Today I made a few simple experiments on 23cm with a local radio amateur, OZ2KC, Kent.
Just a simple transmit and receive test with a handheld radio, first in the house here. Nothing heard.
Then a walk in the park ... er ... garden, still nothing with the rubber antenna on the handheld.
Then finding the X-5000 antenna, a 1.8m vertical with something like 10dB gain, still with no success.
Suspecting the sensitivity of the handheld was poor I tried using the AR8200 handheld scanner, same result.
Admitted, the vertical antenna was only held as high as I could with the hand, so just above 2m at the feed point, so far from ideal.
We also tried with my "local activity antenna" a 1m long vertical for 2m/70cm, maybe 23cm. The cable on this antenna is quite long and lossy, so nothing heard there, either. Not even with the (supposedly) more sensitive receiver in the IC910.
More tests are in order. Today's tests were quick, as the outdoor temperature is a bit too cold for extended outdoor tests. As soon as I can get away with it I might find space for another antenna system, mounted a bit higher, and wit lower loss cable, and also a receiver preamplifier. Now I want to be able to hear something on 23cm. There is also a local beacon 26km away, but "hidden" behind some hills. Yes the other factor is cross polarization loss, but a (rotatable) horizontal antenna is also in my thoughts.
At least I do have a local test partner for 23cm, so I will get it up and running, likely sometime in the spring.
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