suggestions on apartment antenna

[TAC_Double]

I am hoping you all can give my some ideas on improving my reception in my ground floor apartment. I am on the edge of the range of the 800mhz system i am trying to monitor.Tower has 20mile range. I use a RS pro-96 currently. I can drive a few miles and pick the system up much better.

A couple of the local shops have recommended i get a Wilson Electronics Yagi,

Cell Phone Antennas and Cell Phone Boosters at Wilson Electronics

One, will this work well for me? I have also been told this must be mast mount to function properly. They suggest that I build a floor base mounted mast for it and aim it out the window towards the tower. Lucky for me, my living room window faces the tower.


Does this sound like a setup that would work? I am unable to doing anything outside. I am open to suggestions. Just would like to hear my favorite system again....


Thanks for any help!!

[DPD1]

If there isn't much between you and it, then it will probably work. But it's hard to know for sure. If you can barely hear them with squelch off, it will work. But have you tried a dedicated 800 antenna for the hand-held first? Putting that on a cable in the window might be enough.

[TAC_Double]

With the stock antenna, the decode rate bounces between 62% and 84%. I do receive very little. I can drive a few miles south and the decode rate jumps to 98% and I receive tons of traffic.

I have tried the RS 800mhz rubber ducky.... not a real improvement. Just looking for improvement without breaking the bank.

[FLRAILMAN]

There are two very simple ways I see to alleviate your problem, the simplest way is to check out the MAX Systems antenna sold by Grove Enterprises, I have had no contact with this type of specialty antenna so I don't know if it works or not, maybe somebody familiar with it can jump in here. The second & probably the most productive solution is to purchase Radio Shacks Antennacraft 3' tripod mount & 5' mast. As for the yagi it's a toss up between the Wilson 800 MHz yagis on your site & Daves 700-1000 MHz Log Periodic antenna, they are pretty much identical in specs however his LP antenna already comes with 3' of RG8X coax & connector. Good luck & take care.

FLRAILMAN

Grove Enterprises
High performance 800 MHz portable antenna
Model: ANT22
$29.95
Home

DPD Productions
700-1000 MHz LP Antenna
$129.95
DPD Productions - Antennas & Accessories for the RF Professional & Radio Hobbyist

Radio Shack
Antennacraft 3' Tripod
Model: 10Y203
Catalog #15-293
$34.99

Radio Shack
Antennacraft 5' Mast
Model: 1016-5P
Catalog #15-297
$14.99
RadioShack - mobile phones, MP3 players, laptops, and more
Click on "Home Entertainment"
Click on: "Antennas"
Click on: "Accesories"
Click on: Antenna accesories"

[DPD1]

Thanks FL...

I'm always hesitant to suggest any big ticket items when it comes to indoors, because anything indoors is so hit or miss. Especially with UHF stuff. You could potentially put that dedicated 800 handheld antenna on a little cable, find a sweet spot in the room and go from nothing to perfect. Or not. It's just hard to know. There's a scenario where there could be something close to the site blocking it your way, which would give the results you get, where it gets better from a different spot. Or they could be using something directional at the site. It's difficult to predict. If the only way you get solid reception is by driving well clear of your location, that makes me think you're probably in a null spot or getting reflections. If it was a fairly constant signal but just weak, that would be more like something with line of sight potential, but just too far. The first scenario is harder to first then the second. If you could get something outdoors, even just on a balcony or something, that would probably help a lot.