Need help with sending...

Another item when you are using a noise canceling mike such as the astatic you should hold it real close to you lips when transmitting or you may be quite faint.

 

I haven't read every single reply to your question so please forgive me if I'm repeating anything that's already been said. You have a very nice radio and a decent amount of linear power. It's important that the antenna be equally adequate. You can have the best radio money can buy. If your antenna system is poor quality, and/or not properly set up, no one will ever know how big your radio is. By "set up", I mean tunning the antenna to the radio for the lowest possible standing wave ratio. (SWR) A good antenna will have the instructions on how to do that. You'll need a SWR meter, unless your radio has one built in. A high SWR can damage the radio. It's the ratio between the the radio output power leaving the antenna, and what's being reflected back to the radio. Obviously. you don't want any output power going back to the radio, or, at least as little as possible. The more power leaving the antenna, the further you will transmit. Think of it like a garden hose, turned on full blast, but it's only trickling out because there's a kink in the hose. Make sure the antenna can handle the power you want to transmit, and if your going to run the linear all the time, have it "ON" when your checking/setting the SWR. Also, your feed line can influence the SWR. If following the instructions with the antenna doesn't get you a perfect match, you can try trimming the coax too. For the 11 meter band, (CB band), I always cut the coax in 3 foot increments. So if you need 10 feet for the installation, cut it 12 feet e.g. Just coil up the excess, and wire tie it in a neat series of loops. As though it were wrapped around a 3 inch diameter pipe.So the coils look like a tube. This would effectively act as an RF choke. You may not need it, but having it won't hurt.
Good Luck. I hope this helps.

 

Look here is what I would do.

I would go to a truckstop, find someone sitting in their truck and ask them to help you. I would offer a cup of coffee or even a snacks or what ever to get them to call you on the phone and have you listen to your radio. I would drive down the road while on the phone with the guy and test it out. You can quickly figure out what is wrong by listening to yourself, if you are not loud or if you don't sound good.

 

The set up you have should work, I wouldn't abandon it so quickly. going amateur radio may still not solve your problems. Do you know how much amateur activity there is in your area? I just put 2 meter fm back in the work truck and have found repeaters that once were bustling with activity now are mostly quiet. Seldom get a response when I throw out my call. Other bands may be busy. If you know local hams if they have HF transceivers they would be able to tune the 11 meter band and tell you by phone whether or not your set up was working even if they couldn't or wouldn't transmit on 11 meters. radio propagation is science with a little voodoo thrown in by terrain, atmospheric conditions, and other little items. Where are you based perhaps someone will know a local cb or ham operator in your area. Going amateur would provide you with some basic understanding of radio propagation and antenna systems if you actually study the guides rather than just taking tests online until you memorize the answers.

 

What do you mean go ham?

 

While that's true it a certain extent, there are limitations to what you want to do with VHF. The yeasu you mentioned is a line of sight device, as are most VHF/UHF rigs, the exception is 6 meters. With that in mind, being in the boonies and having a VHF rig to depend on may not be the best solution.

 

I don't have a YAESU but I do have a HT duel band that has a 7 watt transmitter and it won't transmit the distance you want. Through a repeater you might have a chance. If there isn't cellphone service I doubt there is a repeater available.

kc0iv
leon