Rabbit ears

[godskidz]

Hello.
Does anyone use or have used a pair of rabbit ears for an indoor
scanner antenna ?
If so how long should the radials be out and at what angles ?
Any other info would be appreciated.
Thanks
God Bless +

[kb2vxa]

Full length for low band, 18" each for high band, 6" each for UHF and 9" each for 800MHz. Before you can use it you'll have to remove the switch if any and anything connected to it and solder the coax (center to one and shield to the other) to the ears. Then they should be adjusted to a V shape (horizontal is cross polarized with the vertical waves) and rotated slightly for best reception of your main interest station. Don't expect omnidirectional performance, rabbit ears are slightly directional. It's not a wide band antenna either, that's why 4 different lengths, one for each band.

[bernietr]

I have used sucessfully with each section extended 19 inches (1/4 wave dipole for VHF if not mistaken), taped vertically to a patio door window.

[godskidz]

I'm using tv cable. Will it make a difference what kind of cable for just receiving ??
Thanks

[n5ims]

Originally Posted by godskidz

I'm using tv cable. Will it make a difference what kind of cable for just receiving ??
Thanks

Define "tv cable", one style is just fine and another you'll need a matching transformer.

[godskidz]

The one the TV cable companys use.

[n5ims]

Originally Posted by godskidz

The one the TV cable companys use.

That should work fine. It's 75 ohm vs the 50 ohm most scanners spec out as, but for receive only operation (like a scanner would be) it should be just fine.

[doctordialtone]

Originally Posted by godskidz

The one the TV cable companys use.

That should be 75 ohm, though it could be either 50, 52, 75, or 93 Ω. The "twin-lead" wire attached to most rabbit ears - the flat stuff - is 300 ohm, so you'd need a transformer like this:

http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/produ...265505w345.jpg

Before I put an antenna on the roof, I tried the rabbit ear thing too. We had "Fluffy" taped up on the patio door window in a "V Shape" for about 15 minutes, and didn't hear a thing. He didn't appreciate the solder on his fur either and it was messy. I moved on to plan B.

Happy listening!

[gmclam]

Originally Posted by godskidz

Does anyone use or have used a pair of rabbit ears for an indoor scanner antenna ?

Yes, but there are better choices, depending on EXACTLY what you are scanning.

If so how long should the radials be out and at what angles?

Since most scanner stuff (police and fire) are communication with mobiles, the signals are typically vertically polarized. Therefore, I'd suggest one radial is vertical and one is horizontal.

You should have a transformer on the rabbit ears (TV = 75 ohm) to convert to coax, which better connects to modern scanners. The length of the radials depends on the frequencies you are scanning. The lower the frequency, the longer the radial. I must wonder if someone gets better reception with this setup over using a stock rubber ducky.

[mrhermit]

I have used an RCA multi-directional amplified HDTV antenna for my Homepatrol scanner. It measures about 9" x 9" and is less then 1" thick. The box states that it is for HDTV, VHF and UHF reception. I was amazed that it worked really well. I bought it from Walmart for about $40.00. It was originally purchased for receiving HDTV over the air for my Hi Def TV. It is just sitting inside on my window sill. It is not as good for reception as my Antennacraft ST2 that is mounted in my garage attic, but for someone who can not install an attic or outdoor antenna this might work better then the rabbit ears.

[potbellyperch]

Here is what I do I use a 6 foot jumper coax & then hang it up & then I use a rubber duckie ant...
or radio shack bulb ant .. it gets me outr more than such as with only rubber duckie I hope I helped you all

[wingmaker]

This is Awesome, I love to hear other people ideas, and how they set there stuff up and get it to work. Humanity is quite creative. LOVE AND BLESSINGS

[n4yek]

When I first got into Ham Radio, my Elmer (ham radio slang for person who inspired you in ham radio) made me make my antenna's. I used a pair of rabbit ears to make my VHF antenna for 2 meters, gutted it and hooked coax directly to the elements. Then used zip tie's and hooked it all to a dowel rod, drilled a hole through the end of a pipe and slid it through. The antenna worked great and I used it for about 2 years until my Elmer bought me a nice Cushcraft ARX2-B.
I sure miss him....

[kb2vxa]

Why do RR people insist on complicating the simplest things??? Let's get down to basics here which is what my post started out to be concentrating on the coax. The stuff that cable companies use is a variation on RG6 which may be 75 ohm but in no way is that a problem, the fact that while the center conductor is copper the braid and foil outer shield is aluminium nearly impossible to solder. Since you'll need to solder to the wires connected to the ears forget it. That's where a short length of RG58 is used, the braid is copper. Never mind the loss figures making long runs worthless, since you're making an indoor antenna and it will be near the scanner don't worry about it. RG58 is the most common cable that comes with mobile antennas (average length 18') up to around 500MHz professionals don't give so little loss consideration.

[wingmaker]

Originally Posted by n4yek

When I first got into Ham Radio, my Elmer (ham radio slang for person who inspired you in ham radio) made me make my antenna's. I used a pair of rabbit ears to make my VHF antenna for 2 meters, gutted it and hooked coax directly to the elements. Then used zip tie's and hooked it all to a dowel rod, drilled a hole through the end of a pipe and slid it through. The antenna worked great and I used it for about 2 years until my Elmer bought me a nice Cushcraft ARX2-B.
I sure miss him....

Thats Awesome

[seeham]

I got this many years ago out of a magazine about turning rabbit ears into an antenna. I removed a plug just between the ears and was able to solder my coax, shield to one and the conductor to the other. The mfg had twin lead there if I remember. I also put in a screw to attach a suction cup on the ears and another with a cable strap further down so this could be put on a glass patio door as you can see in the pics. I used it for 2m and also scanner (even though it wasn't quite tuned for the scanner) and worked pretty good if I remember correctly. Overall length is 36 1/2" for 2M. It was kind of trial and error with a SWR meter but you would push in or pull out equally to get the SWR down.

[kb2vxa]

Ah, one of those that comes with the set. Mine came with coax and a push on F connector because the cable ready set has one input, I haven't seen a 300 ohm twin lead input for decades. Anyway, if you extend the ears opposite each other and stick it to a wall or something vertical all the better. Just don't stick it on metal.

[majoco]

Just like the ones that I made - and you can make them into broadband OCFD's - just make one side three times longer than the other.



TV coax? Is that different to radio coax? I s'pose it's like the "HDTV antennas" that you need to buy now that your "Analog TV antennas" don't work? Yeah, right!

[kb2vxa]

Actually TV coax is different from radio coax, 75 vs. 50 ohm. For receiving it doesn't matter at all and for transmitting all you'll notice is a 1.5:1 SWR with a 50 ohm load on the far end.

[majoco]

Actually TV coax is different from radio coax, 75 vs. 50 ohm.

It was a joke, Warren.