Has Anyone Used One Of Those J-pole Antennas On A Pro 96 Handheld Scannner?

[alien55]

Yes, I was wondering has anybody ever used one of those antennas that are called the ' J-Pole Antennas, they are in the size of 24"-36", they are being sold on ebay, the seller claims to have sold over 5000 antennas. The seller also brings up the radioreference.com in his ebay auction pages. The ad for the 36" super J-Pole claims that it will smoke all the other antennas. One key word that is in the ad is the word 'Resonance'. The ad claims that the J- Poles bring in the clear reception in the frequencys of 800-900 MHZ. I thought before I lay down $ 40.00 for this 36" J-Pole, I should go on the forum and ask, if there are any of the 5000, happy jumping up and down buyers who in the feedback for this antenna claim it has made the difference on night and day. But the seller says, ' IT AIN'T NO 55' UP DISCONE. So, any of the 5000 what do you think, I have two Radio Shack Pro -96s, tuned up with Win 96 software, one I am using a Radio Shack 800MHZ antenna, and the other is a ' Diamond RH77CA, antenna, which works somewhat better than the RS 800mhz antenna. I live in a townhome and puttiing a antenna on the roof is forbidden.
I like the article that was up on the forum, about using one of the Radio Shack Moble antennas I forgot the number of it but it is about 36" long and fiberglass, there was a good article pertaining to the parrawel plane that is created from the antenna usiing the car or trucks metal roof,, does any one know about this? can a person in fact put a moble antenna in a home and use it? some and it seems like a lot of fellow scanner hobbiests have just come up with the acceptenace of garbble, shot noise from raw uncoded signal not being read fast enough for the scanner.

 

[prcguy]

I just checked the seller that you describe and there is a lot of hype and BS in their sales pitch, especially in the aluminum vs copper thing. They are more than likely using copper wire, where other mfrs use aluminum rod or tubing which is probably larger diameter and costs more. A basic J-pole is a single, narrow band antenna with no more gain than a dipole at best. There are collinear stacked 1/2 wavelength versions that can have a little less than 3dB gain over a basic 1/2 wavelength J-pole but these will be for a single band and the Ebay version does not appear to be this. There are ways to make multi band J-poles but they usually have separate feed lines for each band and the Ebay version does not appear to be this either. A basic J-pole for VHF hi band will be over 4 1/2 ft tall but the Ebay antennas come in 24" or 36" versions, so it can't even be a full blown basic J-pole at VHF to start with. Not that it would be a stellar performer if it was. I have a little trouble with the Ebay technical description but the seller is not making any fantastic performance claims, it probably works better than a stock rubber antenna that comes with a scanner on most frequencies but at some frequencies maybe not. The seller deals mostly with HF antennas made from a popular toy from the 60s and there 5000 sales are not attributed to just scanner antennas. If you are restricted to an indoor antenna you can make something that will work much better than a stock antenna for a few $, otherwise $24 is not a lot of money to loose if your really sold on one.
prcguy

 

[blueangel-eric]

I just checked the seller that you describe and there is a lot of hype and BS in their sales pitch, especially in the aluminum vs copper thing.
prcguy

Ain't that the truth. every time i look at their website, it looks like a bunch of hype. looks like some crazy TV ad. :twisted:

 

[RMPDCOP]

I bougt one of those J Pole antennas and I am pleased with its performance. I use it with my BC 780XLT to monitor MilAir traffic. I live in Rocky Mount, NC and I am able to pickup Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson, Pope AFB, New River, Simmons and Washington Center from my location.
For the money I guess it is worth a try for you. Sometimes I use it to listen to my local agencies and it recieves VHF, UHF and 800 MHZ trunked agencies very well. I also bought the little snoop antenna and it performs reasonably well. I use it as a portable antenna in the hotel room when I travel.
I placed mine on the front window of my home with two suction cup mounts.

 

[alien55]

Thank you for your repy, I just recieved a reply from a man that is on ebay that purchased the J-Pole that I want, he is using it for the same radio I have, The Pro-96 from Radio Shack, he claims that the seller made it just for the 800mhz trunking scanners, and this person that purchased one claims his works great, in fact this gentleman went on to tell me he went out and purchased another one form the seller of the J-Pole. I love your quote on the bottom , about Greater love hate no man than lay down his life for his friend, thats one of the wisest and nicests Quote's I have heard Thank you for your reply.

