rhalld38
Member
I'm thinking about getting the antenna amplifier for my PSR-500 and would like to know if it really makes a difference on reception. Maybe this has been asked before but just asking for your review of it. Thanks.
Antenna Amplifier
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I have one of these in my vehicle and one in my house. I consider it responsible for about 25% (very subjective) of my personal unbelievably remarkable turnaround in multiple scanners' performances. Another 25% goes to the antenna, and I owe the rest (or maybe all) to the analytic features of the HP-1 (E).
TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL
Swipesy
Member
This topic has been discussed numerous times on RadioReference. I have the GRE amp but never use it on the 500. Why? The front end of the 500 already is extremely sensitive. Put an amplifer on it and many times the radio will go completely deaf on you from overload. Don't waste your money. Instead, invest $20.00 in the Radio Shack 800 rubber duck and you will get the best reception you are going to get across the radio's spectrum of frequencies.
If you listen to mainly stations with strong signals, it won't make any difference. If you listen to weak signals in a noisy RF area, it might make it worse. If you listen to weak signals in a quite area, it will help. Now you know everything there is to know!! hehehehe
If your goal is to improve reception (and not, for example, connect multiple scanners to the same antenna or overcome a long coax lead-in) then an amp is more likely to make reception worse than better.
You are far better off doing one of the following instead:
- Are you using a great antenna?
- Is your antenna mounted high enough to "see" over nearby obstacles?
- What type of coax are you using to connect the antenna, LMR-400 or equiv?
- How long is that coax from the antenna to the scanner? The shorter, within reason, the better.
- Are you near other strong RF sources like cell towers or broadcast FM/TV? If so, a filter may help.
You are far better off doing one of the following instead:
- Are you using a great antenna?
- Is your antenna mounted high enough to "see" over nearby obstacles?
- What type of coax are you using to connect the antenna, LMR-400 or equiv?
- How long is that coax from the antenna to the scanner? The shorter, within reason, the better.
- Are you near other strong RF sources like cell towers or broadcast FM/TV? If so, a filter may help.
digitalanalog
Member
They do work.
It's just a matter of will it work for you.
It's just a matter of will it work for you.
Tracker
Member
Try this: 800MHz Scanner Antenna - RadioShack.com
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policefreak
Member
How well would that amplifier work for 500 mhz? Or 460 mhz?
Tracker
Member
N amplifier amplify sound, as well as noice........a better antenna might be what he needs.....my RS 800 works so good that if it been $40, I'da paid it.......
How did the amplifier work on your scanner? Might get on myself/
martin1945
Member
I have the GRE "Super Amplifier" and am generally
pleased with it. I'm in between several cities so it helps.
If you're in or near a big city you will probably experience
front end overload. I bought mine directly from GRE.
However, it wasn't listed on their web site as of tonight (2/19).
The amp is powered by a 9 volt battery or you can
purchase an ac adapter at Radio Shack.
policefreak
Member
Is it worth it??
Would it be worth it to use this amplifier if I am NOT looking to monitor 800 mhz systems with it, but rather extend the range of some TBand systems and conventional channels. There are no cell pho e antennas in the immediate area and the digital 500 t-band system I want to monitor already comes in decent, but has frequent drops. There is also a conventional 500 mhz frequency in my town and a very strong 800 mhz tower about 3 miles away. Does this amplifier work well for t-band and UHF? And even though I am not monitoring the 800 mhz systems, could that still overload my radio? (I have a BCD396XT and a psr-800) Of overload does occur, could this damage the radio??
Would it be worth it to use this amplifier if I am NOT looking to monitor 800 mhz systems with it, but rather extend the range of some TBand systems and conventional channels. There are no cell pho e antennas in the immediate area and the digital 500 t-band system I want to monitor already comes in decent, but has frequent drops. There is also a conventional 500 mhz frequency in my town and a very strong 800 mhz tower about 3 miles away. Does this amplifier work well for t-band and UHF? And even though I am not monitoring the 800 mhz systems, could that still overload my radio? (I have a BCD396XT and a psr-800) Of overload does occur, could this damage the radio??
JoeyC
Senior Member
Doesn't matter the band.
As already said:
it will give NO improvement to already strong signals
it will give reduced signal strength in an RF rich environment
it may improve weak signals in an RF quiet environment
There is no way anyone can definitively tell you that you will or will not see improvement with an amp without duplicating your radio setup, antenna and environment.
As already said:
it will give NO improvement to already strong signals
it will give reduced signal strength in an RF rich environment
it may improve weak signals in an RF quiet environment
There is no way anyone can definitively tell you that you will or will not see improvement with an amp without duplicating your radio setup, antenna and environment.
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