Antenna question

Status
Not open for further replies.

badge923

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
17
Location
Oklahoma
Can anyone recommend a good quality omnidirectional antenna? Not looking for a cheap flimsy one. I have a good quality directional but I want to monitor 2 towers in opposite directions.
 

popnokick

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
2,837
Location
Northeast PA
Absolutely critical to answering your question is knowing whether it is for:
- Receive only, or transmit as well?
- What frequency or frequency ranges?
- How far away are the "towers" you are trying to receive?
- Amateur radio or scanner use?
- Indoor or outdoor installation?

Do some reading here, refine your question to include answers to the above... and you'll get much more qualified responses to your question. Anyone reading can recommend all kinds of omnidirectional antennas... but without knowing the intended use, they may be totally inappropriate for what you want to receive.

Category:Antennas - The RadioReference Wiki
 

badge923

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
17
Location
Oklahoma
It is for receive only for my scanners. I already have antennas for my police radio.
The frequency range is for the 800 OKWIN and P25 systems.
The towers are about 20 miles away from my location.
And it is for outdoor installation.
 

plaws

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
1,717
Location
E Hawkesbury Twp, ON
It is for receive only for my scanners. I already have antennas for my police radio.
The frequency range is for the 800 OKWIN and P25 systems.
The towers are about 20 miles away from my location.
And it is for outdoor installation.

Someone already said it but it's worth repeating (8-10 times). SPEND MONEY FOR GOOD FEEDLINE! At 860 MHz, 50' of RG58 is about as bad as 50' of wet string - the loss is on the order of 7 dB which means 80% of the signal never gets to your receiver.

Use a calculator like the one below (there are plenty of others) before you decide on your coax.


Coax Loss Calculator
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top