Antenna question

RS8 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 01:11 PM

I have a Uniden BCD 996 T scanner. I am looking to see if there is an antenna available that will pickup a trunked system about 50 miles away.It would have to be an inside antenna possibly in the attic.No outside antennas allowed. Am I being realistic or should I give up.

n4yek · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 01:17 PM

Ask this question here, you will get a better responce:
Antennas and Coax Forum - The RadioReference.com Forums

Swipesy · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RS8

I have a Uniden BCD 996 T scanner. I am looking to see if there is an antenna available that will pickup a trunked system about 50 miles away.It would have to be an inside antenna possibly in the attic.No outside antennas allowed. Am I being realistic or should I give up.

You did not say if it is a 800 band trunked system but it is highly unlikely you will recieve the system with the setup you are referring to.

zz0468 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 08:28 PM

50 miles is a long haul on 800, even with an outside antenna. Especially when you consider that many 800 systems are specifically designed NOT to cover outside their intended coverage area. I wouldn't get my hopes up. There's no such thing as a magic antenna that will make signal appear where there is none. If you can hear the system at all with the stock antenna, even poorly, theres hope that a better antenna might help.

chrismol1 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 09:13 PM

No outside antennas?
UHF, 800 trunked?
50 MILES!!??

Better hope your on a big hill

RadioDaze · #6 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 10:26 PM

I am in Newport Beach, CA and routinely pick up trunked operations from San Diego, CA with a rubber duckie on a Uniden BR-330T. I probably have some degree of line of sight, but it's still gotta be over the horizon from here.

My concern would be if there's any metal flashing covering the outside of your roof. Otherwise, a gain antenna up there might help.

I used one of these once years ago with decent results:
Untitled

They do have an 800 MHz version - VT-800. You just gotta figure out how to get the feedline in without getting a leak, or getting caught.

wayne_h · #7 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n4yek

Ask this question here, you will get a better responce:
Antennas and Coax Forum - The RadioReference.com Forums

Moved to the Antenna forum.

Please report the posts in the future so we can move them sooner and reduce cross-posting. Thanks!