800 MHZ Antenna

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73cuda

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I can recommend the 800mhz antenna from radio shack, I was very skeptical of it until I got one and tried it. Now I'm really impressed with it. I live in a location that 800mhz reception isn't the greatest and this thing made a tremendous improvement.
 

mibzzer15

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+1 on the RS 800mhz antenna...I actually am about to grab a new one because the one I have now got caught on the corner of a weirdly shape table and sorta got bent real bad....its still not broken at all, just all bent up and i dont like that....
 

SCPD

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I use the Laird EXE806. It is a 8" 1/2 wave antenna with SMA or BNC or other connectors:
Item # EXE806, Tuf Duck® Portables Antenna on Laird Technologies
EXE-806-SM - Google Search
EXE-806-BN - Google Search

They go for about $28.

Yep the Laird antennas are great if you're *just* going for the 800mhz band only and/or looking for a stealthy option.

Thru a recommendation on this site, I tried the Watson 801 antenna and it's has really impressive wideband coverage including 700/800mhz. I was so impressed that I don't use anything else now. It's that good.

BNC

https://www.scannermaster.com/W_801_Regular_Gainer_BNC_Portable_Antenna_p/28-541172.htm

SMA

https://www.scannermaster.com/WSMA_801_Regular_Gainer_SMA_Portable_Antenna_p/28-541178.htm
 

robkermit

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Bakersville, NC
I got this one. For my 396T. I broke two of the SMA to BNC connectors putting scanner in my pocket. Problem solved. Great coverage too! Still trying to find out if it's a good antenna to pick up 700 MHz frequencies (I would say so but have yet to really confirm it)
 

robkermit

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I will have to check it out. I like the 800 antenna because it's not too big. But it doesn't do the greatest in the world when in the vehicle. I'm looking to get a vehicle antenna that I can mount on the trunk and wire straight into the scanner (and probably get a scanner that I can affix to the inside of the car too)
 

lowboy654

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I got this one. For my 396T. I broke two of the SMA to BNC connectors putting scanner in my pocket. Problem solved. Great coverage too! Still trying to find out if it's a good antenna to pick up 700 MHz frequencies (I would say so but have yet to really confirm it)

Now that I am looking back, what antenna do you have?, are you looking for a 800 Mhz or a 700 Mhz antenna, Please note there is a antenna forum here.

Antennas and Associated Hardware - The RadioReference.com Forums
 

SCPD

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Thanks for digging up a old dead thread, but hands down, if you want a good 800Mhz antenna this is it.I have three of them and its money well spent, if you want 800 Mhz this is it.

Ken, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine took my RS800 antenna to work and put it on his fancy (and very expensive) analyzer. At the time, he sent me a couple of JPGs of its performance and it was actually quite poor.

Its SWR was around ~4 from 850-870 Mhz and the bandwidth was quite narrow. That's quite terrible considering most 800 Mhz radios have low power output (3W) -- so in effect, that antenna would only put 2W out between 850-870 Mhz.

He compared it to my Laird 800 Mhz antenna (8.5") and its SWR was 1.5-2 from 850-870 but still stayed within ~4 range from 820-900 Mhz.

I'll see if I can dig up the JPGs...
 

lowboy654

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Ken, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine took my RS800 antenna to work and put it on his fancy (and very expensive) analyzer. At the time, he sent me a couple of JPGs of its performance and it was actually quite poor.

Its SWR was around ~4 from 850-870 Mhz and the bandwidth was quite narrow. That's quite terrible considering most 800 Mhz radios have low power output (3W) -- so in effect, that antenna would only put 2W out between 850-870 Mhz.

He compared it to my Laird 800 Mhz antenna (8.5") and its SWR was 1.5-2 from 850-870 but still stayed within ~4 range from 820-900 Mhz.

I'll see if I can dig up the JPGs...
Sounds great Nick, I will look around and see about getting one.
 
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