East Coast Sea Kayaking Club

However, I would question if I held my device above the water without an antenna, would an additional 4 inches make a difference?

I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass, but would like to have faith in what I keep in my PLB as a rescue call out which I hopefully will never need, but it needs to works as expected.

Geraldine.

To emitt electromagnetic waves (radio signal), some amount of loose electrons must be available, this is metallic antenna. Depending on wave length/power required, different shape, length might be required. So, if there is no antenna, lifting the device higher might in theory help, but i would doubt it - sattelite is anyway in a direct line of sight.

Raising the PLB is not about getting it nearer to the satellite. As you say the difference would be immaterial. It is about improving antenna efficiency by moving it further from the electromagnetic ground plane, the sea, land or whatever. The length of the antenna is similarly important. Longer or shorter is likely to have a degrading effect on antenna efficiency. The greater the antenna efficiency the more signal is coupled, the greater the range over which the signal may be received and therefore the greater likelihood that you will get rescued!

In short, follow the instructions.

No antennae means no transmission full stop. If you try to transmit any RF equipment without an antenna not only will you not transmit but you will cause all the output power to be transmitted into the sensitive power output stage potentially causing irreparable damage to the equipment.This applies to your VHF too - even to a partially unscrewed antenna. So check your antenna.

Not being funny here but do you think a gentle light sanding if there are any rust spots and a spray of WD40 on the antenna when it's unfurled and giving it a wipe is ok?

What else can you do if the antenna is still attached but if it's detached from rusting through it's most likely a bin job. Seems like a very poor design that allows sea water freely enter the device's antenna area.