This article explores the various elements of ham radio and how to cover much more distance without breaking the bank.
The effective ham radio range is the minimum distance over which you can communicate with other ham radio operators. This distance usually varies between 2 to 8 miles, although some handheld ham radios are more powerful and can cover much longer distances.
Please read on for the details.
How Far Can You Transmit With a Ham Radio?
If you have a ham radio license, you’re probably thinking about how to get the most out of it. Operational restrictions on radio frequency have been going through a period of rapid change, and the rules for radio operators have only gotten more restrictive in the past few years.
You can transmit anywhere between a quarter (0.4 km), half a mile (0.8 km), two miles (3.3 km), or 60-200 miles (97-322 km) with a ham radio. However, the transmission distance depends largely on your antenna’s distance above the ground, the terrain, and weather, among other factors.
Ham radio operators communicate on multiple frequencies ranging from 200kHz to over 1GHz.
There are many different types of electromagnetic waves used for communication, so the range of frequency determines how far you can communicate with other ham radio operators.
The FCC releases new rules that make it a whole lot more difficult to transmit freely every once in a while. If you’re a first-time ham operator planning to communicate anytime you get a chance, you’ll want to pay close attention to the guidelines.
8 Watt Ham Radio Range
Even a low-powered amateur radio station can transmit over long distances, and since 8 watts is a fairly powerful signal, it can be transmitted over a reasonably long distance.
You can get at least 5-10 miles (8-16 km) range with 8-watt ham radio. But, since power isn’t a major factor determining the maximum range you can get with ham radio, it’s easy to boost the strength of the signal with a longer antenna.
100W Ham Radio Range
Sometimes, even the smallest of ham radio stations can transmit long distances using a simple 100-watt transmitter.
Although transmitter power doesn’t have much to do with the range, like the height of the antenna, a 100W ham radio can reach up to 10 miles (16 km) or higher with the right weather conditions, no obstructions, and clear grounds.
Like other ham radios, you can quickly boost the efficiency with a longer vertical antenna.
How Far Can the Longest-Range Ham Radio Transmit?
For some kids that grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, ham radio was a way of life. Get on the air and talk to people over long distances. That’s the theory, at least. In practice, it can be a little different.
The longest-range ham radio can transmit up to 40-50 miles (64-80 km) or more in theory. In practice, this range is much shorter and can be affected by the type of electromagnetic wave being transmitted (UHF and VHF), obstacles, weather conditions, and the capabilities of the radio.
No matter what ham radio you’re using, the power supply delivers a certain voltage to the transmitter at a steady rate. This voltage will be regulated by an internal circuit so that it does not fluctuate with line power or other nearby circuitry.
The current running through your transmitter will be determined by how much you’ve turned up your output voltage.
To make things even more complicated, there are two different ways to express transmitter power, which include peak envelope power (PEP) and effective radiated power (ERP). Let’s strip all the technical jargon for the moment. Peak envelope power is the average power at the peak of a radio frequency waveform.
On the other hand, effective radiated power is a measure of the energy of a radio frequency.
That said, here are a few factors that affect the distance a ham radio, and pretty much all radios, can transmit:
- Obstacles: A radio wave is blocked by objects in its path, such as mountains and buildings. A mountain, hilly terrain, or other obstruction to the radio wave’s line of sight can block its path to a distance of several miles. In a city, a radio wave can be blocked by tall buildings. The higher the buildings, the farther they can block the radio waves.
- A ham station can also be affected by the terrain of the area where it’s located. A ham station in a valley might not be able to communicate with other stations located in other valleys.
- The distance at which a ham radio transmission is received also depends on atmospheric conditions. This will be greatest when the sky is clear and the weather is dry. It will be significantly reduced when the weather is cloudy or rainy.
- Antenna: The longer the antenna, the more range it can cover. In theory, an ordinary vertical antenna can transmit long distances of over 800 miles (1287 km) if the transmitter and the base station are at sea level. A whip antenna is more effective than a stubby antenna, although a stubby antenna is easier to use and more convenient when you want to put your radio in your pocket.
- The frequency at which the transmitter is operating. Ham radios rely on radio waves transmitted at certain frequencies from one ham radio to the receiver in another ham radio and back.
Higher frequencies travel with more energy but cover a much smaller distance.
On the other hand, lower frequencies require less energy to travel much longer distances. Ham radios use ultra-high frequencies and very high frequencies. If there are no obstructions, e.g., in an ocean environment, these frequencies will travel further.
The length of the antennas on large ships makes all the difference, as the longer and higher the antennae, the longer the range.
The most important thing to remember about transmitter output power is that you don’t have to worry about it unless you’re planning on making contact at a long distance or working in an area where signal strength and other conditions aren’t always predictable. When these conditions apply, you’ll need every watt your station and radio can deliver.
How To Increase Ham Radio Range
A ham radio’s range is very important no matter the distance. However, if your radio isn’t getting heard by the user on the other end, there are a few things you can do to boost the range.
Keep the Battery Fully Charged
A ham radio’s range drops as the battery charge gets depleted. This means that a battery with a low voltage will only cover a low range, while a fully charged battery will result in a wider range. To ensure that your ham radio always hits its maximum range, it’s important to keep its battery in check.
