To maximize range, make sure to place your Milo on a clip that’s attached in a good location that’s both close to your mouth and not obstructed by clothing or equipment or even by your body.
Remember: Line of sight is from one Milo to another – not from your eyes to your friend’s. That’s why you want to keep your Milo as high as you can, especially when you’re low to the ground or other surface.
Here are a few things to keep in mind for maximizing range in any situation:
- Position Milo high up. If the clip is attached to your body, the best place is high on your shoulder or attached to your helmet while also keeping Milo close to your mouth. If Milo is attached to nearby equipment, like a mast or pole, the same holds: high up while also near your mouth.
- Position Milo to be unobstructed. Obviously you want to avoid keeping Milo in a pocket or bag. Also, plan for how you’ll use it and where you’ll be relative to others in your group. Your body is an obstruction for radio waves, so if you are often to one side of your nearest group member, attach the Milo such that your body will be least likely to be between your Milo and theirs.
- Create a repeater. If you have one more Milo than people in your group, you can group the extra Milo and put it in an unobstructed location that increases the robustness of the group’s network, which in effect makes the range better by being more reliable. This tip clearly is appropriate where the Milo is in a safe location and doesn’t risk getting left behind, such as large private properties.
- Move. All radios work better in more open or higher locations than between tall buildings or behind steep hills. If you drop out of range, look around. Can you move slightly to avoid being behind a big rock or in a dip in the road? Even turning 180 degrees can sometimes get you back in range quicker.
Read more about range and how far you can expect to reach here: How far?