A good scanner antenna when on a train

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

I am taking a sleeper to Az soon. I would like to listen to VHF/UHF/800 bands as well as railroad frequencies. Does anyone have good tips regarding antennas?

I was thinking of making up a sleeve dipole using a short piece of RG-174 and a suction cup to attach it to the window. This is similar to the Zenith Wavemagnet antenna for the Transoceanic. I was thinking of having three dipoles for VHF, UHF, and 800 in heatsrink to keep them together.

73 Eric

 

[icom1020]

I've traveled probably 50-70k miles on Amtrak I havent had a problem listening on-board with most antennas I currently use radios with sma connectors so I use a 7" Pryme or the longer 15" model with a bnc to sma connector I usually don't want something hanging around as the car attendant will eventually make up the room and move stuff around so I stash the radio when I leave or take it with me I had my stuff stashed in the upper bunk of a Viewliner last month and the attendent thought it was leftover from another trip. I think your idea is fine provided you can take it down for the above mentioned reasons

 

[WX4JCW]

the protable antenna will work just fine, i take my radio on train trips and can hear everything related to my train along the way.

as far as the dipole, i would let the porter know that the antenna is yours, this way there is no mistake, and tip him well at the end, besides helping you they deserve a good tip

 

[EricCottrell]

I've traveled probably 50-70k miles on Amtrak I havent had a problem listening on-board with most antennas I currently use radios with sma connectors so I use a 7" Pryme or the longer 15" model with a bnc to sma connector I usually don't want something hanging around as the car attendant will eventually make up the room and move stuff around so I stash the radio when I leave or take it with me I had my stuff stashed in the upper bunk of a Viewliner last month and the attendent thought it was leftover from another trip. I think your idea is fine provided you can take it down for the above mentioned reasons

Hello,

Yes I will stow everything away when off to meals and the car attendant is making up the room. I considered just using a whip on the radio but I find in a automobile that being right next to a window works better. So I am thinking of just hanging a sleeve type dipole from a suction cup on the window. Then I just put it away when needed.

I know that trains are not the best places for scanning dx but maybe I can pick up a few of the stronger trunked systems along the way. A friend also talked to me about ATCS which is used during some of the route.

I got a uniden suction cup antenna with one of my scanners so I may modify that and try it out in my automobile first.

73 Eric

 

[icom1020]

I still have a half wave dual band antenna that I got from the defunct Antennas West that had a piece of fishing line loop and a supplied suction cup for a window to hang to something. Wasnt a bad antenna but seemed a little too broadbanded for railroad but did work really great on 2m/440