The Antennacraft Scantenna

[Deacon]

I always liked this antenna. I owned several. I just found out It is no longer in production. Bummer. Does anyone know where I might find one to purchase?? Any news on another company picking up production of this antenna?? Thank you.

Deacon

 

[mark40]

I've seen suggestions here along the line of eBay search/web-search/classifieds search here on RR.
There is good info here for alternatives in case you come up short.

 

[DJ11DLN]

Awhile back the RS website was showing dump-it prices on several Antennacraft models, much of it broadcast TV stuff, some of which I had not seen listed as available in years. IMHO this does not bode well for a reborn ST-2 made by another company. It would seem that if anyone was interested in the Antennacraft IP's, RS would be anxious to sell them to help defray their debts. Antennacraft seems to have been a wholly-owned RS subsidiary, or else they'd be selling their wares elsewhere. That none of these models, especially the popular ST-2, have popped up under other names seems to suggest that RS (or their new owners, Sprint) have decided to kill the brand and its products off for whatever reason.

Please bear in mind that this is all just speculation on my part, about which I'd love to be proved wrong, but one would think that if there was any value there, RS would be trying to realize it, whether via licensing or outright sale of the IP's.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

It seems like it wouldnt be too hard to make one from a tv antenna turned vertically and modify it from there....

 

[Blackswan73]

Well, another company is now producing the RS 800mhz antenna, so maybe someone will pick up the ST-2. I don't think Antennacraft was part of RS, since Antennacraft had their own company website.

 

[DJ11DLN]

Well, another company is now producing the RS 800mhz antenna, so maybe someone will pick up the ST-2. I don't think Antennacraft was part of RS, since Antennacraft had their own company website.

True enough, and surprisingly it's still up and still lists the ST-2, along with just about everything else, though I can't get any contact info to show up. Perhaps there's hope after all, but I'm not gonna hold my breath. Though I'd seriously love to be wrong about this.:wink:

Also, I don't think the RS800 was an Antennacraft product. And it does not appear in the apparently otherwise-complete website. In fact they don't appear to have made any mobile/portable type antennas.

Were Antennacraft products ever distributed outside of RS channels? I can't recall seeing them elsewhere but that doesn't mean a thing...

 

[Blackswan73]

I didn't mean to imply the RS800 was an Antenna craft product. Just illustrating how antennas from defunct companies can be reborn, as in some of A/S old offerings, like the Starduster, Moonraker, and Superscanner.
Yes, Antenna craft was sold outside of RS. Some of the places they could be found, was Best Buy, Universal Radio, Amazon, and numerous radio shops. If a popular antenna has a sound design, someone will pick it up, but maybe not til any revelant patents expire.

 

[Voyager]

Well, another company is now producing the RS 800mhz antenna, so maybe someone will pick up the ST-2. I don't think Antennacraft was part of RS, since Antennacraft had their own company website.

Yes, they were owned by RS. I tried all three phone numbers I had for them. All three were disconnected.

The RS 800 MHz antenna was made by GRE. Who is making it now?

 

[Blackswan73]

Remtronix
Remtronix REM-800B, Diamond REM-800S Scanner Antenna

 

[Voyager]

OK. That's the company that was formed by several ex-GRE America employees. I'm surprised that they didn't include that with the scanner IP, but I guess that makes sense. They also made LED displays (GRE).

They are likely using the same manufacturer as GRE did, so it's likely identical to the old version.

 

[DJ11DLN]

Remtronix
Remtronix REM-800B, Diamond REM-800S Scanner Antenna

That's the name I couldn't think of yesterday. XXXX getting old...

At least we can still buy those. They're good portable antennas. I once wrongly posted that they were awful...turns out the first one I got was defective. It's basically a dummy load. Have bought more since then and they all work great.

Back on topic, if anybody was interested enough, perhaps the dimensions of an ST-2 could be posted so that those sufficiently motivated could fabricate their own out of aluminum or even copper tubing? I don't think there'd be any infringement issues if it was strictly for your own use. If you wanted to sell them it could get you in trouble, IMHO but probably not if you just wanted to homebrew one for yourself.:wink:

 

[Voyager]

I think the main element is a 5/8 wave VHF, and the two side elements are 1/4 wave VHFs. The rest of the elements are pretty much moot except for the 800 MHz dipole that is not directly connected physically to the main elements.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

I just made one from an old tv antenna... elements = 50" up and down - 24" up and down - 18.5" up and down - 6" up and down - and 3.25" up and down.... It works great !!

 

[Voyager]

Any pics? Sounds interesting.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

TOO DARK NOW....

 

[NDRADIONUT]

Voyager pm sent...

 

[N9JIG]

TV antennas mounted vertically actually work very well for scanners. They cover very similar frequency ranges. Decades ago, when I was still living at home I repurposed our old TV antenna on the roof by bolting it sideways and replaced the flat lead with RG59 coax and a balun. It worked great on the old BC210XLT and other second generation programmable scanners I had at the time.

I have even had good luck with TV antennas still in the horizontal polarization. It is not as critical with a scanner, just like coax impedance is not a real big deal. Elevation, clearance from obstacles and capture area is more important to a scanner that orientation and impedance.

NDRadioNut: If you could post your pics to this thread we would love to see how it looks.

 

[Voyager]

For several years I've wanted to put up a high gain TV antenna mounted vertically.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

PICS FINALLY...

 

[N9JIG]

Awesome, that should work great!