Some perhaps dumb questions / suggesstions from an out of date RTO - non commo guy 1) Does it work fine when they are further apart? 2) Are you "frequency hopping" ? If so, maybe they are not synched / synchronizing properly. 3) Have you tried different frequencies? SINCGARS could pick up all sorts things. Could be there is something broadcasting in the area thats stepping on the signal. Aside from all that, my 2 cent arm chair opinion is that if it's a 2 way data transmission they could be stepping on one another at that close of range.

Actually, thinking more about it.. I think there is a minimum distance chart in the FM somewhere on interferance based on frequency and transmit power... Most commo guys set the things to broadcast on high or PA if it's hooked up. Maybe try a Lo setting if they are that close. If all esle fails - consult the FM ;-)

Thanks, We are using frequency hopping, however data transfer is only one way, all that is coming back in an Acknowledgment of receipt. have tried several radios in each position. Im sure its the proximity. losing about 30% of the data each time it is transmitted.

Proximity is probably it. You may want to try it single channel, just to rule out a bad synch.

Went single channel, same result. Finally convinced the guys to just seperate the systems, but of course that involves a bit of effort to break down move and set up again. Hence they have been fighting that suggestion all afternoon.

Not for me they didnt. Do you mean exactly 6ft apart? or within 6ft?

Antennas seperated by 3ft. This is actually GDATP's problem, but until they pass all there bench tests, they cant give me their gear to install, so I am sitting around with my thumb up my ass. My required ship date isnt moving to the right any, but the time available to do everything required is getting less and less. Starting to p!ss me and my guys off! Can forsee long days and nights ahead if some people dont get there act together.

Arty, 6 ft? Don't have the TM here, but that's WAY too close. Hell, a fair chunk of the time you have a hard time getting voice in that distance, never mind data.

I still have good contacts with my old commo section. I could bounce this off of them if they are still stateside. Matter of fact one the NCO's who owes me a few favors has a Nextel chirp so I'll see what I can find out. From my own experience though having had to be in command vehicles with 3 to 4 different sets and occationally having to tie down the antennas, I cant recall any problems. But then I always had excellent RTO's and Commo Sgt's in my Troop.

I'd assume all those command vehicles radios were operating on different frequencies instead of trying to communicate with one another ;-) Anecdotally, as a Company level RTO for a while, I never had trouble with having my radio on the battalion net and my partners on the company net sitting relatively close to one another. However, this whole question thing got me curious and did some online searching. (makes me wish I'd held onto to some of my FMs and TMs). FM 40-1 Joint Tactical Ground Station Operations - says that there should be a minimum of 5 meters between antennas for systems like SINCGARS to prevent interference. As an off the wall suggestion, one of the options for dealing with jamming / intereference is to try and place something between you and the source of the problem. If it's a major hassel to move the radios, would it be possible to put something solid in between them? Yeah, I know SINCGARS are LOS, but maybe you could rig something up to shield them just enough from one antother to clear up the signal rather than actually block it. Just a thought, a commo expert, I am not.