460mhz Antenna Mounted to Side of Steel Building

[kingshootr]

I want to put up an antenna for just 460mhz - there is a public safety channel I'd like to listen in on. I currently have a roof mounted antenna tuned to 150mhz, which gets all the analog signals in my area just fine. Frankly, the slick-as-snot steel roof - I do not want to go up there again. I mean it was sketch as heck getting the other antenna up there.

The signal I want to receive is from a tower 60 miles away. I can pick it up with my HH and and whip antenna, not great, but reachable. It is exactly due north of me, and the back wall of my steel building/shop is perpendicular/facing it. I'd like to mount the UHF antenna on a mount bolted to the building side.

My question(s): Is there any detriment to this mounting scenario? Possible benefit?

Does one design seem more advantageous than another? NMO, yagi, whip, etc? Making a ground plane for the antenna is no problem - half a pizza pan would seem workable.

 

[mmckenna]

My question(s): Is there any detriment to this mounting scenario? Possible benefit? Does one design seem more advantageous than another? NMO, yagi, whip, etc? Making a ground plane for the antenna is no problem - half a pizza pan would seem workable.

The metal siding will act like a reflector if you mount a vertical antenna 1/2 wavelength away from the side. On UHF, 1/2 wave is about 1 foot. You could fabricate a simple bracket with the NMO or other mount on it and it should work. If your hand held is having issues, you may see a ~slight~ improvement with a 1/4 wave antenna. A 1/2 wave or 5/8ths' wave antenna will give you some more gain.

If the signal is really weak, you can mount a Yagi out there and that should help quite a bit. Probably don't need a big one, just get a 3 or 4 element model. You can often find used Yagi's on eBay pretty cheap.

 

[prcguy]

Any vent pipes on that roof? Steep steel roofs are a b*tch but you can toss a safety rope across the roof and anchor it to something on the the other side then get up there and get it done. Then you can use a Yagi or anything you want.

 

[kingshootr]

Any vent pipes on that roof? Steep steel roofs are a b*tch but you can toss a safety rope across the roof and anchor it to something on the the other side then get up there and get it done. Then you can use a Yagi or anything you want.

No, no protrusions. I wound up digging my knees into the screw heads for traction. 4/12 pitch with steel is great for weather, stinks for traction.