scanner/antenna opinion

[sbirroscan]

OK folks I read all the posts about the new Uni. As some of you know I provide 4 feeds and one is down because of Pender County NC being on VIPER digital. I will eventually be in the market for a Digital, and want to hear what you the experts say is better. I can see looks, the Uni. wins. I hear everyone say sound wins it too. Only a few of y'all say the GRE picks up better. Are there several UNBIASED folks out there, who have owned both a while, and can say which is better at picking up faint signals in the 800Mhz range? How about ease of use? So to all you unbiased Uniden/GRE simultaneus owners, who can say which is better (I hope the 996xt.... cuz I like Blue! and if it has soooooo many features) please come forward. BTW I realize it's only been out a few months but to be sure someone has had it from the start. Now regarding an outdoor base scanner antenna I have been reading up and find differing opinions, Since I will be mostrly scanning 800Mhz, I dont think a discone is best, so what is y'alls opinion on J-pole and groundplane (IN TERMS OF HOMADE STUFF). I have a pretty pricey discone, but like I said I do mostly 800Mhz scanning so i would prefer to custom make an antenna and it be specific for my freqs. I am using a mast which would put the antenna top at about 35 feet off the ground. I also have premium cabling so that is not an issue. I will be attemting to pick up signals from 3 to 20 miles away, as I am not only feeding local county but 2 surrounding counties. Any input is truly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[sjlamb]

C'mon..... Who u kidding? You've already made up your mind. I think you've already duly observed that you don't find much in the way of "bad press" on the newer Uniden digitals and their enviable list of user features.. Go with your gut...

As for antennas.... let the debate rage. But... from only 3-20 miles out, I don't think you'll find alot of improvement over a quality discone mounted at a decent elevation.

 

[brey1234]

ham antenna

As a ham radio op I have found that the best antennas for scanning are those for ham use.
I have a Diamond tri bander, omni, at my home. It covers low vhf-vhf and uhf with GAIN. Not to knock discones but with them there is NO gain ;-(

 

[sjlamb]

As a ham radio op I have found that the best antennas for scanning are those for ham use.
I have a Diamond tri bander, omni, at my home. It covers low vhf-vhf and uhf with GAIN. Not to knock discones but with them there is NO gain ;-(

Agreed... but with a cited range needed of 3-20 miles for primarily 800 mHz systems; his discone may be just perfect. Depending on his local RF environment, a (+) gain antenna could actually hurt. Of course, the only way to know for sure is to experiment.

 

[sbirroscan]

well the discone is 25-1300Mhz. I am trying to pickup signals 20 mi away. my discone may be ok for multi freq I want to build a dedicated one for 800 Mhz for farther signals

 

[sjlamb]

I am trying to pickup signals 30 mi away. my discone may be ok for multi freq I want to build a dedicated one for 800 Mhz for farther signals

Your desired ranged has changed from your original post and thus, will affect the recommendations of others.

For max. gain in any one direction, I would consider a Yago specifically cut for the 800 mHz band.

 

[sbirroscan]

Your desired ranged has changed from your original post and thus, will affect the recommendations of others.

For max. gain in any one direction, I would consider a Yago specifically cut for the 800 mHz band.

Nah just a typo. Although 30 mi might be a better guess since I am not sure where pender county's closest tower is. I was planning on making a homemade j-pole or dipole specific for 860 Mhz since the freq's around here range from 850 to 861 I think. I will have to look up a yago not 2 familiar with that one. Does anyone know where I can get a good diagram of a balun? all the images I see online have more than two wires. I was under the impression it was a RF supressor for the coax therefore there should not be more than 2 wires one for the ground one for the center conductor. Thanks again in advance SJ (and others)

 

[W4KRR]

Look here:

Yagi Antennas | Antenna Guy USA

or here:

Comtelco Yagi Antennas for UHF, 800/900 MHz & 1.8/2.4 GHz Information Page

or here:

Rooftop Antennas

 

[sbirroscan]

thanx ken

 

[rvictor]

Does anyone know where I can get a good diagram of a balun? all the images I see online have more than two wires. I was under the impression it was a RF supressor for the coax therefore there should not be more than 2 wires one for the ground one for the center conductor. Thanks again in advance SJ (and others)

Here's a link to a homebrew 4:1 balun.

RogerTango.com - Build a 4:1 voltage BALUN

A balun is a device to convert a balanced line to unbalanced or vice versa. Thus, the name bal un. There are many varieties for many purposes, but the most common will have a coax connector on one "end" (the unbalanced line) and two wires on the other "end" for the balanced line. Baluns are also used to change impedence. This is a gross simplification of a complex topic. There's lots more that you can read about them on the web. Just Google "balun".

Dick

 

[sbirroscan]

should a magnet be used?

 

[sjlamb]

Here's a link to a homebrew 4:1 balun.

RogerTango.com - Build a 4:1 voltage BALUN

A balun is a device to convert a balanced line to unbalanced or vice versa. Thus, the name bal un. There are many varieties for many purposes, but the most common will have a coax connector on one "end" (the unbalanced line) and two wires on the other "end" for the balanced line. Baluns are also used to change impedence. This is a gross simplification of a complex topic. There's lots more that you can read about them on the web. Just Google "balun".

Dick

Yeah, Dick.... Dat's da ticket.

 

[sbirroscan]

balun

does the balun need a magnet for the coil? I have seen many with and without

 

[gmclam]

Only a few of y'all say the GRE picks up better. Are there several UNBIASED folks out there, who have owned both a while, and can say which is better at picking up faint signals in the 800Mhz range?

I've got several GREs here right now and a BCD3996T. Reception on the BCD3996T is pathetic. Now it could be interference from nearby electronics causing the reduction in reception, but the GREs are in the same environment.

