Is an attic antenna better than livingroom?

[howie38]

Just a passing curiosity. I'm in a one-story duplex side by side apartment using the back of the set antenna that came with the BDC996P2. Would putting an antenna in the windowless attic above me receive better than my Livingroom with windows? And are there some better back of the radio antennas out there. My county is on the digital trunk P25 system
Control ch is 771.6312 if that helps

 

[doctordialtone]

Would putting an antenna in the windowless attic above me receive better than my Livingroom with windows? And are there some better back of the radio antennas out there. My county is on the digital trunk P25 system
Control ch is 771.6312 if that helps

The answer depends upon this simple question.

Which location gives the best chance for the signal to reach the antenna.

Take in to consideration elevation, obstructions, building materials and thickness, and antenna orientation.

If in doubt, just test different locations.

Good luck.

 

[WRQS621]

Any antenna is better than no antenna. I have a 9:1 Balun/Gutter antenna that I made a contact to France QRP. All depends on the weather, sun, and many other factors. Kind of like fishing.

 

[marksmith]

If your roof is well insulated, especially with some of the newer materials, you might be a lot better off a floor below at a window.

Just had a new roof installed. One TV upstairs was on basic antenna up in attic. A lot of channels went away with a better roof.

 

[mass-man]

a test is in your future. Determine a spot in the attic where an antenna will fit, hopefully near an open end...how much cable it takes to get there. Now install the antenna and see how it works. Then take it down and try the window. You could use the same length of cable to keep things equal, but probably the window install will be close to your antenna, so less loss in the cable. Depending on your scanning preferences, a directional antenna might make all the difference in the world.

 

[MUTNAV]

If you can arrange it, sometimes it's better to have antennas at both locations and switch between them quickly, probably doesn't matter in the frequency range you are working in, but at HF its important to be able to switch antennas quickly since propagation can change faster than a person can move antennas.

Thanks
Joel

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, only way to answer that question is to take the scanner up there and see if it works better.

As mentioned, some building materials can be RF blocking. Aluminum siding, metal plaster/stucco lath, insulation with foil vapor barrier, HVAC ducts, wiring, copper pipes, cast iron pipes, neighbors RF Noisemakers, all are things that can make performance worse.

Usually, getting the antenna up higher is a good thing, and up in the attic MAY be better.

Or, down close to a window where the RF can get through might be better.

Time to experiment.

 

[howie38]

Today the scanner got so busy with traffic from all around that county that I shut it off. Tonight, I heard my town get dispatched to an alarm apox 2 miles away. Turned it back on and nothing. Not even sign-ons from the station that I can actually see from where I live. But while typing this I heard EMS from a town on the other side of the county.