Go to a Higher Place
If you’re situated in a low-altitude area, your ham radio range is likely to be shorter. This is due to the presence of obstacles around you. Go to a higher place, such as at the top of a building, or set up your radio station on higher ground.
Use a Longer Antenna
Long antennas can significantly increase your ham radio range. A whip antenna will perform way better than a stubby type of antenna. An antenna’s length also matters as longer antennas give a longer range. If longer antennas aren’t an option, install your antenna as high as possible.
Use Repeaters
Repeaters are basically signal boosters. A repeater receives a weak ham radio signal and then amplifies to a stronger signal with a longer range. The repeater then resends the stronger and longer-range signal to the receiver.
Set Your Ham Radio to a High Power Mode
Some ham radios will have several power modes. Setting your ham radio to a higher power mode should boost its range. However, if your ham radio doesn’t have this range, then you won’t get the range you’re looking for.
Related Can Walkie-Talkies Talk to CB Radios?
Best Ham Radios
Since there are few limits on the power of the transmitters, it’s possible for a ham transmitter to be heard around the world. There are several ham radio operators that can be heard as far away as North America, Europe, and Asia.
The Upgrade Version TYT TH-UV8000D (available on Amazon.com) is a large-capacity handheld walkie-talkie built to perform across a 6 km range (3.7 miles). With its FM broadcast receiver and 25 separate memory channels, the TYT TH-UV8000D can handle long distances on the go.
Its large 3600mAh battery means you can stay connected for hours.
But perhaps you want something a little more user-friendly. The BaoFeng BF-F8HP (available on Amazon.com) is a powerful 8-watt dual-band radio that can handle whatever terrain you throw at it. Its large 2100mAh battery might not match up to higher-end ham radios, but at least you get 18-24 hours of talk on a single charge.
Long Range Ham Radio Antenna
Full-size ham radio antennas are available in two basic types: vertical and horizontal.
A vertical antenna is a long, thin wire or pole mounted on a mast to provide the station with maximum coverage. Some base stations use a horizontal antenna mounted at ground level.
In essence, these antennas are commonly used for medium-distance communications.
The longer or higher your antenna is from the ground, the better it will perform as a long-range antenna. It’s not necessary for your antenna to be as tall as you are. If you sit on a roof with a height of 3’ (1 m) above the ground, your transmission could reach 2-3 miles (3-5 km), assuming that no objects are in its “line of sight.”
Long-Range Antenna Construction
Sometimes, the best way to boost your radio’s range is by constructing or positioning the antenna on your own. Here are the two most important factors to keep in mind.
The Ideal Location
The first thing that needs to be done when building a long-range antenna is to choose a location for it. It’s not necessary for your station’s location to be optimal, but it should be within a reasonable distance of where you will transmit on UHF and VHF up to 30-40 miles or so (48-64 km).
If you live in a city, it may not be possible for you to get adequate coverage from all the buildings.
Besides, interference from other stations could cripple your radio’s performance. In such cases, you may have to relocate your station further away from other stations or towers.
Ideal Materials
The next step in constructing the antenna is selecting materials that will serve as antenna components and withstand their respective loads without failing.
The main support structure must consist of metal rods that can withstand the weight of the antenna without bending under the forces exerted on it. It’s important to choose a material of sufficient size and strength to hold up to the transmission frequency and power levels.
The type of material used for support should be chosen based on its ability to withstand repeated flexing under a given load and its ability to resist corrosion from moisture. Some common materials for support include steel, aluminum, PVC, aluminum-clad steel pipe, or galvanized steel tubing.
The type of metal used should also be selected according to its length and diameter. If you’re using metal rods that are too long, they will not be able to support the weight of your antenna’s components because they’ll sag under their own weight.
If you’re using too small rods, they’ll not have enough mass to resist sagging too much under their own weight and may cause your entire antenna structure to collapse.
Metal rods must also be straightforward for them to transmit signals and withstand the height.
Conclusion
The effectiveness of a ham range radio depends on the height of the antenna above the ground and obstacles in the line of sight. However, if you still can’t get an audible transmission from your favorite frequencies, you can always use a repeater or a longer antenna and see how that works.
For more, check out 7 Best Ways for a Man To Carry a Cell Phone.
Jim James is a published author and expert on the outdoors and survivalism. Through avid research and hands-on experience, he has gained expertise on a wide variety of topics. His time spent at college taught him to become really good at figuring out answers to common problems. Often through extensive trial and error, Jim has continued to learn and increase his knowledge of a vast array of topics related to firearms, hunting, fishing, medical topics, cooking, games/gaming, and other subjects too numerous to name.
Jim has been teaching people a wide variety of survivalism topics for over five years and has a lifetime of experience fishing, camping, general survivalism, and anything in nature. In fact, while growing up, he often spent more time on the water than on land! He has degrees in History, Anthropology, and Music from the University of Southern Mississippi. He extensively studied Southern History, nutrition, geopolitics, the Cold War, and nuclear policy strategies and safety as well as numerous other topics related to the content on survivalfreedom.com.