 

[alien55]

J-POLE UPDATE 11-25-08, After asking many people in the scanning hobbie pertaining to antennas that work with handhelds, Digital trunking, many of technician has told me there are a million antennas out there, for a million radios, and they told me a scanner has to try everything until something will work.
But that can cost some money. The one tech told me put up a 55' post-with a Discone on top, he said you should be able to get the former Soviet Union, but it'll cost you!

 

[mancow]

First of all, forget the idea of an antenna made mainly for digital handheld radios. That doesn't make sense and is just lip service from someone trying to make a sale.
Get a Scantenna for something cheap and effective over a fairly broad spectrum. Or you could drop the extra cash and get a nice DPD log periodic type. The little Radio Shack ground planes are great for Vhf and Uhf. If you want gain at 800 Mhz then get a yagi or find a commercial grade omni with some gain.

 

[lanbergld]

"I was wondering has anybody ever used one of those antennas that are called the ' J-Pole Antennas, they are in the size of 24"-36", they are being sold on ebay, the seller claims to have sold over 5000 antennas. The seller also brings up the radioreference.com in his ebay auction pages. The ad for the 36" super J-Pole claims that it will smoke all the other antennas. One key word that is in the ad is the word 'Resonance'"

Hello, these work fantastically for me. I have several of his models. I've used them on a variety of scanners with outstanding results; as far as handheld scanners go I had great reception using these on a BC-246T. That's been my experience with his J-poles. I personally have great confidence in them. There's absolutely no sense spending $100+ on some shiny, techy-looking thing IF something more basic works just as good. Its the difference between enjoying good reception and just trying to be trendy.

 

[airgreek]

I have one of these 24" J poles that I bought from this seller on Ebay and it works OK for me. I prefer MUCH more the Radio Shack 20-176 UHF/VHF antennas. They kick MAJOR butt for a cheap price

 

[blueangel-eric]

i'd like to see the insides of those things. i wonder what the design is.

look at this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/10-JUMBO-SNOOP-...14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308

They talk all bad about aluminum antennas and good about copper. if aluminum was so bad how's come all these high dollar antennas is built with it then?

and whose the The Snoop Copycat they mention?

 

[alien55]

The feedback that I have been getting back on the subject of 'J-pole antennas, varys, the other day I recieved an e mail from a person that has been using the 24" J-Pole Antenna, he said he is using it also with a Pro-96 and his desk 2096, he told me that it works and this is the words he used ' Fantastic'.
On the bottom of the ad that the ebay seller has for the J-Pole, he has in BIG red letters ' If you expect a 'Miracle' don't buy my antenna. So I thought, its only $ 20.00, I will purchase one, and then get back to the forum with my results, I live in Minnesota, Minneapolis, ARMER system, its busy here, 24/7, shooting are daily, lots of action never stops. Were can I purchase a scantenna, I wiil get one of those also, and test it, and the Radio Shack 20-176, I will be using Radio Shack Pro-96 and 2096. I will let every one know how these antennas work here with the 800mhz, digital trunking in Minneapolis

 

[airgreek]

The feedback that I have been getting back on the subject of 'J-pole antennas, varys, the other day I recieved an e mail from a person that has been using the 24" J-Pole Antenna, he said he is using it also with a Pro-96 and his desk 2096, he told me that it works and this is the words he used ' Fantastic'.
On the bottom of the ad that the ebay seller has for the J-Pole, he has in BIG red letters ' If you expect a 'Miracle' don't buy my antenna. So I thought, its only $ 20.00, I will purchase one, and then get back to the forum with my results, I live in Minnesota, Minneapolis, ARMER system, its busy here, 24/7, shooting are daily, lots of action never stops. Were can I purchase a scantenna, I wiil get one of those also, and test it, and the Radio Shack 20-176, I will be using Radio Shack Pro-96 and 2096. I will let every one know how these antennas work here with the 800mhz, digital trunking in Minneapolis

The 20-176 blows it away

 

[ka5lqj]

Lol! ;-)

The 20-176 blows it away

Ok, having been into "short-wave radio listening" and "antenna experimenter" since 1958 (Yep, I was 12 years old, I'm 62 now), I went to the Rat $hack, the "Nagasaki Hardware Store" and looked at the 20-176. The antenna is a glorified "ground plane". He he he. The thing that makes it "multi-band" is the shorter ground radials.

Now, here is a cheaper solution and it will work better.

