Duluth/Cloquet Area

Status
Not open for further replies.

Oriley

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
77
Location
Northern Minnesota
I almost have my little brother convinced into buying a 996XT, he has an analog and would like to go digital so a few questions.

He lives south of Twig about halfway between 194 and 2, northeast of Cloquet.

He doesn't have internet so when he buys it I'd have to load FreeScan from my internet connection to his laptop and hopefully a file someone could send me for the Duluth area to his scanner.

He does pick up Gold Cross and taxis and that stuff with his analog, would he need an outdoor antenna for digital from his location....not sure where the towers are down that way?

Any problems we could have?

Thanks
 

davef3138

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
208
Location
Central Minnesota
You may run into simulcast reception problems, as noted in other threads in this forum.
He may be close enough to one of the sites though (Argus Lookout) to have the scanner receive a solid signal from there: View image: South St Louis ARMER Sites


I make it up to the Alborn area several times a year. I can export the relevant portions of my Freescan file for you guys to use.

-Dave
 

Oriley

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
77
Location
Northern Minnesota
Okay, I'll be going to his house this week or next and I'm thinking I could load your file in my scanner before I go and see how it works down there.

You're right, he says there is a hill with towers on it (Argus Lookout I'd guess) only a mile or so from his house so it should come in loud and clear. We'll see.

If you could send the file I'd sure appreciate it and thanks!
 

hrc200x

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
23
Location
minnesota
Do you guys have any experience with the 996 and external antennas? Which one would be decent? Something like this work? Amazon.com: Laird Technologies - 806-896 6dB Yagi: Electronics Is a higher or lower dbi number better? I'm probably 3 miles from the tower through some terrain, not bad, and with a rubber 800 mhz rubber back of unit antenna reception is very inconsistent, it can flash 5 bars and not have control channel, then it can have 3 bars with control channel and still seem like it doesn't pick anything up. For awhile a month ago I was getting 5 bars on a tower 70 miles away in a couple hours it was down to 3 bars, then next day zero.
 

NDRADIONUT

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
1,952
Location
FARGO ND
It will work... How long will your coax run be ? I use rg 6 with good results under 30 ft or so...
 

hrc200x

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
23
Location
minnesota
I think the cable run is going to be 70 feet or so. Same manufacture antenna, same frequency and same db and $30 cheaper, seems strange is one the upgraded version of the other?

How about db's that one is 6, some are in the low teens. Which one is better?

Also is LRM400 the only cable to use to do the longer distances? If not what are other choices?
 

blue5011

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2010
Messages
443
Location
Faribault County, MN
I think the cable run is going to be 70 feet or so. Same manufacture antenna, same frequency and same db and $30 cheaper, seems strange is one the upgraded version of the other?

How about db's that one is 6, some are in the low teens. Which one is better?

Also is LRM400 the only cable to use to do the longer distances? If not what are other choices?
I would invest in a $30 (broadband) R/S scanner antenna and 50' of RG-58 before I would buy a yagi antenna and LMR400 cable. Get it up 25 feet or so, you might be surprised how well it works.

Both antennas are rated 6db. Why is there a $20 price difference? That 6db figure means nothing in the real world. Actually the one w/ two directors should be rated higher...

I can receive 8-10 tower sites in a five county area w/ a cheap R/S antenna. But then the terrain around here is fairly flat.
 

JASII

Memory Capacity
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
2,997
I would invest in a $30 (broadband) R/S scanner antenna and 50' of RG-58 before I would buy a yagi antenna and LMR400 cable. Get it up 25 feet or so, you might be surprised how well it works.....

The problem with that is at 800 mHz what ever extra signal that would have been received by the antenna is lost by the time it tries to travel to the scanner. At lower frequencies, like 155 mHz that would be fine, but check the specifications on 800 mHz on RG-58. It is very lossy at those frequencies. I have had good luck with 9913.
 

blue5011

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2010
Messages
443
Location
Faribault County, MN
"The problem with that is at 800 mHz what ever extra signal that would have been received by the antenna is lost by the time it tries to travel to the scanner."

That is incorrect. I have two of the mentioned R/S Model: 20-176 antennas (@ 25' AGL) w/ the same (50' R/S RG-58) cable going to my two 996XT's. Line-of-sight (to a transmitter) and terrain are more/ less a problem than whatever coax being used, even at 850mhz MN ARMER freqs.

Want to know more about antennas and gain? Go to: KØBG dot com, Alan Applegate's site.
 
Last edited:

NDRADIONUT

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
1,952
Location
FARGO ND
At 900 mhz and 100 ft
rg 58 has -20 db loss
rg 6 has -6 db loss (which i use up to 30 ft or so....)
lmr 400 has -3.9 db loss

which is good better best ??
 

hrc200x

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
23
Location
minnesota
So I will probably play it safe and get LMR. Now what antenna? I'm thinking there is something wrong with the closest tower site, 3-5 bars will flash and the talking will be broken up, but when signal can be pulled from a tower 20 miles away it will have 1 or 2 bars and come through no problem. As of a few weeks ago I haven't seen one bar of signal from this tower so I'd need a pretty good antenna to try to pull it in...suggestions?
 

JASII

Memory Capacity
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
2,997
When it comes to antennas, you need to decide if you want an omni-directional or a beam. Then you need to decide if you want single band or mult-band. Most people have an omni-diectional. If you are only concerned with ARMER, then get an 800 mHz antenna. If you are interested in other bands, you should get a multi-band antenna. One of my antennas is a discone. They are very wide banded, but have no gain. Some scanner enthusiasts even use antennas that are resonant on amateur radio frequencies udner the theory that if they ever get there ham license, then the antenna could be used for that in the future. Post here if you want single band or multi band and we can help more.
 

hrc200x

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
23
Location
minnesota
Only wanting to scan 800 mhz. The tower sites are basically all Westward (SW, W, or NW) from my house, nothing east. So a directional may be the best bet? A neighbor with the same scanner has this model antenna: WBV-60 Wideband Base Antenna with 75 feet of LMR and reception is terrible when weather is bad...breaks up on the closest tower and nothing on the tower 20 miles away, like I said earlier I'd like to try to pull from the tower 20 miles away or the ones 50 mile because it seems like the tower closest has something wrong with it.
 

JASII

Memory Capacity
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
2,997
What scanner does your neighbor have? With regards to your antenna, I would suggest an antenna designed specifically for 800 mHz with some gain. With the feedline that you are gettingm a good outdoor location, and a gain antenna, you will get ARMER very nicely.
 

hrc200x

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
23
Location
minnesota
Neighbor has same scanner 996xt. Could you provide some links to antennas you suggest. How about the two in post # 5 and 7.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top