great Lakes. I haven't seen
any documentation to prove this, but if that's the case, your NASA
buddy may be right.
__

"It's just about going fast...that's all..."

http://home.columbus.rr.com/ckg/

I know for a fact that you can 'receive' transmissions from a distance
with a handheld.
A couple of years ago I was sailing around the outer reaches of our
harbour when I started receiving transmissions from a Canadian Naval
ship directed to another ship. Nothing was within sight, but I could
clearly hear the navy insist that the boat stand down so they could
board for inspection and the other captain insisting that he couldn't
because the owner was somewhere in the states and the ship was a private
vessel...etc etc.
We lost the signal as we sailed back into the harbour for our home run.