Example: Say you want to monitor the VHF Hi-band and the stations are near and far away in an omni-directional (circular) area. Take a common, SO-239, UHF female connector, like on most CB radios. You'll need one center conductor, either copper or aluminum, cut to: 1/4 wavelength = 2808/frequency. Let use 154.925mhz for instance. That comes out about 18 and 1/8 inches. Take a pair of needle-nose pliers and put a "shepard's crook" on one end. This is the "top" of the "active" element. Solder the other end into the center lead of the "tit" on the SO-239. OK, now your lower "radials" will be 5% LONGER than the "driven, center element". This is about 19 and 1/8ths inches long. Cut 4 lengths of this to make up your ground radial system. Use some crimp lugs and put them on each end of the radials. Now using 4-40 hardware, bolt one radial to each "hole" on the SO-239. Bend the 4 radials downward at a 45 degree angle. Using standard RG-58 coax cable hook the PL-259 to the "business end" of the SO-239 and the other end to a PL-259-to-BNC connector and then your scanner. Using nylon fishing line or cotton string, hang the "GP" up near the ceiling (close to a window) or out on your "patio" if you're in a upper story apartment and volià, you're in business. The same can be done with the UHF (406-512 mhz) and even the 800 mhz "trunked" band. Just remember to use the "wavelength (1/4 wave) = 2808 divided by frequency. You won't need a micrometer as you're not 'transmitting' off of the antenna. So, as long as you're in the "ballpark", by an 1/8th, you're ok.

IF you have some scrap aluminum, you can drill a 7/8ths (approximately) hole in a strip 2" wide and 8" long. Mount the SO-239 with the 4-40 hardware and about 3 " down from the SO-239 make a 90 degree bend so the "tip" of the SO-239 is pointed up. Now, since you have the wider aluminum bracket, mount the ground radials at each corner of the bracket forming an "X" and bend the radials down at a 45 degree angle. This will lower your impedance of the antenna to about 50 ohms. If you leave them straight the antenna impedance will be closer to 75 ohms and have a mis-match on your scanner input.

Now, you have "half" a Double Groundplane built. Time to build the lower section. Again, make your bracket, with the 7/8th" hole, but this time mount the SO-239, "upside-down", with the screw part of the SO-239 "up". Again, mounting the SO-239 with 4-40 hardware. Now, this is a little bit tricky. You'll want to make up a bunch of "ground radials" as before, same 19 and 1/8th in length and again with both ends with crimp rings.

You'll need some aluminum pipe or thin-walled tubing to mount the both brackets on and have enough to 'stand up'.

Since the lower bracket will be mounted 1/2 wavelength down(36½") below the top bracket, it will be impossible to put a ground element through the mounting pipe(unless you drill a hole large enough to accommodate the radial, LOL!). Again, making the "X" with the ground radials (leave the sticking straight out from the bracket) add as many other radials as you have room for. You could even take some small copper wire and solder it to each end of the radials, making a circle, for strength.

You'll need a piece of RG-58 with each end having a PL-259 on it. Screw the coax to both SO-239's. You'll also need a piece of RG-58 with one end trimmed back and the center conductor and shield both separated. Solder the center conductor to the "tip", let cool. With that attached, wrap the shield around one of the 4-40 bolts and solder it. Once it cools, apply silicone to insulate each from each other and in case you mount it outside. ;-)

This "Double Groundplane" helps to lower the "take-off" angle (down to 5 degrees) for reception and allows you to hear farther, locally as well as receiving farther out stations. Other typical groundplanes, "take-off" angle is approximately 18 degrees.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Remember to pray for all our troops, their families as well as fire, police, ems, and hospital staffs.

Respectfully,
73,

Don/KA5LQJ

"GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC!"

 

[blueangel-eric]

Ok, having been into "short-wave radio listening" and "antenna experimenter" since 1958 (Yep, I was 12 years old, I'm 62 now), I went to the Rat $hack, the "Nagasaki Hardware Store" and looked at the 20-176. The antenna is a glorified "ground plane". He he he. The thing that makes it "multi-band" is the shorter ground radials.

Now, here is a cheaper solution and it will work better.

Example: Say you want to monitor the VHF Hi-band and the stations are near and far away in an omni-directional (circular) area. Take a common, SO-239, UHF female connector, like on most CB radios. You'll need one center conductor, either copper or aluminum, cut to: 1/4 wavelength = 2808/frequency. Let use 154.925mhz for instance. That comes out about 18 and 1/8 inches. Take a pair of needle-nose pliers and put a "shepard's crook" on one end. This is the "top" of the "active" element. Solder the other end into the center lead of the "tit" on the SO-239. OK, now your lower "radials" will be 5% LONGER than the "driven, center element". This is about 19 and 1/8ths inches long. Cut 4 lengths of this to make up your ground radial system. Use some crimp lugs and put them on each end of the radials. Now using 4-40 hardware, bolt one radial to each "hole" on the SO-239. Bend the 4 radials downward at a 45 degree angle. Using standard RG-58 coax cable hook the PL-259 to the "business end" of the SO-239 and the other end to a PL-259-to-BNC connector and then your scanner. Using nylon fishing line or cotton string, hang the "GP" up near the ceiling (close to a window) or out on your "patio" if you're in a upper story apartment and volià, you're in business. The same can be done with the UHF (406-512 mhz) and even the 800 mhz "trunked" band. Just remember to use the "wavelength (1/4 wave) = 2808 divided by frequency. You won't need a micrometer as you're not 'transmitting' off of the antenna. So, as long as you're in the "ballpark", by an 1/8th, you're ok.

