VHF radios – testing?

I’ve posted a new-to-SKABC VHF Radio Function Clinic to be held 14 March 2026 (morning session) at Barnet Marine Park, Burnaby. This is a dry land clinic to review members’ VHF hand-held radios – performance, features and settings and it arises from members’ requests to get more practice with their radios and test their capabilities.

Would someone with more knowledge than I have care to assist me? Would another member have access to any communications test equipment such as the device that measures the efficiency of an antenna? All I have by way of meters is the common multimeter for voltage, impedance etc.

Mostly, I intend to make simple short transmissions and close-proximity confirmation that the messages we send are being received clearly on other nearby radio(s). However, if i had a remote assistant, I could perform test transmissions over longer, more realistic distances, using both DSC calling and by pre-establishing suitable working channels (and thereby avoiding clogging Ch 16). Realistically, a remote assistant might live on the N Shore or in Vancouver and be in line-of-sight VHF range of a handheld radio at Barnet Marine Park transmitting at only 5W of power.

Your ideas/suggestions will be welcomed!