Crazy yagi story

[SCOTTER]

I bought a 16 inch phonetone 7/9 dbi outdoor yagi antenna to help with my simulcast problem. After I got it I tried many spots around the house with not much luck,then at the end of the day I set it on the top of a bookshelf speaker that I have mounted 4 feet high in the corner of the living room horizontally and could not believe what I was hearing. I was a getting a 95% decode on my 436 thats plugged in the wall on the end table below it so that must be the hot spot so I mounted it above the speaker horizontally problem solved. About a week later my left ear started to have a ringing sound in my ear at night when I turned everything off for the evening,not loud but noticeable and I started to think that maybe having that yagi pointed at the couch is hitting me an the others that sit there and might not be a good idea or is my 54 yr self just getting old. BTW no one else has had a problem and Im not exposed to loud noise. So what do you guys think?

 

[TailGator911]

I would make everyone (within the affected range) wear a tinfoil hat with a propeller on top. Also suggest lots of sunblock on the forehead. j/k lol

I have never heard of any detrimental effects from close proximation to a non-transmitting yagi antenna. But, you never know. Not sure if the gain and decibels are harmful. Now, if you were transmitting on the yagi, therein might be questionable factors. But, just receiving? Maybe one of the many antenna experts here on the forum would lend you an experienced ear.

I am always careful not to transmit on my 746Pro or any of my HTs in close proximity to my scanners because of potential RF damage. I have to wonder, tho, about my head. About my head. About my - oh there it goes again.

 

[cmdrwill]

I have to wonder, tho, about my head. About my head. About my - oh there it goes again.

There are RF exposure limits that are spelled out in the FCC Regulations. Also part of FCC Type Certification on hand held radios.

And what Scotter said, yagi beam antennas can be tricky in some 'installations'. And let's not mention the bogus gain numbers.

 

[hitechRadio]

Noooooo it is just recieving....It is coincidental.

 

[SCOTTER]

Funny stuff TailGaitor911. I didnt think so but I had to ask and thats crazy that it picks up horizontally so good instead of vertically the way they say it works the best. I would highly recommend getting one of those little 20 dollar yagis its turned my 436 into a sds100 overnight without all the colors or the 650 I dont have.

 

[prcguy]

Your ears might be ringing because you are now using the scanner more than ever and have the volume turned up loud?

 

[IcomIcR20]

A non-transmitting antenna shouldn't have any detrimental effects on your health, or just about anything else for that matter. I can't think of any reason why a inanimate, non-RF-emitting object could be causing you issues.

 

[pb_lonny]

All that does is receive a signal...

 

[SCOTTER]

Thanks for your replies and laughs guys I appreciate them.

 

[bharvey2]

You didn't skip the part where your wife whacked you over the head for setting up an antenna in the house, did you? All kidding aside, are you wearing headphones while listening to your scanner? Ringing in your ears is one of the side affects of exposure to loud noises, both short and long term. Colds, allergies and such can affect your hearing too. The new antenna is just a coincidence. I have ringing in my ears all of the time. It started long before I installed my yagi (on the roof mind you) to address the simulcast problem I experience while scanning the local public service system.

Oh and back to the kidding part: If you intend to take Tailgator911's suggestion about the tinfoil hats, make sure you make them with the shiny side out. They won't work otherwise.

 

[902]

I bought a 16 inch phonetone 7/9 dbi outdoor yagi antenna to help with my simulcast problem. After I got it I tried many spots around the house with not much luck,then at the end of the day I set it on the top of a bookshelf speaker that I have mounted 4 feet high in the corner of the living room horizontally and could not believe what I was hearing. I was a getting a 95% decode on my 436 thats plugged in the wall on the end table below it so that must be the hot spot so I mounted it above the speaker horizontally problem solved. About a week later my left ear started to have a ringing sound in my ear at night when I turned everything off for the evening,not loud but noticeable and I started to think that maybe having that yagi pointed at the couch is hitting me an the others that sit there and might not be a good idea or is my 54 yr self just getting old. BTW no one else has had a problem and Im not exposed to loud noise. So what do you guys think?

I'm roughly your age. Your ears are ringing probably because you're developing tinnitus. You should be seeing an audiologist as part of your regular checkups (I'm not joking or intending to be a wiseguy).

I'm glad you've improved your reception, but there's completely no way possible that passive reception through a 436 (I have one 3 feet away from me) will ever create thermal expansion and contraction within your cranium that will simulate auditory effects (that's a real phenomenon that old-time radiomen experienced with the pulse repetition rate of very high powered RADAR systems). (To prove this is "real": https://www.researchgate.net/public...Auditory_Responses_to_30_GHz_Microwave_Pulses. This is NOT what you're experiencing, though.)

 

[TailGator911]

All kidding aside, I have extreme tinnitus after playing bass guitar professionally for over 40 yrs. If you can imagine camping outside on a warm summer night and hearing cicadas buzz all around you, this is the noise I hear constantly. Some days are worse than others, and they have no idea how to cure it. I have tried over-the-counter remedies, herbal remedies, acupuncture, you name it I've tried it. After a while you get used to living with it and you adapt. Some days I don't even notice it. The only deflection that works is to constantly have music playing or the TV on. The only direct cause I have noticed that worsens it is caffeine, so I keep myself down to 2 cups of coffee a day maximum. I usually line the audio out of my radios to good quality external speakers so I can easily hear them. I also developed nerve damage in my ear, and a low E on my bass can sometimes be painful, causing a hollow feeling in my inner ear. Word to the wise, keep the volume down to a comfortable level.

JD
kf4anc

 

[krokus]

Add this to the "get thee to a doctor" pile. The ringing could be from a number of things, some of which they might be able to help with, if caught early.

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[krokus]

Oh and back to the kidding part: If you intend to take Tailgator911's suggestion about the tinfoil hats, make sure you make them with the shiny side out. They won't work otherwise.

Shiny side out? Damn... That was why they didn't work...

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[SCOTTER]

All good points and jokes but it still freaks me out to look over my shoulder and see the yagi pointed at my head, lol

 

[902]

All good points and jokes but it still freaks me out to look over my shoulder and see the yagi pointed at my head, lol

Put a doily or table place setting over it. It won't hurt the performance any, and it'll take your mind off the Yagi.