Recommend outdoor antenna for BC75LT?

[newfie5150]

Recommend outdoor antenna for BC75XLT

Hi was looking at getting a small outdoor antenna for my BC75XLT i live in a apartment building with a balcony but can’t but to intrusive and expensive lol I should mention I do have Watson W-881 Super Ganier should I just stick with using that?Thanks

 

[Ubbe]

It's a completly different ball game when you start to use an external antenna. Only if you are satisfied with hearing only your local transmitters would it be unneccesary to use a better antenna than the one you already have.

If you wish to monitor transmitters far away, perhaps in another county, you'll need to use a coax cable and a bigger outside antenna.

If you have the building blocking half the directions seen from the balcony there's no reson to get an antenna that receives from an omni direction, it will add all the interferencies from your apartments electronics. Look at something like this antenna type:
https://www.scannermaster.com/SpectrumForce_Yagi_Base_400_960Mhz_7dBi_p/01-541955.htm

/Ubbe

 

[N8IAA]

Hi was looking at getting a small outdoor antenna for my BC75XLT i live in a apartment building with a balcony but can’t but to intrusive and expensive lol I should mention I do have Watson W-881 Super Ganier should I just stick with using that?Thanks

Since it seems that Edmonton is either P-25, NXDN, or DMR, you're pretty much limited to VHF aircraft and railroad frequencies.

If you can locate a mag mount base with a BNC connector on it, you could add the 881 to make it a base antenna. Put it on a metal cookie sheet, file cabinet, or anything else the magnet will stick on. You should have lots of luck with that set up.

Larry

 

[iMONITOR]

Hi was looking at getting a small outdoor antenna for my BC75XLT i live in a apartment building with a balcony but can’t but to intrusive and expensive lol I should mention I do have Watson W-881 Super Ganier should I just stick with using that?Thanks

What are you trying to accomplish, improve what bands/frequencies? From all directions, or just one?

 

[ka3jjz]

If you have some building skills, the Off Center Fed Dipole is a winner for you - highly unobtrusive...

Homebrewed Off-Center Fed Dipole - The RadioReference Wiki

Mike

 

[chief21]

If you have some building skills, the Off Center Fed Dipole is a winner for you - highly unobtrusive...

I built one of these for the outside terrace at my condo apartment and it has worked out well. Not easily recognizable as an antenna.

-John

 

[bob550]

Another possibility is to use your Watson antenna with this: https://www.scannermaster.com/Duckie_Suction_Mount_with_BNC_p/13-540574.htm placed on the inside of any nearby window. I use one with a Diamond RH778CA connected to my Uniden 536HP. Obviously, as would any antenna mounted on your balcony, reception will be somewhat limited on the opposite side of the building.

 

[newfie5150]

Thanks for everyone’s input

 

[newfie5150]

Off Center Dipole Antenna

So would a homemade Off Center Dipole Antenna made with copper pipe be good for indoors also?and would half inch pipe be good? Thanks

 

[popnokick]

All antennas work better outdoors than indoors. But yes, the Off Center Dipole here in the RR Antenna Wiki can be used indoors. I.... and many others.... have them in our attics. 1/2 in. pipe is fine.

 

[newfie5150]

Ok I made the antenna lol turn out great quick question if say attach a short piece of rg 6 cable on to the bauhn with a coupler so I can unattach my longer piece of rg 6 for say storage with that effect the signal also say if I put the hole anntena in PCV pipe to water proof it will that effect the signal?thanks sorry for being a pain lol

 

[popnokick]

Assuming that “turn out great” means it’s working as expected, then glad you like it. Regarding PVC enclosure... use PVC that has no metal content, metal paint, or other coating. There’s another thread here on RR regarding PVC enclosures over antennas. But because I’m replying on a smartphone I’ll let you or someone else search for that.

 

[newfie5150]

Thanks for all the help everyone so would it be a problem with using a short piece of rg 6 with a joiner on to the longer piece of rg 6 just for quick storage until I decide to mount it outside?i think you know what I’m talking about like would that compromise the signal?thanks

 

[popnokick]

There would be negligible signal loss. Use a double female F connector to join the two RG6 cables.

 

[newfie5150]

So there would be signal loss?if that’s the case I wont being doing that

 

[popnokick]

All connectors introduce some loss. “Negligible” means very little. So little loss that you will have trouble measuring it, let alone noticing it by ear or a signal meter. Put the pigtail on the OCFD and use an F barrel connector. If it’s going to be outdoors be sure to wrap it with self-sealing tape such as Nashua Stretch-N-Seal or equivalent.

 

[majoco]

Does your HOA allow you to put plants in pots on your balcony? Easy enough to disguise an antenna made from green insulated wire among the foliage. I had a 2m ham band 5/8 vertical which worked well enough hidden like that.

 

[newfie5150]

I might add a angle connector to the end of my scanner to relieve stress and might paint it with Flexseal paint or Plastic Dip paint

 

[popnokick]

Hoping that pic is not your installed antenna. For what you are listening to (public safety and LMR... even aircraft... you should have the antenna vertically oriented. The way it’s shown in the pic is horizontally polarized. You can expect a 10-20 DB improvement by turning it to vertical polarization.

 

[newfie5150]

Sorry lol the pic is sideways took it on my iPad came out that way