IF you have some scrap aluminum, you can drill a 7/8ths (approximately) hole in a strip 2" wide and 8" long. Mount the SO-239 with the 4-40 hardware and about 3 " down from the SO-239 make a 90 degree bend so the "tip" of the SO-239 is pointed up. Now, since you have the wider aluminum bracket, mount the ground radials at each corner of the bracket forming an "X" and bend the radials down at a 45 degree angle. This will lower your impedance of the antenna to about 50 ohms. If you leave them straight the antenna impedance will be closer to 75 ohms and have a mis-match on your scanner input.

Now, you have "half" a Double Groundplane built. Time to build the lower section. Again, make your bracket, with the 7/8th" hole, but this time mount the SO-239, "upside-down", with the screw part of the SO-239 "up". Again, mounting the SO-239 with 4-40 hardware. Now, this is a little bit tricky. You'll want to make up a bunch of "ground radials" as before, same 19 and 1/8th in length and again with both ends with crimp rings.

You'll need some aluminum pipe or thin-walled tubing to mount the both brackets on and have enough to 'stand up'.

Since the lower bracket will be mounted 1/2 wavelength down(36½") below the top bracket, it will be impossible to put a ground element through the mounting pipe(unless you drill a hole large enough to accommodate the radial, LOL!). Again, making the "X" with the ground radials (leave the sticking straight out from the bracket) add as many other radials as you have room for. You could even take some small copper wire and solder it to each end of the radials, making a circle, for strength.

You'll need a piece of RG-58 with each end having a PL-259 on it. Screw the coax to both SO-239's. You'll also need a piece of RG-58 with one end trimmed back and the center conductor and shield both separated. Solder the center conductor to the "tip", let cool. With that attached, wrap the shield around one of the 4-40 bolts and solder it. Once it cools, apply silicone to insulate each from each other and in case you mount it outside. ;-)

This "Double Groundplane" helps to lower the "take-off" angle (down to 5 degrees) for reception and allows you to hear farther, locally as well as receiving farther out stations. Other typical groundplanes, "take-off" angle is approximately 18 degrees.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Remember to pray for all our troops, their families as well as fire, police, ems, and hospital staffs.

Respectfully,
73,

Don/KA5LQJ

"GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC!"

you got some pictures so i can understand this double ground plane thing? I've never heard what your talking about. I know how to build the basic groundplane.

 

[ka5lqj]

Double Groundplane.......

Morning Eric, All, ;-)

No, I don't have any pictures, no camera, but this antenna was a commercially-built antenna in the 1950's and '60's for the hi-band vhf business radios. It was advertised in several, then communications magazines and ham magazines and even in some old ARRL Handbooks. I'll have to look for the company's name, but they are probably out of business, now.

Basically, it's the standard groundplane, radials bent down 45 degrees, with a sub-set of radials a half-wave down and those are parallel to the ground. The coax, essentially only connects both sets of radials together to give it a better reflective plane, lowering the "take-off" angle, allowing a "flatter" (5 degree) pattern for both transmit and receive. The center conductor is just a "pass-through" to the transceiver or receiver. The connected "grounds" also go back to the radio.

Picture a schematic drawing for coax, the dashed lines on both sides with a solid line in the center going upwards. At the top of the center line, extend it to represent the driven element. Now, perpendicular to the bottom of the driven element, draw 2-45 degree angles off the dashed lines, then down about a half-wavelength draw two lines, straight, extending from the dashed "ground" lines. It's still the basic groundplane with just the extra "reflective plane". It's not going to be "the greatest thing since sliced bread", but it will give better than average, omni-directional reception. If you need better, directional reception, then a yagi or quad will fill-the-bill. If given the choice, between the two, I'd go with the quad and vertically polarized. The quad is a "quieter" antenna to 'electrical noise'.

