Over the last week or so I have been away in Scotland, a nice retreat from the Football (which I have no interest in). I took with me the VX-3 that I got from the RSGB that I use very occasionally.
Apart from me using it just to listen in to local traffic whilst away from home I have rarely managed to use it in anger.
So first up is a new antenna, the short antenna that comes with the handheld is the usual small and 'not that great'. Add this to the QTH being in the lee of a pretty big hill means that I'll have to walk up to the top of the headland to get a signal out.
Which antenna? answers on a postcard......
I'd like to use it when I'm out and about up Dent and Lowther forest on my mountain bike so I'll have to think of a suitable way of carrying the thing and sorting out headphones / mic so that its not stuck in my back pack and hard to reach.
The rubber ducks that Yaesu supplies with its handhelds are usually not bad so you won't effect much of an improvement without going for something big. I use a 5/8 telescopic when up on the fells but not with a Yaesu - the little SMA connector won't take the strain. The answer might be a SOTA Beams MFD. It's a lightweight vertical dipole you can either strap to a support or stuff in your rucksack for added height, and connects to your radio using a flying cable.
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