800MHz Yagi Antenna

[KG5HHS]

Hello,
I have decided to buy a yagi antenna for my scanner for a new 800MHz P25 Phase 2 system in my area. I will be testing the antenna and listening to the new system on a BCD436HP until it is fully operational and the current EDACS system is turned off. Then the system will be monitored on a BCD536HP that I use for streaming. I plan on mounting the yagi antenna in the attic of my 1 story home, about 3.4 miles away from the simulcast site. I have the coordinates of my house and the simulcast site and have calculated the heading to point the yagi in.
I have found two yagi's from Terrawave, but dont quite know the difference. Can someone please give some more info on the differences or give an opinion on which is better? Below are the links. I understand that both of these have N style connections. I will also buy an N Female to BNC male adapter, and from there connect the bnc to an SMA adapter while I test on the BCD436HP.

TerraWave 806-960 MHz 10dBi Enclosed Yagi Antenna (TerraWave 806-960 MHz 10dBi Enclosed Yagi Antenna (T09100Y11206T) from Solid Signal)

TerraWave 824-960 MHz 11dBi Yagi Antenna (TerraWave 824-960 MHz 11dBi Yagi Antenna (T09110Y11206) from Solid Signal)

 

[mmckenna]

I have found two yagi's from Terrawave, but dont quite know the difference.

Difference? $5.00.


But seriously…
1 dB of additional gain, one more director element, less bandwidth, more front to back ratio, narrower beam width.

Unlikely you'd be able to tell the 1dB difference.

I'd say go with either one. At 3.4 miles, you shouldn't need much of an antenna to get a good strong signal. I understand the desire to avoid simulcast distortion, but you shouldn't need that much antenna to do it. If you can find a 4 or 5 element Yagi, it'd be sufficient.
Since these public safety systems are designed for really good portable radio coverage, there should be lots of signal to work with.

The higher front to back ratio might be helpful if you are trying to null out a simulcast system in the opposite direction.
The narrower beam width might be useful if there are multiple simulcast sites in the same general direction.

Other than that, like I said, $5.00 and 1dB of gain. $5.00 might buy you a cold beer or a cup of coffee.

 

[KG5HHS]

Thank you for the input. My only reason for wanting a yagi is to hopefully pick up ONLY the simulcast site and not have the signal bar fluctuate from nothing to all the way up. My next question is, will buying this yagi be the solution. I have no experience with yagi's and know very little about them. Are they directional enough that they will not pick up anything from the other sites. From my house:
Site 1 is at a heading of 94.07 degrees
Site 2 is at a heading of 225.85 degrees (This is the site I DO NOT want to receive)
Site 3 is at a heading of 7.34 degrees (This is the site I WANT to pick up, This is the Simulcast site).

 

[W8RMH]

It is normal for the bar to fluctuate.

 

[krokus]

Thank you for the input. My only reason for wanting a yagi is to hopefully pick up ONLY the simulcast site and not have the signal bar fluctuate from nothing to all the way up. My next question is, will buying this yagi be the solution. I have no experience with yagi's and know very little about them. Are they directional enough that they will not pick up anything from the other sites. From my house:
Site 1 is at a heading of 94.07 degrees
Site 2 is at a heading of 225.85 degrees (This is the site I DO NOT want to receive)
Site 3 is at a heading of 7.34 degrees (This is the site I WANT to pick up, This is the Simulcast site).

Depends on how directional the Yagi is, and what reflections are around.

Another option, if the frequencies are not too close together, is filter out the freqs from the tower that you do not want.

Sent via Tapatalk

 

[eaf1956]

Depends on how directional the Yagi is, and what reflections are around.

Another option, if the frequencies are not too close together, is filter out the freqs from the tower that you do not want.

Sent via Tapatalk

He stated it was a Simulcast System

 

[mmckenna]

The Yagi's will receive signals from all directions, however they work better in one direction.

Before spending money on this, even $36.99, I'd try taking your scanner and stock antenna up in the attic and see how it works. You may be trying to over engineer a solution to a problem you don't have.

 

[MaximusTheGreat]

Any 800 mhz yagi will work for simulcast issues. Ive tried using every antenna combination given, from a paper clip to the 800 mhz RS one. The yagi will work.

