On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 10:13:31 -0800, JJ wrote:

My vhf antenna is 62 ft off the water (top of mast) and I can reach 25
miles to another sailboat also with top of mast antenna in open ocean.

What you're actually "using" is the CG antenna ht and their repeater
network - not much dependent on your antenna ht as theirs.

It's a combination of both. But since their's is so much higher than
mine, it's the driving factor. However, VHF is not actually limited by
line of sight like UHF and above it. It does "curve" a little and you
can get further than line of sight distance. I just used one of the
line of sight calculators available on the web
http://www.vwlowen.demon.co.uk/java/horizon.htm and it says that for
my antenna hight of around 50' and the CG height of 300' the LOS
distance is only 35 miles. Even if you put a height of 500' for the
other antenna, that's only 42 miles. I *know* I can get further than
that because I do all the time.

Steve