Where should you actually put a field antenna?

Not on the ridge. That's the counterintuitive part, because the ridge is where the radio works best — clean path in every direction, nothing in the way. Doctrine is blunt about the cost: an antenna on the ridge line gives enemy observation and fire an aiming stake.

The fix is the military crest. Move down the forward slope until the skyline sits behind you instead of around you. You keep most of your path to the distant station and lose the silhouette that marks it.

Better still, put the hill between you and the threat. Terrain blocks radiation, not just observation. On the reverse slope the mass soaks up everything heading toward hostile direction-finding while your own signal still gets out — which works particularly well with NVIS, where the useful path goes up rather than sideways.

Why it matters: a located transmitter isn't just a jamming target. A fix lets a threat jam your receivers, listen to your traffic, learn your transmission times and battle rhythm, or simply target the grid square.

But don't overcorrect. Doctrine is equally blunt the other way — a thoroughly concealed site that prevents communications is worthless. Bury yourself in a deep ravine and nobody finds you, because nobody hears you either.

Terrain isn't the only variable. Damp ground reaches further than dry, rocky ground, and fresh water nearby helps. Keep clear of power lines, steel bridges, tunnels and busy roads — they absorb RF energy and inject electrical noise. Under trees, a horizontal wire outperforms a vertical whip.

Antenna siting sits where radio propagation, terrain analysis and emission control meet. It's a targeting decision as much as a technical one.

Save this for your comms binder.
Send it to someone who always sets up on the highest point they can find.
Full comms course on the profile — the NVIS lessons pair directly with this one.

#survival #recon #antenna #preparedness #radio