Tram Browning Junk?

[Robotech2112]

I have a BR-6283 that I installed on my roof 30 feet up for the purpose of 800 Mhz monitoring. Coax 50 ft of RG-213. I could barely hear anything beyond 8 miles. I checked coax, connectors and came to conclusion that the antenna is defective.

I live in Dundee Twp , MI and could not receive the Washtenaw Co site for MPSCS tower at Bemis Rd some 8 miles north with this BR-6283. Get this... I installed my 2 meter Ringo Ranger on the same tripod and can now receive the Bemis Rd tower site with no clipping. A 2 meter ( 20 years old too)..outperforming a supposed 800 MHZ 3db gain antenna?

I measured the resistance with a DMM; center conductor to the outer conductor on this Tram Browning BR-6283 and I get almost 0 Ohms. Is this right? Or is this antenna shorted out?

Any experience with Antenna Farm on defective returns?

QUESTION #2> Regards Washtenaw County Sheriff Michigan Main TGID. The data base has listings for EAST and WEST Dispatch. I only seem to pick up Ann Arbor City Police on the TGID 2191 for WEST.

Where is WCSD Dispatch WEST?

Thanks.

 

[ko6jw_2]

How did you check the coax and connectors? Did you try them with another antenna?

A 0 ohm reading may not indicate a short. What is a low resistance at DC is not necessarily an RF short. It depends on the antenna design. Your Ringo Ranger will show a DC short because of the way its fed.

The antenna you bought is a 5/8 wave and should not present a DC short. Did you test the antenna without the coax? I've looked at this antenna and am not sure from the picture how it works because normally a 5/8 wave antenna requires a ground plane.

You have not isolated all the variables based on what you are telling us and so its hard to tell where the problem is.

 

[WA0CBW]

Disconnect the coax from the antenna. If you see the same "0" ohms then you have a shorted coax.
BB

 

[Robotech2112]

How did you check the coax and connectors? Did you try them with another antenna?

A 0 ohm reading may not indicate a short. What is a low resistance at DC is not necessarily an RF short. It depends on the antenna design. Your Ringo Ranger will show a DC short because of the way its fed.

The antenna you bought is a 5/8 wave and should not present a DC short. Did you test the antenna without the coax? I've looked at this antenna and am not sure from the picture how it works because normally a 5/8 wave antenna requires a ground plane.

You have not isolated all the variables based on what you are telling us and so its hard to tell where the problem is.

Thanks for your reply.

I did try the coax and connectors with another antenna after I did a continuity check on both. Coax and connectors passed with flying colors. I then hooked them up to my 2 meter Ringo Ranger cut to 28 inches and it works really well. It out performs this Tram Browning antenna I speak of.

I also tested this antenna without thew coax and used a coat hanger wire to connect it to the back of the scanner. The telescopic antenna that came with the BCD996XT out performed this Tram by a long ways.

Even a Monroe County Tower site that is 6 miles away would come in "clipping audio" with the Tram hooked to back of set, whereas the telescopic is near full quieting.

I AM picking up the Washtenaw Tower on Bemis Rd at US-23 with the Ringo on the roof at 30 ft whereas the Tram did not receive it at all. I live near Cabelas (SW). There are no variables remaining but the Tram Antenna. I honestly believe I got a bad one.

 

[N5TWB]

Please define "clipping audio" as I'm not sure what you mean by that term.

 

[Robotech2112]

Clipping Audio. The sound made when a marginal digital signal is cutting in and out.

 

[nanoject]

It could be the antenna is picking up more/stronger radio signals and this could create Intermod/overload and desense the frontend of the radio. Have you tried another radio? Do you have a nearby cell tower?