I not only keep up with old designed antennas, but the new one's that come along. Antennas are like fishing lures, they catch more fishermen, than fish, ROFL! A LOT of antenna manufacturer's make wild claims as to performance because they are comparing them to a theoretical "free space", isotropic, radiator. There ain't no such "animule"....LOL! SO, it keeps them out of trouble with the FTC for "false advertising". :-( I don't have a metal-working, machine shop, so I have to improvise when necessary. I have built this "Double Groundplane" some years ago, put it on a 40' mast and used it for 2 meters. I was able to work farther repeaters than the simple groundplane, so I know it DOES work. Right now, I'm looking at building a "Slim Jim" antenna from www.hamuniverse.com. It's a modified J-pole. It "claims" to "hear" better than the standard, J-pole and I'm building it for the hi-band VHF portion for fire and police reception.

Well, I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving, I know we did. If you're reading this, you probably are missing the bargains for "Black Friday", LOL!

It's going to rain here in the Ark-La-Tex and I'm staying put here at home. I know traffic will be a "mess" and the scanner ought to be very active.

GOD BLESS,
Respectfully submitted,
Don/KA5LQJ

"GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC!"

 

[prcguy]

We have learned a lot since the 1950s like there is no need to cut ground radials 5% longer, just make them the same as the active vertical element. Bending the ground radials down at 45deg is also not necessary. If the ground plane was a solid sheet the feed point impedance can be as low as 35 ohms but with only 3 or 4 ground radials it will match just fine to 50 ohms. Bending the radials down RAISES the impedance closer to 75ohms, not 50 ohms. The sub set of radials will help slightly for a single band antenna but for multiband scanner use it doesn't make sense to do this. You can however add a 6" and 3" vertical element along side the 18" one for 450 and 800MHz, just separate them at the top by an inch or so.
prcguy

Morning Eric, All, ;-)

No, I don't have any pictures, no camera, but this antenna was a commercially-built antenna in the 1950's and '60's for the hi-band vhf business radios. It was advertised in several, then communications magazines and ham magazines and even in some old ARRL Handbooks. I'll have to look for the company's name, but they are probably out of business, now.

Basically, it's the standard groundplane, radials bent down 45 degrees, with a sub-set of radials a half-wave down and those are parallel to the ground. The coax, essentially only connects both sets of radials together to give it a better reflective plane, lowering the "take-off" angle, allowing a "flatter" (5 degree) pattern for both transmit and receive. The center conductor is just a "pass-through" to the transceiver or receiver. The connected "grounds" also go back to the radio.

Picture a schematic drawing for coax, the dashed lines on both sides with a solid line in the center going upwards. At the top of the center line, extend it to represent the driven element. Now, perpendicular to the bottom of the driven element, draw 2-45 degree angles off the dashed lines, then down about a half-wavelength draw two lines, straight, extending from the dashed "ground" lines. It's still the basic groundplane with just the extra "reflective plane". It's not going to be "the greatest thing since sliced bread", but it will give better than average, omni-directional reception. If you need better, directional reception, then a yagi or quad will fill-the-bill. If given the choice, between the two, I'd go with the quad and vertically polarized. The quad is a "quieter" antenna to 'electrical noise'.

I not only keep up with old designed antennas, but the new one's that come along. Antennas are like fishing lures, they catch more fishermen, than fish, ROFL! A LOT of antenna manufacturer's make wild claims as to performance because they are comparing them to a theoretical "free space", isotropic, radiator. There ain't no such "animule"....LOL! SO, it keeps them out of trouble with the FTC for "false advertising". :-( I don't have a metal-working, machine shop, so I have to improvise when necessary. I have built this "Double Groundplane" some years ago, put it on a 40' mast and used it for 2 meters. I was able to work farther repeaters than the simple groundplane, so I know it DOES work. Right now, I'm looking at building a "Slim Jim" antenna from www.hamuniverse.com. It's a modified J-pole. It "claims" to "hear" better than the standard, J-pole and I'm building it for the hi-band VHF portion for fire and police reception.

Well, I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving, I know we did. If you're reading this, you probably are missing the bargains for "Black Friday", LOL!

It's going to rain here in the Ark-La-Tex and I'm staying put here at home. I know traffic will be a "mess" and the scanner ought to be very active.

GOD BLESS,
Respectfully submitted,
Don/KA5LQJ

"GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC!"

 

[rfradioconsult]

Cushcraft used a separate set of three radials 1/2 wavelength below the actual antenna. Ringo Ranger II if I remember correctly; the kit contained the radials with a ring to mount them to the mast and a double so-239 fitting and a precut length of RG-8 with connectors.