scanner antenna !!!

[a84b1]

i looking for a scanner antenna to use inside or outside only if needed, that will work well in all bands.. the problem i have is a live really bad reception area... and i have never been able to find on that works and i only have a 40 dollars 50 max to spend....??? any ideas??

 

[bassjunkie]

Lots of coat-hangers twisted together.

 

[benbenrf]

Go on-line and find some plans for a discone type antenna - you should be able to cobble one of them together for less than 50bucks - will give you fair passive broadband reception from around 20Megs thru to around 1300Megs. The discone has a vertical top element and slanted radials hanging down.

Alternatively I have an R&S HK14 (model 12) and a 309 for sale - the former is passive and will give you coverage from 80Megs thru to 1600Megs, and the 309 is active and will give you coverage from 20Megs thru to around 1300Megs. Both are dipole types in a very simple way of putting it (they are vertical and take up little space.

Yours for $2000 (the 309) & the PSU for 750, and the 14 is going for around $1200. (!!) - and thats used prices (they cost more than double that new from Rhode & Schwarz!)

The point is: you get what you pay for, and I am afraid just in material terms (never mind intellectual property and manufacturing costs), you are going to be hard pressed to get anything more than a couple of pieces of wire which will offer you little more than single band resonance (never mind decent coax - and if you don't use decent coax - forget about investing in a decent antenna)!

You are asking to much for 50bucks.

 

[mrkelso]

Lots of coat-hangers twisted together.

I used a homemade coat hanger antenna for years to talk on the 220 band. The antenna was hanging off of the back of my desk almost hitting the floor and was hitting repeaters 10 miles away.

 

[specman]

You should spend a bit of time on the forum here (and wiki) doing some reading. Many folks have asked similar questions and have received excellent advice.

For your budget either a used antenna or something home-brewed might be your best option. You may also have to get your antenna up high if geography is a factor.

Keep in mind that some situations are difficult to resolve without significant investment in time and resources, and even then there's some things that can't be changed.

 

[radiopro52]

For that budget, you may want to try the Radio Shack Sputnik antenna, the 20-176. It's only about $25, and receives all bands. But it's weakest point is 800 MHz.

 

[zz0468]

For 50 bucks you can get a piece of pvc pipe, a handful of end caps and other assorted hardware, some wire and RG-8, and make an excellent multiband antenna.

 

[ausscan]

You could also build yourself a dipole, I made mine and it outperforms all of my antennas and it only cost me AU$25

 

[kb9hgi]

St-2 Scanner antenna comes with coax $27.93 + 7.95 shipping
AntennaCraft ST2 Scanner Antenna Kit with 50 Foot Cable (ST2) | ST2 [AntennaCraft]

 

[DaWeav]

I'll second what Steve KB9HGI advised. We had an Antenna-Craft ST2 just standing in a garage in the East Bay Area of Contra Costa, and we were picking up CHP (42mhz) base station and mobile units all the way over in Solano County. When we finally got it up on the chimney mount on top of a 10ft mast, we were then picking up 800MHz trunking stations from Sacramento. So the ST2 does worky!

As for ordering from Solid Signal, I just ordered the Antenna-Craft ST2 yesterday morning the 9th of April for a whopping total of $35.88 delivered. I was notified with shipping information later that same day which was pretty quick handling. Strong Signal ship via FedEx, and I selected standard shipping so according to FedEx it will be delivered on Wednesday the 15th. Oh, another perk for me was that Strong Signal not only took all the major credit cards, but they also use PayPal :lol: which is what I used.

The manufacturer (Antennacraft ST2 Scanner Antenna) includes the 50ft cable and a 300ohm-75ohm balun bundled with the antenna which is almost everything you need except the mast (or whatever) you plan to mount it on.


'OMG...note to self, I'll need to change my RR signature below after next Wednesday!'

 

[ausscan]

seriously dude, build one. you will reap the savings and be able to stand back and take pride in something you've built

 

[a84b1]

would love to be i need a meterial list?? and where a get the stuff i need ?? radio shack

 

[kpoe_28]

I built this one 2 Meter Slim Jim Antenna - 300 Ohm Twinlead Version been up for years and it works great. Instead of using the rg-58 coax in the plans i used rg-6, put the antenna inside of some 3/4" pvc pipe and mounted it 75' up the tower. I don't think it would do to good on the 800mhz never tried.....But i listen to freq's from 42mhz (which are about 70 miles from me) up to 460mhz and does really good there as well,but from 146mhz to 160mhz this is a awesome antenna! for around $5.00 bucks

 

[stevolene]

you could always but a scantenna for under 40 bucks comes with coax shipped

 

[ausscan]

Materials:

RG58U Coax, suit length required
20mm Aluminum Tubing, up to 2m required.
Clipsal 20mm conduit "T" piece

End caps 20mm, I used chair caps.
Electrical Tape
Ring Terminals

 

[ausscan]

This is what mine looks like when completed: