800mhz Yagi recommendations

[chad_96]

Looking for recommendations on a 800mhz Yagi. Not familiar with yagi's and have been recommended to try one to help gain signal quality in a low/bad signal area due to a mesa in between site and my antenna.

I have been referred this Laird Yagi, but seeing if anyone has any experience/ recommendations with any others to look at, that could help with pulling in a much stronger signal quality.

Thanks

 

[K4EET]

How far is the transmitter site that you want to receive? Is it Line-Of-Sight (LOS)? First you need to make sure that a Yagi antenna will be effective for what you want to receive. Then you need to take the Effective Radiated Power (ERP) that is authorized by their license (unless you know the actual ERP) to calculate how much gain you need. There is always the possibility that the Yagi antenna will not work. I have simplified the process to correctly design the receiver antenna system. But you get the idea that some math is involved.

 

[richardbritt]

How about this? Much cheaper by the same manufacturer

PC904N : Laird 4 Element Yagi Antenna for 896- 980 MHz with N-Female Connector https://a.co/d/cTuaESH

It's a link to the antenna on Amazon

 

[chad_96]

How far is the transmitter site that you want to receive? Is it Line-Of-Sight (LOS)? First you need to make sure that a Yagi antenna will be effective for what you want to receive. Then you need to take the Effective Radiated Power (ERP) that is authorized by their license (unless you know the actual ERP) to calculate how much gain you need. There is always the possibility that the Yagi antenna will not work. I have simplified the process to correctly design the receiver antenna system. But you get the idea that some math is involved.

The site is 17 miles (16.96) south/southwest of me.

No line-of-sight to the site, I have a mesa behind my property that by RF mapping would require my antenna to be at 53 feet height to have line of sight.

This is the first time I have ever heard the term ERP. I would just guess off the top of my head that you are talking about that sites output power? If that's correct, that site is very powerful and picks up talkgroups 3 counties away (roughly 60 miles southeast).

I get signal, with issues, and due to the valley I'm in and the mesa, and after talking with many, it has been determined that I'm getting the signal with my current antenna, an omnidirectional dpdproductions vertical 800 base antenna, due to what seems to be refraction. I won't bore you with all the talk on that right now.

Ultimately, with the refraction situation, my antenna only 18 feet high currently, it has been strongly advised that due to the mesa some jackwagon put in my way of the site and needing to be at 53 feet to have line of site, that I use a directional Yagi with high gain to get the best signal quality, and remedy the issues I have had.

Oddly, I don't know why my sds100 has a remtronix 820s antenna and has almost no issues like my sds200 is having with the outdoor antenna, but that's what numerous people who are seasoned and knowledgeable have advised me to do. They also say the other site I monitor ( thats the opposite direction of the site im speaking of) that's local and a much smaller range shouldnt have any problems receiving on a Yagi that's pointed the the site as its signal should be strong enough to still receive. Don't know as Yagi is directional, but no knowledge with a yagi.

 

[chad_96]

How about this? Much cheaper by the same manufacturer

PC904N : Laird 4 Element Yagi Antenna for 896- 980 MHz with N-Female Connector https://a.co/d/cTuaESH

It's a link to the antenna on Amazon

Yeah, I will never argue a cheaper price lol.

Honestly, due to the circumstances I just described when replying to the other poster with what the issue is and recommendations are which have led me to consider a yagi, I don't know. I'm clueless to yagi's, and have just been advised to get the highest gain yagi and point it to the problematic site. Due to the mesa, and the refraction that has been described, that's why I'm looking at yagi recommendations.

If this yagi was just as effective for the circumstances I'm dealing with, I would be all in on it, especially at that price without a doubt! But, I'm just unsure and have no knowledge as to the yagi antennas.

 

[mmckenna]

I'm running 7 Larsen YA6800W 800MHz Yagi's at our dispatch center to connect them into our trunked system. 6 of them have been up there since 2011 without any issues. 1 installed last year.

This is short haul control station stuff, not scanner use and not super high gain antennas.

But they've been trouble free.

800 MHz Yagi Antennas - Yagi Directional Antennas | The Antenna Farm

theantennafarm.com

Longer/more elements means more gain. For what you are doing, you may want more elements/more gain. Also, consider that you'll need suitable coaxial cable to get that signal to your radio. Unless it's a very short run, you don't want to be using RG-58.

 

[mmckenna]

And since this is sort of a test to see if it works, you can buy low buck Chinese 800MHz Yagi's intended for cell booster type use. They are pretty flimsy and not outstanding antennas, but they are cheap and will tell you if it's going to work. You can often find those on e-Bay or Amazon. Not sure I'd rely on one for any critical application, but scanner/testing, it'll work.

 

[chad_96]

And since this is sort of a test to see if it works, you can buy low buck Chinese 800MHz Yagi's intended for cell booster type use. They are pretty flimsy and not outstanding antennas, but they are cheap and will tell you if it's going to work. You can often find those on e-Bay or Amazon. Not sure I'd rely on one for any critical application, but scanner/testing, it'll work.

That's something I've wondered...

I was first recommended one, if I remember correctly, called a weboost 800mhz yagi. Seemed cheap and good for this type of testing. But then was advised again that with the refraction and mesa that calls for me to be at 53 feet for line of sight that I need to just get a high gain yagi ( the one I linked) to get the absolute best signal quality and clean up the D-errors and switching of filters from all the factors.

But yes, it does seem like an option, if a " High gain" yagi wouldn't be critical in testing or getting an accurate result?...

 

[mmckenna]

That's something I've wondered...

I was first recommended one, if I remember correctly, called a weboost 800mhz yagi. Seemed cheap and good for this type of testing. But then was advised again that with the refraction and mesa that calls for me to be at 53 feet for line of sight that I need to just get a high gain yagi ( the one I linked) to get the absolute best signal quality and clean up the D-errors and switching of filters from all the factors.

But yes, it does seem like an option, if a " High gain" yagi wouldn't be critical in testing or getting an accurate result?...

If you are picking up some signal with the hand held scanner, then adding a good external antenna with good coax to your radio would likely help quite a bit.

The WeBoost stuff is pretty low tier and designed for cellular use, but the 800MHz cellular bands are just above what you want to listen to, so it might be a good low cost option.

One thing you could try is to take your scanner out to where you'd plan on installing the antenna and see if it receives better. The construction of your home will block some signal, so getting outside might be a good test.

 

[chad_96]

If you are picking up some signal with the hand held scanner, then adding a good external antenna with good coax to your radio would likely help quite a bit.

The WeBoost stuff is pretty low tier and designed for cellular use, but the 800MHz cellular bands are just above what you want to listen to, so it might be a good low cost option.

One thing you could try is to take your scanner out to where you'd plan on installing the antenna and see if it receives better. The construction of your home will block some signal, so getting outside might be a good test.

Yeah, that's where this all gets to the point that I feel like I'm just going to be throwing money at "testing" with the hope of a great outcome. I am working on this using a SDS200 base scanner.

I am currently using This Antenna I linked on a 18' mast with 60 feet of LMR-400 coax. The length was for an original install plan that just wouldn't work out in the attic. Unfortunately, I live in an extremely rural area and can't find any ham clubs or anyone who knows how to shorten the length, and I may need more of the coax, depending on if I get more 5 foot sections of mast and move it.

Short summary, I get signal. Issue is I have to use the Attenuator 75% of the time, and switch the filters. A filter may work 1/2 the day or for an hour. Just depends. Everyone I've talked to has came to the conclusion that needing to be 53' for line-of-sight to the site, the little valley I also sit in, and the mesa a little ways behind my place all playing factors is showing that my signal I am receiving is more than likely due to refraction of the signal from the site. I don't know enough and don't understand it all that well.

The absolutely confusing part to it all is like I say, I have the SDS100 with the 820s Remtronix scanner hanging on a wall mounted clip, in probably the worst location for signal in a bedroom, using the Invert filter, and don't have any issues with signal/D-Error/Etc... just no issues with it or messing with it at all.

I bought the Remtronix 830b 800mhz antenna for the sds200 and it has a little more issues than using the now outdoor antenna I'm using.

So, a yagi may be a great test, but just a test and throwing money at it, at this point it seems.

 

[cavmedic]

The WeBoost stuff is pretty low tier and designed for cellular use, but the 800MHz cellular bands are just above what you want to listen to, so it might be a good low cost option.
.

Have you tried the weBoost for an application like this?

I have a drive 5G sitting in the box yet that I’ve been wanting to put on the SA to see how wide banded it was

 

[mmckenna]

Have you tried the weBoost for an application like this?

I have a drive 5G sitting in the box yet that I’ve been wanting to put on the SA to see how wide banded it was

The antenna or the BDA?

 

[cavmedic]

The antenna or the BDA?

The BDA

 

[mmckenna]

The BDA

I've used BDA's, but it was a long time ago. I haven't used any of the recent stuff Wilson has released.

It is consumer grade, so don't expect high end.

If you are going to install one, pay close attention to antenna placement. When the BDA starts to self oscillate because the two antennas can see each other, the BDA will shut itself down.

 

[cavmedic]

I have a 4g and a 5G. They have LED’s on the front of the unit that indicate the oscillation.


Neither are installed. Wanted to bench it first and see how bad it looks on the SA first.

I have yet to see any YT Videos of someone actually benching one with test equipment.

 

[mmckenna]

I have a 4g and a 5G. They have LED’s on the front of the unit that indicate the oscillation.


Neither are installed. Wanted to bench it first and see how bad it looks on the SA first.

Probably worthy of its own thread.

 

[cavmedic]

Some day when I get around to it , I’ll do some videos