Racom and others .. What I can get

[IowaBrian]

OK I know I have Racom'ed to death something new to listen to and learn.

Did some rewiring last night well it started Saturday I took down my scanner antenna as it sucked and the way I had it set up it was in my way to service my other antenna.

So back to last night, I switched my 100 ft rg6 from antenna to 25 ft and put the 4 port Amazon . com amp after the 25 ft run. Before, the amp was at the end of the 100ft run, so I changed it to see how it would help as we know amps with that many feet away boost everything noise noise signal noise.

Plugged my 2 100 ft runs into the amp, one to the HD tv and it worked, Clifford the Big Red Dog came in great per my daughter, reception is better on a couple channels will have to see if if it helps with the drops.

The other 100ft run went into a 3 amp splitter that I found in one of my coffee cans full of stuff with one going to my P25 scanner as it doesn't like a lot of gain anyway.
The 2nd of the 3 amp split went into the powered 4 port amp and split into my 160 and 3 other scanners and for the first time I was able to pick up the Vinton tower on my RS 160 as that is the only scanner with Vinton tower on it. Picked up Black Hawk Co Law. I think that is really good as I am in Marion.

So I guess my DB4 TV antenna seems to work better in my situation then the scanner antenna that I waited 3 weeks for!!!

Before I was pulling 50 miles plus non digital and I think can do better now but I had my 2yr old helper last night as wife was at class and it is hard to try and program stuff when she wants to sit in my chair.

I will report back as to what else I can get.


Brian

[Radioman96p71]

Wow not bad at all!! It seems for scanning purposes, RG-6 and a TV antenna can do the job of some $50-100 purpose-built antennas! Thats some pretty awesome coverage, considering the length of coax, and how many splits.

Personally, i use a home-built antenna i made for 800Mhz reception. Theoretic gain is about 12dB, actual is unknown but i can pick up about 15-20 TRS in the Des Moines area on a clear night, and thats just mounted on the peak of the house no mast. 50-75 feet of RG-6 cable running to an 8-port splitter even. For the price, normal 50-ohm cable cant touch RG-6 unless you need to transmit of course.

Glad to hear your setup works good! Its amazing what spare time and some parts in a coffee can can accomplish

[IowaBrian]

I might try the DB8 antenna and bend it in the middle to get more coverage With digital being IOS mabe I will put up a mast and get it in the air but we get a lot of lightning strikes in my are and I don't know how an extra 10 foot would play with the storms.

[IowaBrian]

was able to spend a little time in the man cave last night and was able to pull in Vinton tower with Black Hawk traffic, not bad since the weather sucked. On a side note did did hear a good foot chase on the highway officers caught 3 out of 4 fast but the 4th went into a wet corn field. what a dork they just waited for a dog and a bunch more cars and went in after him. I am sure they got (had to get some sleep) but last call was from dispatch and they were saying don't leave the officer he thinks they are right on him.