Advice please

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snapperq

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Dec 22, 2010
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I have to replace my antenna tower so I'm planning on putting up a 70 foot tower using a Diamond 130J Omni-directional antenna. I have been using LMR 400 coax cable.I monitor 460-470Mhz but most is 800Mhz.
My question is the the distance between the antenna and the receiver (Uniden BCD996XT) will be about 200 ft., will I have a lot of loss on 800Mhz reception? Is there anything I can do to help if there is loss.
I live in a rural area so I need to increase my height to receive distant signals. Any help would be apprecieated!
 

Intellifax

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Jun 17, 2003
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3 things would help: 1: Get a better antenna for the frequencies you are monitoring, that Diamond is a good antenna but it has no gain. More signal coming down the wire means more signal at the radio. 2: use a good mast-mounted preamp. 3: LMR400 is good coax, but hard line is better, especially at 800 mhz and 200 feet of line. Its also much more expensive, especially the connectors. While hard line will lower signal loss, the expense and hassle of running it may make it less palatable, so you make the call on that. Personally, I'd stick with the LMR400, a good antenna, and the preamp, at least to start.
 

jackj

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Google "Coax Loss" and select your feedline from all the loss specs. A lower number of db is less loss. Then Google "Preamp". Select one that lists it's frequency coverage to 1,000 MHz. Pick one who's gain offsets the coax's loss. A higher number of db is more gain. It would be nice if you could get one that mounts at the antenna and has 50 ohm input and output. Mounting at the antenna isn't a requirement, you can put the gain anywhere and it will offset the loss. One thing to consider is how hard it will be to replace the preamp, it isn't going to last forever.
 
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