Problems with 800 Mhz Antenna

[NFR85]

I live in Nashua,NH and I have a Uniden BCD99XT. I have several telescope antennas I believe are 800 MHz and 1 mobile 800 MHz Antenna that can plug into the back of the scanner. My problem I'm having is when Nashua tones out I do not hear it.

I thought they stopped using the tones so I listened to the Nashua Fire Feed and they still use it. I move the antenna a bit to get the tones but it will come in static. I'm also using Proscan Client to record my calls so I cannot move scanner to a different location. This happened about a month ago. Never had any problems up until that time.


Any ideas on what I can do?

Also I cannot install a scanner antenna on the roof as its too much $$$


Thank You

 

[troymail]

Tones are likely transmitted on the 151.25 Mhz frequency (and not on an 800Mhz trunked system/frequency**) which potentially can be received with an 800Mhz antenna but that's not optimal.

** I see the Nashua trunked system does have a TGID of 32688 which is labeled Tone Alert -- if you're hearing voice on this system then I would suspect if they are sending tones over this talkgroup and you have it programmed in your radio, you should not have trouble receiving that TG....

Can you provide any further info?

 

[NFR85]

Troy I have it locked on 151.250 MHz which is there tone out. I sometimes hear the tones going off if I angle the antenna the right way. I like to keep it locked on that so I don't have to hear all the other stuff going on and when I hear a good call I would scan it. That's all the information I have.

 

[n5ims]

An 800 MHz antenna will do a pretty poor job on the VHF-Hi band, which is where 151.250 MHz is located. Try to find an antenna designed for the VHF-Hi band and you should have much better results. Antennas work best for the band or bands they're designed for and work hit-or-miss (at best) everywhere else.

Using an antenna on a band where it isn't designed to work is like using a red filter to try and see a green light. If the light is bright enough, you may see some light through the filter, but it won't be green.

 

[popnokick]

Here is a dirt cheap antenna that addresses several of your issues, which I read as:
- Needs to be an indoor antenna
- Needs to work very well at VHF
- Must not require you to move your scanner
- Must be low cost

The 2nd version shown in the article below (scroll down) is made of inexpensive wire and parts you can get at RadioCrap or your local home store for about $8-$10. 30 min of your time to put it together and you're done. Hang it in a 2nd story window (if possible) or better in your attic/crawlspace. It WILL improve your VHF reception!

Homebrewed Off-Center Fed Dipole - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[NFR85]

An 800 MHz antenna will do a pretty poor job on the VHF-Hi band, which is where 151.250 MHz is located. Try to find an antenna designed for the VHF-Hi band and you should have much better results. Antennas work best for the band or bands they're designed for and work hit-or-miss (at best) everywhere else.

Using an antenna on a band where it isn't designed to work is like using a red filter to try and see a green light. If the light is bright enough, you may see some light through the filter, but it won't be green.

Just seems weird I've been using a telescope antenna for years and never had a problem until now

 

[popnokick]

The symptoms you wrote about all point to one thing: Not enough signal... which means not enough antenna on your end. What changed? There is a long list of possibilities... but one thing is certain: Something changed.

 

[NFR85]

An 800 MHz antenna will do a pretty poor job on the VHF-Hi band, which is where 151.250 MHz is located. Try to find an antenna designed for the VHF-Hi band and you should have much better results. Antennas work best for the band or bands they're designed for and work hit-or-miss (at best) everywhere else.

Using an antenna on a band where it isn't designed to work is like using a red filter to try and see a green light. If the light is bright enough, you may see some light through the filter, but it won't be green.

The symptoms you wrote about all point to one thing: Not enough signal... which means not enough antenna on your end. What changed? There is a long list of possibilities... but one thing is certain: Something changed.

The only thing I can think of is Nashua changed and its a more powerful signal over the course of the month. I didn't read anywhere or hear from anyone that was done, That doesn't mean it wasn't done.

 

[NFR85]

The only thing I can think of is Nashua changed and its a more powerful signal over the course of the month. I didn't read anywhere or hear from anyone that was done, That doesn't mean it wasn't done.

My feed that I host the tones go off same antenna but the one thats on my desk is a different story