800mhz antenna suggestions?

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kb9hgi

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Hello,
I just bought a BCD-996T for scanning starcom21 I'm looking for a better antenna to monitor these digital frequencies. Is the rubber duck 800mhz antenna better than the stock antenna? I live in a apartment for now and have mag mount antennas on my other scanners but don't have one for 800mhz digital. Any suggestions???

Thanks!
 

N1BHH

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Jackson Square, East Weymouth, MA.
I'm sure glad you asked for a better antenna, rather than saying you wanted the best antenna, which most people say. The best is a 800 panel antenna, but those are very expensive. I have heard, and you can read it right here on this antenna forum, that the Radio Shack 800 antenna works very well. I don't have any experience with one, because I have always experimented with what I have aquired over the years, my various mag mounts.

I have Larsen mag mounts with various antennas and they all work. If all you are looking for is a walkie specific antenna, then the Radio Shack 800 should do you well, according to other posts you can find here in the antenna forum. I'm surprised nobody had replied to your query sooner.
 

hoser147

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Dec 17, 2005
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Grand Lake St. Marys Ohio
As Clyde mentioned the RS 800mhz or the GRE 800mhz (both the same antenna) are great rubber duckies, tuned for 800 band. They dont do as well on the other bands, but for 800 scanning they are hard to beat for the money. Hoser
 

mjthomas59

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Although goofy looking i've heard this antenna will outperform the RS800 in the 800mhz band.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanants/2664.html

The RS800 is a great antenna, but i believe it is also a very popular choice because #1 it is available all the time at radioshack, #2 it is short #3 it works well on handheld scanners, and #4 it is normal looking.

I had a handheld antenna comparison that i found on the internet although i can't find the link right now. At any rate, it showed that the Max Systems antenna did outperform the RS800. With it being placed on a base scanner the bulkiness or look of the antenna shouldn't be an issue.

However either of them should work pretty well. I just travelled through Illinois about 2 weeks ago using a pro-96 and the RS800. It worked great, i had very few garbled conversations after i adjusted the squelch a bit, and the range on it was pretty good as well.
 

CLTX11

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North Tx
The RS 800 antenna is a good antenna, it will perform better than the stock in the 800 range.

Living in an apartment, you can also look at the Valor PMM3B mag mount. I move my scanners around so much I use one and just stick it on the window. My windows have a place where the magnet sticks good and it will out perform the RS 800, on both, 800 mhz and the lower bands because it is higher up and closer to the "outside."

I currently use the Valor when mobile as well until I get my Larsen installed.
 
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