Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | You're both right. You can have a 40' long antenna, but without a radio to push it, you won't be able to broadcast from the front of the boat to the back. But at the same time, you can have a handheld powered by a nuclear reactor and with it's 5" antenna won't be able to broadcast any further than a standard mounted radio with a 3' whip.
FM is line of sight, so a longer antenna can make a difference, but it's not a magic wand that'll let you transmit or recieve 300 miles. I kinda chuckle when I see guys with the huge fiberglass antennas (usually laying down) and then have a standard off the shelf radio installed. But being line of sight, a longer antenna is needed when wanting to communicate distances that a handheld can't even begin to reach, so in addition to my handheld, I have a mounted radio and a 3' whip and I can talk to Sector Detroit (downtown Detroit) from the St. Clair River. It depends on alot on the body of water you're on, the number of repeaters ashore and who you're wanting to talk to. If you're on most navigable water, there'll be repeaters to help you. If you're on LOTW, I doubt there many or any repeaters.
I say get the whip antenna. It's served me fine communicating and even getting involved in three off duty SAR cases and the occasional PAN-PAN. I relayed a cancel PAN-PAN from Tow Boat US to Sarnia CG radio just a few weeks ago. Basically I was talking to Lake Huron from the shipping channel in LSC...on a 3' whip and repeaters.
Edited by esoxfly 9/10/2012 8:06 AM
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