All around scanner antenna

billkater · #1 (**permalink**) 01-13-2013, 9:23 PM

I looked thru the different post on here and did not see a answer.

What type antenna is the best all around antenna for scanners? I am going to assume a disclone.

I monitor from 31.86 up to 957.550 frequencies.

I am looking for coverage up to 30 mile or so. The antenna will be placed on a tower about 25-30' high and will have about 75' of lead coming into the house.

Any recommendations please.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Bill

Rt169Radio · #2 (**permalink**) 01-14-2013, 8:09 AM

Yes, a discone can cover from 25 to 1300 MHz, some can go even higher then that. The links below are some discones that you can take a look at.

Diamond® Antenna ~ D130J Super Discone Antenna

Diamond® Antenna ~ D3000N Super Discone Antenna

DA3200 | ANTENNAS | AOR U.S.A., INC. Authority On Radio Communications

NCG Company::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Multi-Polarized Amateur Radio Antennas, Ham Radio and Scanner Antenna

k3cfc · #3 (**permalink**) 01-14-2013, 8:17 AM

Scantenna by antenna craft. I have one and i wouldn't trade it for a truck load of discones.

Remember assumption is the mother of all f@#k ups

K3CFC.

StephenVa · #4 (**permalink**) 01-14-2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3cfc

Scantenna by antenna craft. I have one and i wouldn't trade it for a truck load of discones.
K3CFC.

I'm the opposite. I traded my scantenna/st2 for a diamond discone. Personally I'm getting much better results. Your mileage may vary.

Also be sure to think about using a good quality low loss coax.

k3cfc · #5 (**permalink**) 01-14-2013, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StephenVa

I'm the opposite. I traded my scantenna/st2 for a diamond discone. Personally I'm getting much better results. Your mileage may vary.

Also be sure to think about using a good quality low loss coax.

Well by golly i just would have never thought about coaxial cable. and all this tine i wuz using chicken whire.

ind224 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-14-2013, 12:10 PM

I bought an inexpensive discone from antennawarehouse.com back in 2000 off ebay $40.00 or so. Sprayed it with Line-X bed liner and she is up and rocking today. They seem to be defunct though and no longer an ebay member. I'm guessing it is a Workman based on the physical attributes. Not milspec but gets the job done fed with 400. SO239 connector.
DO NOT buy the thing scalled the Spyder. I don't think it is resonant for much but it was 15 bux so I tried it. Put it on my bicycle and at the airport fence could barely hear ground. I hear the ATIS at the house 11 miles away with the discone.

doctordialtone · #7 (**permalink**) 01-14-2013, 4:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ind224

Put it on my bicycle and at the airport fence could barely hear ground.

Now THAT is a visual I'd like to see! Security stop you at the fence, did they?

I use a RS Discone with low-loss RG6 and it works OK, though I have never tested it against any other setup.

I can tell it was NOT made at NASA, but like you guys have said; YMMV.

By the way, I misread the title. I thought it read, "All Around the Scanner Antenna" so I thought it was a fun, new game.

benbenrf · #8 (**permalink**) 01-15-2013, 3:00 AM

Bill

Well, getting your antenna up that high is going to be a big plus, but as StephenVa says in his note earlier - if you are going to be running around 75' of coax from a Scantenna or Discone, then the type/quality of coax you use is going to be important.

While Scantenna and Discone antennas provide a very wide bandwidth with an omnidirectional pattern, one of the sacrifices incurred is a weak signal (poor Gain). Running any signal they pickup through a long length of coax is going to compound that loss - so use as thick and as good a quality coax (and connectors) as you can afford. Times LMR 400 is what I think most folk would agree with as been your starting point, and I'd go so far as to say that if you can afford LMR 500 or even 600 then give it consideration: it could make an awful big difference when it comes to coverage of certain signal types originating as far out as 30miles.

