Scanning in a hi-rise/tower

[beetee73]

Hello all...

I purchased a Uniden BCT-15 scanner (and will move to a digital once I get this down). I live on the 12th floor of a hi-rise. Oddly enough, my local police station is across the street, yet behind where my unit faces.

My shack would be in a room with windows facing South and East. The fun stuff is SW of me, on the other side of the building. I do not have access to the roof. Even if I did, I don't know how I would get 10 more stories of cable down.

Any suggestions on what to replace the stock metal telescopic antenna with and where I might mount the thing?? From what I have read, my height isn't an advantage unless I'm transmitting. Are there any other factors that would affect my experience?

 

[jetscanner]

Man I dont know where you ready that. Height can be a huge advantage when scanning, especially with air band frequencies.

Infact, because of your height, whatever you buy, put it by the window and you should be good. There's no substitute for height.

 

[beetee73]

Cool!!

Thank you for the reply. Any suggestions on an antenna? I'm looking mainly for public safety type stuff so that I know what's "going on"... I'm becoming my grandad, it seems!!!

 

[nycrich]

Most likely you might be forbidden to mount antennas outside. However your best bet not to get in trouble with the building management/maintenance personnel that would notice, would be to mount a suction cup antenna outside the window. Make sure it is glued.( wind/weather). You can use an all band telescopic whip. Very hard to detect. I lived in a high rise in NYC before and used this setup.
You should be able to get good UHF/800Mhz reception because of reflected signals. VHF would be good, but more directional.

 

[DickH]

Thank you for the reply. Any suggestions on an antenna? I'm looking mainly for public safety type stuff so that I know what's "going on"... I'm becoming my grandad, it seems!!!

It doesn't matter where the police station is, they are probably using a repeater on a nearby hill or radio tower.
You don't need to put the antenna outside the window. Glass will not impede radio waves unless it's tinted or coated glass. Just have the scanner as close to the window as possible.
What frequencies do you want to monitor?

 

[k9rzz]

My shack would be in a room with windows facing South and East. The fun stuff is SW of me, on the other side of the building.

I'd look for fun (distant) stuff to the south and east. *USE* all that height you're getting for free and we all wish we could have!!

 

[nycrich]

During my experimentation I learnt that glass has lead in it. Furthermore high-rises have steel/concrete structure vs sheetrock/wood. This combination makes reception bad(shielding) with an indoor antenna. Antennas inside also pick up more interference with appliances,etc. Again try experimenting with cheap home made stuff ( whips, wires, etc). Get an idea of what those basics allow you to hear. Luckily the internet is now available with lots of creative ideas that you can try depending on your time/budget. As you expand on your basic antenna setup you will learn exactly what you can hear/peak for the different bands. Using three different whips tuned to the VHF/UHF/800 Mhz and with your height can achieve good results .

 

[ourmaninvan]

If you live in a modern high-rise you will really need to get something outside. Most are constructed with foil backed insulation materials which literally block out any radio signals, acting like giant faraday cages.

I live in a high-rise on the 18th floor and luckily have a 40 sq ft balcony to play with. I have a vertical and discone mounted on tripods and wire antennas for HF strung around the outside of the balcony railing. You won't be worried much about line of sight once you get an antenna outside. Once outside your location height will really come into to play.

 

[blueangel-eric]

If you live in a modern high-rise you will really need to get something outside. Most are constructed with foil backed insulation materials which literally block out any radio signals, acting like giant faraday cages.

I live in a high-rise on the 18th floor and luckily have a 40 sq ft balcony to play with. I have a vertical and discone mounted on tripods and wire antennas for HF strung around the outside of the balcony railing. You won't be worried much about line of sight once you get an antenna outside. Once outside your location height will really come into to play.

Even though the antenna is on the balcony, the building will block or attenuate the signals through the building. So you would only get half the reception.

Eric Burris

 

[ourmaninvan]

So you would only get half the reception.

But half of something is more than half of nothing, which is what I'd get if I had indoor antennas!

 

[trooperdude]

You didn't say if you had a balcony or not.

If you do, a good multi-band antenna mounted on a tripod on the balcony, and
fed with decent quality cable should net you all sorts of reception.

They even make RG6 flat cable that goes through sliding doors and windows.

Friend of mine is using this setup in a highrise in San Francisco with good
results.

Scanner is deaf indoors with same antenna, but full quieting with the antenna on a tripod, on the balcony.