How about ease of use?

It is really nice to be able to control the BCD3996T from the computer, but the scanner's own user interface is horrible. They clearly intend people to use a PC or remote head to run these things. I can drive my GREs blindly (without looking at the display) while driving, I can not do that with the BCD3996T.

(I hope the 996xt.... cuz I like Blue!

If the display backlight color is your main criterion in selecting a scanner, expect problems.

and if it has soooooo many features) please come forward.

If you want features, go with Uniden. If you want reception, go with GRE. If you want both, go with someone else and expect to pay a LOT more.

Since I will be mostrly scanning 800Mhz, I dont think a discone is best, so what is y'alls opinion on J-pole and groundplane (IN TERMS OF HOMADE STUFF) .... I will be attemting to pick up signals from 3 to 20 miles away, as I am not only feeding local county but 2 surrounding counties.

It sounds like you want to receive 800MHz signals in a single direction. What you need is a yagi (think UH TV antenna on its side).

 

[sjlamb]

I've got several GREs here right now and a BCD3996T. Reception on the BCD3996T is pathetic.

Good thing the OP didn't mention the 3996T... only the 996XT. BTW.... What the heck is a BCD3996T??? Is it some type of "concept" model?? That may be why it's pathetic. Many concept models are.

It is really nice to be able to control the BCD3996T from the computer, but the scanner's own user interface is horrible. They clearly intend people to use a PC or remote head to run these things. I can drive my GREs blindly (without looking at the display) while driving, I can not do that with the BCD3996T.

Better still that he didn't mention the double-knot unknown 3996T.

If the display backlight color is your main criterion in selecting a scanner, expect problems.

I must have missed where he wrote that "backlight color was his main criterion".

If you want features, go with Uniden. If you want reception, go with GRE. If you want both, go with someone else and expect to pay a LOT more.

If you want both better features AND better reception than either GRE or the mystery 3996T.... Go with either the 996XT ot the 396XT. Kinda think of it as "THE BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL"!!!

It sounds like you want to receive 800MHz signals in a single direction. What you need is a yagi (think UH TV antenna on its side).

Correct..... and a good reiteration of what was recommended earlier in the thread. Maybe he can get a blue one.... ya know, to match the display on his new 996XT. Sounds nice, eh?

And finally.... whatever you do.... we don't want to confuse a Yagi with a Yogi. The latter is a reference to either a bear or a really funny baseball coach. Got it Boo Boo?

 

[gmclam]

Bcd396t

Good thing the OP didn't mention the 3996T... only the 996XT. BTW.... What the heck is a BCD3996T??? Is it some type of "concept" model?? That may be why it's pathetic. Many concept models are.

LOL. Well it's too late too edit my post. Thanks for pointing out my finger-heaviness on the 9 key. It is a BCD396T.

 

[sbirroscan]

Wow I'm touched... everyone fighting over my thread. Well fact is the info on "yogi" helped a lot. One transmitter is about 5 miles south of me, the other about 10 (digital analog respectively). The one I am looking to tune into as well is somewhere in Pender and I'll have to research that, but seriously, the yagi looks like a grat possibility (3x maybe). I might even tinker with either a dipole and a jpole. Thanks all 4 the input. If anyone wants to slam GRE or Uni keep 'em comin' I'm still not 100% sure of either.

Good thing the OP didn't mention the 3996T... only the 996XT. BTW.... What the heck is a BCD3996T??? Is it some type of "concept" model?? That may be why it's pathetic. Many concept models are.



Better still that he didn't mention the double-knot unknown 3996T.



I must have missed where he wrote that "backlight color was his main criterion".



If you want both better features AND better reception than either GRE or the mystery 3996T.... Go with either the 996XT ot the 396XT. Kinda think of it as "THE BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL"!!!



Correct..... and a good reiteration of what was recommended earlier in the thread. Maybe he can get a blue one.... ya know, to match the display on his new 996XT. Sounds nice, eh?

And finally.... whatever you do.... we don't want to confuse a Yagi with a Yogi. The latter is a reference to either a bear or a really funny baseball coach. Got it Boo Boo?

 

[sjlamb]

With targeting multiple towers, you must give great consideration to the direction pattern of the Yagi. It is a DIRECTIONAL antenna that is pointed directly at the target site, with considerable dampening of signals from the rear and to a lesser degree, the sides.

If all your sites just happen to line up, it may just be fine. If two of them are in line and the third is to your rear, you will have weaker reception on that rear site and could even lose it altogether depending on distance, terrain, etc.

 

[pliquett]

Here is my 2 cents. When it comes to these digital scanners it's all about location and receiving the signal. I have a PSR600 base that does a decent job but the PSR500 handheld sitting right next to it has problems. I can take the PSR500 to my parents house about 3 miles away and it is night and day difference. Seems that there is some sort of interference near my home that effects the 500 and not the 600. Before people start asking they both have the same model antenna. If I was to start over again I would go to Radio Shack and buy a Pro-197(same as a PSR600), take it home try it out and if it didn't work well in my area you can return it within 15 days and order a uniden.

 

[sjlamb]

Here is my 2 cents. When it comes to these digital scanners it's all about location and receiving the signal. I have a PSR600 base that does a decent job but the PSR500 handheld sitting right next to it has problems. I can take the PSR500 to my parents house about 3 miles away and it is night and day difference. Seems that there is some sort of interference near my home that effects the 500 and not the 600. Before people start asking they both have the same model antenna. If I was to start over again I would go to Radio Shack and buy a Pro-197(same as a PSR600), take it home try it out and if it didn't work well in my area you can return it within 15 days and order a uniden.

Well.... Yeah, sure... but what about the blue light???