Looking for antenna options for my situation

[Facsimile]

I've been trying to come up with a solution to getting better signal at 800mhz. Below is what I have thought of:

1. Traditional antenna outside on house/on mast. Can't due to HOA.
2. Attic antenna. Maybe, but I don't have any coax runs that go up there. Plus, most of the coax runs in the house are 50-85 feet+ in length according to my tracer.
3. A REM-830B Base Antenna. I have a REM-820S and it works, but was hoping for even better reception.

I get insanely good reception outside just 10 feet to my left, but my wife won't let me drill any holes in the exterior walls and I want to avoid it myself. Is there any other options that I could consider? Would filters/pre-amps help? I know absolutely nothing about those.

Thank you.

 

[mmckenna]

Is the signal you are trying to receive coming from one tower, or one general direction? A directional antenna might help. If the radio works a few feet over, can you stick a temporary antenna there and connect it back to the radio?

Getting the antenna up as high as you can (within HOA and Wifey restrictions) is a good thing to try. That can get your antenna away from noise sources inside the home. It will also get you above local obstructions.

Home construction can play into this also. Modern homes can sometimes have energy efficient materials that can effectively block RF. "Low-E" energy efficient windows can block RF. Foil backed vapor barrier/insulation can block RF. Aluminum siding, metal lath behind plaster/stucco, HVAC ducting, wiring, and copper pipes can all be problematic.
Sometimes the attic is far enough away from the noise and there may not be building materials up there that will block the signals, unless you have a metal roof.

One good test is to take the scanner and antenna up in the attic and see if performance is improved. If it is, an antenna up there with some good coaxial cable down to your radio might do the trick.

 

[bearcatrp]

Dump the wife and star drilling holes! No way to put an antenna in the attic without coax coming down to your room. Or, you can sit your ass up in the attic to listen.

 

[Facsimile]

Dump the wife and star drilling holes! No way to put an antenna in the attic without coax coming down to your room. Or, you can sit your ass up in the attic to listen.

I interestingly found an post HERE and was wondering if something like this would perform better than a Remtronix antenna in the 800mhz area? I noticed you posted in it too!

Is the signal you are trying to receive coming from one tower, or one general direction?

I'm kinda in the center of three areas of interest so I'd like to stay omnidirectional if possible.

One good test is to take the scanner and antenna up in the attic and see if performance is improved. If it is, an antenna up there with some good coaxial cable down to your radio might do the trick.

I'll give this a shot.

If the radio works a few feet over, can you stick a temporary antenna there and connect it back to the radio?

I didn't explain this well at all. I intended to say that on the other side of the wall is outdoors and outdoors is significantly better even on the ground floor next to the house.

 

[mmckenna]

I interestingly found an post HERE and was wondering if something like this would perform better than a Remtronix antenna in the 800mhz area? I noticed you posted in it too!

I'm kinda in the center of three areas of interest so I'd like to stay omnidirectional if possible.

OK, the discone you linked to above might work, but using it inside the house may not show and improvement. Getting it up in the attic, if the attic is clear, might be all you need. You might even be able to bogart some old cable TV cable to route it down to the radio without upsetting wife.

I'll give this a shot.

I didn't explain this well at all. I intended to say that on the other side of the wall is outdoors and outdoors is significantly better even on the ground floor next to the house.

Ah, OK, and outdoors get the HOA Karens on your case.

 

[bearcatrp]

I interestingly found an post HERE and was wondering if something like this would perform better than a Remtronix antenna in the 800mhz area? I noticed you posted in it too!

I'm kinda in the center of three areas of interest so I'd like to stay omnidirectional if possible.

I'll give this a shot.

I didn't explain this well at all. I intended to say that on the other side of the wall is outdoors and outdoors is significantly better even on the ground floor next to the house.

The D220R did a good job on a floor lamp pole until I could put an outdoor antenna outside. You can try it to see if would work.

 

[Brales60]

Dump the wife and star drilling holes! No way to put an antenna in the attic without coax coming down to your room. Or, you can sit your ass up in the attic to listen.

Lol, drill the holes. I'm lucky, my wife likes listening too. Tell the HOA it's a TV antenna. Basically what I'll do if someone complains, but nobody has seeing I've been here about 30 years and it's been since August. I used an Omni X, but I can see a discone getting more attention.

 

[KMG54]

Public 800 systems are received on handhelds inside of buildings. Put the little Diamond discone on your deck or patio and enjoy.

 

[KMG54]

Or this. Laird TE Connectivity MBC800LBT - Mobile Antenna To Base Convertors | The Antenna Farm and this Larsen NMO150/450/800 - Receiver Scanner Mobile Antennas | The Antenna Farm You would be suprised what you will hear.

 

[KMG54]

You might want to get it just above your roofline. but will work great a couple feet of the ground.

 

[KMG54]

I use DSD+fastlane with a donlge works fine with the retromix 800 antenna, with the little discone sitting on my deck need to turn the gain down to 4.

 

[trap5858]

set up the discone in your bedroom. Before too long your wife will either be hanging clothes on it or she will want it out of the house so badly she will let you drill a hole!

 

[trimmerj]

set up the discone in your bedroom. Before too long your wife will either be hanging clothes on it or she will want it out of the house so badly she will let you drill a hole!

I had a yagi on a mic stand in the bedroom for a bit. Wasn't too popular with the Mrs.

 

[mmckenna]

I had a yagi on a mic stand in the bedroom for a bit. Wasn't too popular with the Mrs.

You obviously failed your marketing classes, didn't you?

It's not a Yagi antenna. It's a drying rack for delicate clothing with RF heating element to reduce drying times.

 

[dave3825]

I had a yagi on a mic stand in the bedroom for a bit. Wasn't too popular with the Mrs.

I still do and she hates it. I just keep changing the subject every time she brings it up