SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/ham-cross-polarization

On a line-of-sight VHF or UHF path, what does cross-polarization of the antennas do?

It reduces received signal strength.

Start playing free

  1. It reduces received signal strength ✔
  2. It inverts the modulation sidebands
  3. Nothing significant happens

Why: If one antenna is vertical and the other is horizontal, they are cross-polarized. The receiving antenna picks up much less of the signal.

Huh, didn't know that: Holding a handheld radio sideways can cross-polarize it with a repeater's vertical antenna.

The dad joke
My two antennas couldn't agree. One stood tall, the other was totally horizontal about it.
Like this card?
Play the game

References

Answer: It reduces received signal strength. If one antenna is vertical and the other is horizontal, they are cross-polarized. The receiving antenna picks up much less of the signal.

  1. 2026-2030 Technician Class Question Pool, T3A04 ncvec.org/downloads/2026-2030%20Technician%20Pool%20and%20Syllabus%20Public%20Release%20Feb%2019%202026.pdf
    Received signal strength is reduced
    Checked 2026-10-09.

Think this answer is wrong? Tap "Challenge this answer" on the card in the game and tell us why.

Test yourself in the game

Ham RadioBuildings block your path to a distant repeater. How might a directional antenna still reach it?Ham RadioIonospheric signals are elliptically polarized. What does that mean for your antenna choice?Ham RadioHow do trees and plants affect UHF and microwave signals?

That's stuff everyone should know.