Reception

I have a baofeng bff8hp. I bought a longer attena but im curious how I can increase my reception to hearmore clear and farther.Is there something I can do at home or something like a lifehack?

Simple, just install an outdoor antenna, there are many to choose from, and you'll definitely hear signals from farther away. I use a discone antenna that covers a wide range of frequencies.

Okay, what is a lifehack?

Here’s a lifehack for you: You can use a TV antenna with your receiver. (But NOT for transmitting.) Anywhere from a simple blade or “leaf” type flat panel antenna to one you may already have installed. One that’s already installed will need to be turned so the elements point up and down (vertical polarization) but the blade / leaf type panels can easily be rotated until you get your best signal. You can even put the panel-type blade antennas in an upstairs window for better range than the first floor indoors. You’ll need an adapter to connect the F-connector on the antenna cable to your scanner. Then just move it around the house or building until you find the best signal.

What discone anttena should I get that will work with my radio? I am completely new to this.

Can you give me a link to all thethings I will need?

Like would this work? https://www.amazon.com/GE-Amplified...523476789&sr=1-19&keywords=flat+panel+antenna

Those cheapy radios are fairly sensitive but after that they don't perform nearly as well as a bigger name brand.

Most any hunk of metal outdoors will outperform the little flexi thing the radio comes with. That GE may work okay, maybe better than what it came with. No transmitting. But most such TV antennas are pure junk. Look at what the description says, "Full HD 1080p and 4K Ultra HD Ready". That has absolutely nothing to do with the antenna. In fact, since here in North America broadcast TV is 1080i maximum (at least for now) it's misleading. Amplified antennas may work better. But sometimes not. If you have interference and noise it also gets amplified. The only such TV antenna I recommend is the Winegard flatwave, which is available amplified and not. Keep in mind these are made for TV and not the frequencies your radio covers.

<rant mode> Back when the transition from analog to digital broadcast TV was happening a few nefarious antenna makers began marketing digital and HD antennas. Not to be outdone by their competitors all the others did the same. A million people bought these digital antennas they did not need. The antenna is a piece of metal. It doesn't care if the signal is digital, analog, Morse code, whatever. There are better and worse antennas, that's all. </rant mode>

The MFJ 1866 (model 1868 includes coax cable) is an affordable discone antenna. These antennas are rated with a fantastically wide bandwidth. They don't work well over that whole range but they do indeed cover a very wide range quite well, great for that radio. And depending on the model, like the MFJ, you can transmit if you are so licensed.

lisadafoe said:

Like would this work? https://www.amazon.com/GE-Amplified...523476789&sr=1-19&keywords=flat+panel+antenna

Click to expand...

Will it work? Yes.
Will it work better than what you have? Not necessarily.

VHF and UHF signals are primarily line of sight. If your antenna can see their antenna, chances are you will receive their signal.
Putting the antenna down in your home, behind electrical wiring, possibly cast iron drain pipes, phone lines, heating ducts, foil backed/vapor barrier insulation, and then put a bunch of noisy electronics around it, like LED lights, TV's, WiFi, computers, etc. is a lot like locking yourself in a room with a bunch of kindergartners on a mix of speed and expresso. All you'll hear is the noisy stuff.

Ideally, you want a decent antenna outdoors and up as high as you can get it. That provides better line of sight.
Getting good coaxial cable between your antenna and your radio helps that signal to where you need it.

Discones are a good basic, all around option. Not the best antenna, but they work well for most hobbyists:
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/diamond-d130nj-5016
I scored it for free many years ago. I put it up at my house as a "temporary" solution. I think that was 10 years ago. Still working well and haven't felt the need to replace it.

As for coaxial cable, that entirely depends on how long the cable needs to be to reach from your antenna to your radio. There are some good basic choices, but I'll refrain from suggesting those until we know more about your specific needs.