800mhz antenna for handhelds a dud?

[ryangassxx]

I picked up the 800Mhz antenna for hand held scanners today from Radio Shack, after hearing about how well it improves reception. I must say I see no improvement at all. The 800 Mhz performance is pretty much identical to the stock duckie antenna. In addition the 800 Mhz antenna actually performs far worse in the VHF bands. The duckie works just as good as the 800 Mhz antenna in the 800 Mhz band AND receives VHF better..

Did I just waste my money?

If someone can tell me where this antenna shines, I'm all ears..

 

[KR4BD]

I have two of those antennas....on a Pro-97 and Pro-94. They work great for me on 800 systems.... They're a HUGE improvement over the "one-size-fits-all" stock antennas that come with the radios.

 

[Don_Burke]

My 800 antenna performs much better at 800 than the stock antenna on my Pro-97.

What scanner are you using? Maybe it comes with a better antenna than the RS units.

 

[icom1020]

I picked up the 800Mhz antenna for hand held scanners today from Radio Shack, after hearing about how well it improves reception. I must say I see no improvement at all. The 800 Mhz performance is pretty much identical to the stock duckie antenna. In addition the 800 Mhz antenna actually performs far worse in the VHF bands. The duckie works just as good as the 800 Mhz antenna in the 800 Mhz band AND receives VHF better..

Did I just waste my money?

If someone can tell me where this antenna shines, I'm all ears..

It may not appear to have improved 800mhx if you already live near a control tower or have good reception most of the time. Me, I live some 60 miles south of a major TRS site and the RS antenna was the only way to go. Have you tried this in fringe or marginal areas? My best signal most nights is around 25-30% on the best tower available, so give it another whirl.

 

[bwhite]

My 800 antenna performs much better at 800 than the stock antenna on my Pro-97.

What scanner are you using? Maybe it comes with a better antenna than the RS units.

Agreed, what scanner are you using, they may have stumbled upon a better antenna solution. If you don't like the RS, take it back, I did.

 

[John_M]

ryangassxx Wrote:

In addition the 800 Mhz antenna actually performs far worse in the VHF bands. The duckie works just as good as the 800 Mhz antenna in the 800 Mhz band AND receives VHF better..

This could very well be the case. The antenna shines in the 800mhz band. Try the antenna with a scanner that has a signal strength meter and see what you get.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I will be getting myself one today.

 

[bwhite]

I will be getting myself one today.

If he found a better one as orig equipment on a handheld let's find out which handheld. I may have missed it but I don't think he specified.

 

[W4KRR]

As someone has already said, if the 800 MHz signals in your listening area are already strong, then you may not notice any improvement over the stock antenna. If your signal is already strong and full quieting, what sort of further improvement are you expecting?

In addition, as you have discovered, the Radio Shack 800 MHz antenna will perform worse on the VHF high band than the stock antenna. That should be no surprise, the R/S 800 antenna is designed for the 800 MHz band, after all.

I actually saw a post in which a listener was wanting improved reception in the VHF high railroad band, and someone recommended the Radio Shack 800 MHz antenna! Folks, this antenna is designed for the 800 MHz band, and although it may give acceptable results in other bands, it WILL NOT improve reception in bands other than 800 or 900MHz when compared to the stock antenna.

 

[icom1020]

Well, I usually keep the 800 antenna on if thats all I listen to. Otherwise, I carry some extra antennas around, some ham dual-band or single band VHF. The only broadbanded antenna that I have luck with was the Pryme17" model VHF/UHF, but it did nothing on 800, that band needs a matched antenna as it needs all the help it can get in a marginal area. So, carry more than 1 antenna with you. It is a multi-band radio after all.

 

[GKENY044]

Following the advice from numerous members here I added that antenna to a pro-89 and saw a big improvement all the way around. I have and brand new pro-96 and purchased that antenna before I even opened the box.

 

[elk2370bruce]

I've had very good results from the RatShack 800 MHz antenna. Far better than the one size fits none stock ducky. For fairly local 800 MHz sites, I hear no difference but my geographic range has increased. Worth the small amount of dough.

 

[lowboy654]

I picked up the 800Mhz antenna for hand held scanners today from Radio Shack, after hearing about how well it improves reception. I must say I see no improvement at all. The 800 Mhz performance is pretty much identical to the stock duckie antenna. In addition the 800 Mhz antenna actually performs far worse in the VHF bands. The duckie works just as good as the 800 Mhz antenna in the 800 Mhz band AND receives VHF better..

Did I just waste my money?

If someone can tell me where this antenna shines, I'm all ears..

well you must be the only one that I know of who has had this problem with there rs800 antenna I have one on my 97 and 96 and I know that they work better then the stock antenna for 800mhz antenna reception is all about math x amount of wire = what frequency you can receive and the rs 800 is a good fit for 800mhz

 

[K3GI]

The 800 mhz system that I monitor has towers within a half mile of my work and my home which is where I do the bulk of my monitoring. Stock antenna does just fine. But if I were going to be in "fringe" areas a lot I would consider the 800 mhz antenna.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Well the world hasn't ended,yet. If you like your 800MHZ Antenna. Use it.

 

[gmclam]

I have a couple of the RS 800MHz antennas. They improve reception on 800 MHz for me and perhaps on UHF as well (I don't listen to much on these freqs). VHF Hi depends on the channels, some the same some perhaps not quite as clear, and VHF Low not as good as the stock antenna. So overall I'd say I get the performance I expected.

 

[mtindor]

I have two of those antennas....on a Pro-97 and Pro-94. They work great for me on 800 systems.... They're a HUGE improvement over the "one-size-fits-all" stock antennas that come with the radios.

Same here. It's a superior performer on 800 mhz vs the stock 396 ducky or the 996 telescopic.

M