The trick to making it work is very critical. You literally have to find the control channel first. Then walk around the house with the yagi and scanner (connected of course)pointing it in all directions. Until you hear the "buzzsaw " P25 signal, loud and clear. Depending on antenna site from the county / city location and RF environment, your sweet spot may be some awkward place ie a closet, by a window. From that sweet spot, you will make a stand for the antenna. My antenna is a 4 element one that is small in size. Maybe the size of a shoe box. Made a PVC pipe mast for it. Paid like $18 on ebay. (Antenna World from Miami.) Once you do you will be able to monitor the system, somewhat.

 

[majoco]

...and make sure you know the difference between magnetic and true bearings - my mag var is 22degs east here - enough to get a long yagi out of the beamwidth.

 

[krokus]

He stated it was a Simulcast System

One of the systems he wants to monitor is simulcast, not the other.

Sent via Tapatalk

 

[KG5HHS]

Still not working

So I decided to purchase the TerraWave 806-960 MHz 10dBi Enclosed Yagi Antenna. After having it for a few weeks, I finally got it out to see how it would work. I'm not at all pleased, but I have no doubt that its operator error. I took video's to show exactly the issue that I'm having. The first video is of the scanner holding on the "Coliseum" site. The signal bar fluctuates drastically, but shows "DAT" at the bottom. (Link: https://youtu.be/9dO_YcRDaPM) The second video is of the same site in the analyze function. (Link: https://youtu.be/Z6Hm8x1JZoc)
I'm not sure what changed, but about a month ago I was able to hear radio techs on the system. I could hear the patched talk groups as I was monitoring the EDACS system on a different scanner and was comparing talk group ID's and radio ID's. Now, I hear nothing on the new system. I know it is up and running as I hear radio techs on the EDACS system doing radio checks and such making sure the patches are set up correctly.
So far, I have mounted the yagi on 1-1/4" pvc pipe to hold it easier. I am able to hear the EDACS control channels doing a frequency search from 849.0150 - 870.0000. I don't think I'm hearing a P25 control channel. I went online to hear the difference between the two and I think I would be able to hear the difference. I'm at a loss as to what to do next.

 

[lou9155]

im thinkin about a yagi too..i cant get my antenna above the heavy forest canopy.. reception gets better in winter...my 800mhz tower is 9 miles away

 

[majoco]

Try turning the antenna for the best signal, not your theoretical bearing.

 

[rogress]

I went through the same thing. I bought a yagi to try to help solve a simulcast issue. I put it up in the attic and pointed it toward the nearest tower (generally), then aimed it until I got what I thought was best.

It worked out, but when it rained, things got bad. I moved the yagi to a lower position in a lower attic space and it worked better there, but still not perfect. When I would put the scanner in analyze, it generally displayed 99%, so it was pretty solid, but it still got bad at times.

I finally gave up and bought a Unication G5, which works anywhere in the house with the 1" stub antenna.

I think I could have made the yagi work better, but got tired of messing with it. I hope that future generations of scanners will get better at handling simulcast distortion.

 

[KG5HHS]

I went through the same thing. I bought a yagi to try to help solve a simulcast issue. I put it up in the attic and pointed it toward the nearest tower (generally), then aimed it until I got what I thought was best.

It worked out, but when it rained, things got bad. I moved the yagi to a lower position in a lower attic space and it worked better there, but still not perfect. When I would put the scanner in analyze, it generally displayed 99%, so it was pretty solid, but it still got bad at times.

I finally gave up and bought a Unication G5, which works anywhere in the house with the 1" stub antenna.

I think I could have made the yagi work better, but got tired of messing with it. I hope that future generations of scanners will get better at handling simulcast distortion.

I thought about getting a Unication G5 (VHF/700/800). Where I work, VHF P25 is used but we are still paged with two-tone analog to set off the station alarm, but get nothing but digital noise when dispatch keys up to talk. The only way we hear what the call is (with out waiting for the info to come across on the phone) is by having a portable on. not the best setup in my opinion. Anyway, I live in another city that I'm having the simulcast distortion issue with. I host a feed of the current EDACS system and wanted to continue to do so with the new system but its getting to the point where I'm quickly losing interest in doing that.