For more info on 400, 500 and 600 type coax, like diameter, losses, bend radius etc etc ..... check out:

http://www.timesmicrowave.com/produc...oads/22-25.pdf

http://www.timesmicrowave.com/produc...oads/26-27.pdf

http://www.timesmicrowave.com/docume...s/pg.28-31.pdf

Watch out for counterfeited LMR type coax - especially if it's offered "new" with a good discount through an auction type website - the attractive discount is possible because the amount of conductor material in the braid & inner conductor is likely to be reduced: the outer braid is likely to be thinner/less dense, offering poor coverage (increasing loss & reducing your SNR value), and/or a less thinner inner conductor (increasing signal loss significantly).

HOLEBILLY · #9 (**permalink**) 01-18-2013, 8:07 AM

scantenna all the way. I have had some high dollar antennas and the scantenna beats them all.

Xourque · #10 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 1:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLEBILLY

scantenna all the way. I have had some high dollar antennas and the scantenna beats them all.

I have the Antennacraft ST2 on my roof (scantenna) and have been considering getting a discone Diamond D3000N instead. Shall I not?

safetyobc · #11 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 1:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3cfc

Scantenna by antenna craft. I have one and i wouldn't trade it for a truck load of discones.

Remember assumption is the mother of all f@#k ups

K3CFC.

I agree 100%! These are great antennas and very affordable!

GKolo · #12 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 1:32 PM

I had a Scantenna and a Diamond Discone, The Scantenna went in the trash, But my Homebrew is still better than the Diamond.

k3cfc · #13 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 3:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GKolo

I had a Scantenna and a Diamond Discone, The Scantenna went in the trash, But my Homebrew is still better than the Diamond.

It's too bad you did that. as i found out that the problem with this antenna is not the antenna but the matching transformer it's self. yes they go bad and just changing them will restore it back to 100%.
when i took my st2 down to move it worked just fine and when i put it back up in the spring it didn't receive a thing. replaced the matching transformer restored it.

K3CFC

KI4VBR · #14 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 3:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3cfc

It's too bad you did that. as i found out that the problem with this antenna is not the antenna but the matching transformer it's self. yes they go bad and just changing them will restore it back to 100%.
when i took my st2 down to move it worked just fine and when i put it back up in the spring it didn't receive a thing. replaced the matching transformer restored it.

K3CFC

How much did the replacement part(s) cost? Easy repair?

Thanks,
Vince

KI4VBR · #15 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 3:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GKolo

I had a Scantenna and a Diamond Discone, The Scantenna went in the trash, But my Homebrew is still better than the Diamond.

Ok, fill us in on the homebrew details. Any time someone says an antenna is better than the Diamond discone, they have my attention. Can you share some details on your home brews? Are they dipoles cut to specific waverlengths for the freqs you monitor?

Thanks,
Vince

go2cola · #16 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 4:11 PM

For all around scanning, I highly suggest getting the Diamond discone antenna with the N-connector. I bought one of these several months ago, and attached it to my satellite dish on an 8' fench pole using angle brackets. There is a day and night difference with the antenna compared to rubber ducky and even the best portable antennas. With the rubber ducky I only picked up the local public safety channels over the repeater. With the diamond discone antenna, I can pick up:

a) State police mobile units car to car transmissions over 50 miles away

b) Mexican taxis on VHF low several 100's of miles away

c) Ham 2 meter repeaters up to 100 miles away

d) Ham 10 meter repeater over 1500 miles away

e) 800 MHz trunking over 55 miles away with more than 100 feet of RG6 coax

To my surprise, I have not noticed anything on the Ham 6 meter band. I'm not sure why I don't see anything on 6 meters, but the antenna is supposed to perform at this frequency. Anyway, this is just a sample of what you can do with this antenna!

k3cfc · #17 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 4:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KI4VBR

How much did the replacement part(s) cost? Easy repair?

Thanks,
Vince

About $4.00 Radio shack. it's nothing more than a matching transformer like the old tv sets used 300 to 75 ohms. when you tv got snowy picture you just changed this and all was well. scanners are 75 ohms.just two wing nuts to loosen and change it.

K3CFC