Urban Environment:
Below is a high-level overview of some of the obstacles one may encounter when operating in urban settings, as well as some points regarding band considerations.
A common question many people ask when first getting into radio is, how far can I talk? This usually depends on factors such as what kind of antenna do you have, how high up in elevation you are transmitting from, the power output of your radio, and what obstructions are in between you and the station you’re trying to communicate with.
Another common question is, which band is better for an urban setting UHF or VHF? Both bands work using line of sight; however, if there is an obstruction between you and the station you’re attempting to communicate with, such as a mountain, then that is where repeaters are useful. However, unless you have access to a repeater in the area you’re operating in, your communications will be simplex, meaning your communications will be from radio to radio.
In urban environments, you will find the UHF band is used in places such as construction sites, hotels, retail stores, warehouses, fast food, as well as many other establishments to name a few.
The UHF band is favorable in urban environments where there are a lot of obstructions like buildings and other structures. This band tends to have better performance than VHF in this type of setting because, its shorter wavelength allows for better penetration of the type of obstructions one would find in an urban setting.
Of course, since both bands are line of sight, anything that gets in the way whether you are operating on UHF or VHF, will weaken the signal to some extent, and this can include other obstructions like trees and vegetation.
Determining which band to use can be dependent upon factors like the geography, and what area you plan on operating in.
The differences in wavelength are an important factor to consider when deciding to use either UHF or VHF. An example of frequencies you may find on the UHF band, are the Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) frequencies, and have shorter wavelengths compared to VHF. The shorter wavelength can easily pass through doors, windows, penetrate walls, and in some cases concrete which is useful in an urban area. The downside of this band is your transmission may not travel as far compared to that of VHF.
When comparing the two bands, VHF is generally not as effective as UHF in an urban setting. VHF wavelengths are longer, and an example of some VHF frequencies, would be the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS).
VHF transmissions can travel over longer distances, and while VHF wavelengths can also penetrate structures, UHF is still more effective in this setting. However, VHF is a good choice for rural, and some wooded areas.
Compared to UHF, the longer wavelength makes VHF favorable in rural environments because you can cover longer distances. If you’re in an area that has a lot of hills then you may find that VHF transmissions might be reflected over that type of terrain, and provides better performance than UHF.
As mentioned, in an urban environment, one of the problems you may encounter are all the obstacles in the form of buildings and other structures because they can obscure transmission paths. In an urban setting, you may find there is also a lack of electrical conductivity due to some of the concrete and paved surfaces. An urban environment is also a busy one with all of the different electrical signals from the surrounding utility lines which may cause interference.
In practice, if you’re walking around a city, or perhaps a suburban area with a handheld transceiver, here are some results you may experience. In a suburban neighborhood, using an HT with a stock antenna, and the power set to high, the range may be up to a mile or less. In a dense city, you may be able to communicate with another station from a few city blocks away, up to one mile. Of course, if you are higher in elevation, then you may experience better performance. It’s important to keep in mind that performance will vary depending on the environment. Sometimes it is easy to get disappointed by expectations one may have regarding how far they thought they could transmit; not realizing there are environmental factors at work which may affect the efficiency of communications.