800 mhz trunked indoor reception question

[InHouston]

I have a Radio Shack Pro-95 scanner.

Houston Police 400 mhz conventional frequencies pick up flawlessly inside my house no matter where I am. However, 800 mhz trunked frequencies for the sherrif and constable's rarely pick up indoors, and usually if I set my scanner in a window. Outdoors, the 800 mhz reception is tolerable but could be much better.

I'm sure there are a myraid of technical possibilities for this issue, and would like to read your opinions. I'm sure an antenna on the roof would help greatly. But, just wonder why Houston PD (400mhz) works so well indoors and 800 mhz doesn't without an outdoor antenna.

I've tried the rubber ducky, 800 mhz rubber ducky, and their long metal antenna. The metal antenna seems to grab the 800 mhz frequencies a little better.

 

[FLA2760]

The Radioshack 800MHz is the best on I have tried.

800MHz Scanner Antenna - RadioShack.com

 

[zz0468]

I'm sure there are a myraid of technical possibilities for this issue, and would like to read your opinions. I'm sure an antenna on the roof would help greatly. But, just wonder why Houston PD (400mhz) works so well indoors and 800 mhz doesn't without an outdoor antenna.

Well, start with the fact that they are at least two separate systems. So they're not going to behave the same. Then, consider that one is on 400, and the other is on 800. So, there is another reason for them not to behave the same.

Beyond that, you have to consider what the intended coverage areas are. If you're in Houston, and you're listening to the Houston PD system, it would stand to reason you're in part of their primary coverage area. Can you say the same thing about the rest of the stuff you'd like to listen to?

Not all systems are designed for indoor coverage (even if they SHOULD be). Not all systems are designed to cover areas outside their jurisdiction. And not all systems operate as well as they should have been designed to operate. Even the organization performing the maintenance can have a noticeable impact on coverage. You could be outside the design area of a simulcast system, in which case it could sound pretty cruddy. You could be listening to the wrong system, or site. Or... or... or...

The list goes on, ad nauseum. If an outside antenna fixes it, then the fix is to use an outside antenna.

I've tried the rubber ducky, 800 mhz rubber ducky, and their long metal antenna. The metal antenna seems to grab the 800 mhz frequencies a little better.

Unless a system is specifically designed to provide portable coverage indoors, and you are specifically INSIDE that system's designed indoor coverage area, you're quite likely to find that any antenna on a portable scanner just isn't going to work well.