At 07:38 AM 4/3/2008, you wrote:

The "dollars to dBs" value proposition for pre-amps in a mobile installation with short coax runs doesn't work out until after you have an incredibly large antenna system.

In the case of a mobile installation, I'd spend my money on the feedline. Design the coax run for 1.2 GHz or higher. Doing this means losses at 70cm will be negligible. Next, select an antenna suitable for what you are attempting to do. A 2m 1/4 wave might be a good option for mobile satellite work. With a high quality feedline, I actually had very good results working mobile on a high gain mobile whip, much to my surprise!. In any case, keep the gain low, you don't want all your radiation on the horizon, and directional antennas on a mobile are rarely practical (try aiming one on a winding road :D ). But first of all, spend the $$$$ on the feedline.

73 de VK3JED http://vkradio.com