New to this as a hobby, Thanks in advance for your help. What is a good outdoor antenna setup? I have a Uniden SDS100 that I use mostly inside, may be getting a SDS200 desk model a bit later also. I live in lower rather mountainous area and have one story, no attic with all metal roof. What would work the best for all around scanning?
Antenna help
- Thread starter etuck
- Start date
Welcome to the Hobby. What systems do you want to monitor? low-band VHF, UHF 700/800?
Not getting
New at this, so not exactly sure of bands. Wideband I'm thinking for just radio scanning, all from low to high?? Anything from amateur and any/all safety in area, not getting much clear activity now. Another member is helping with a favorites list for my area although although I'm wanting to upgrade with an outdoor antenna setup, not sure what will be best. Thanks
I would recommend a radio reference membership that way u have access to the database and I find a discone antenna
D130NJ Diamond Super Discone Antenna | Scanner Master
D130NJ Diamond Super Discone Antenna
www.scannermaster.com
Welcome to the hobby! I would recommend the antenna below with LMR400 Ultra Flex coax cable or at least a LMR400 Ultra Flex type coax.
dpdproductions.com
I use ABR Industries for coax, their quite good. Look for ABR400-UF on the coax builder I linked below.
abrind.com
OmniX Scanner Base Antenna
Specs Gain: 3 VHF 4 UHF dBi Pattern: Omni-directional Wavelength: 1/2 Elements: 3 Tuned: 118-137, 148-175 & 225-900 MHz Band: UHF & VHF Connector: N Female Cable: RG8X Cable Length: 16 Inches Height: 45" Width: 30" Weight: 2 lb Features Multi Band-Wide Coverage: The uniquely...
dpdproductions.com
I use ABR Industries for coax, their quite good. Look for ABR400-UF on the coax builder I linked below.
Amateur Radio Coax Builder — ABR Industries
abrind.com
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Before you buy anything, take your scanner outside and see if you can hear what you want to hear.
There's a number of good suggestions above. Just make sure you understand what it takes to install one. You need a good mounting location, you need appropriate coaxial cable (based on frequencies and cable length), you need proper grounding and a suitable lightning protection device if you want to follow electric code.
That's good advice. You won't know much more involved of an antenna system you need till you try that.
With the OmniX Antenna,
DC Grounded: A metal ground plane is not needed with this design.
1. Does this mean nothing needs to be grounded? I would be mounting on a 1.5" dia PVC pipe?
2. Can you recommend a link that I can learn about the proper grounding of antennas?
Thanks
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
No, it just means the elements are grounded through their base design. The antenna mast still needs to be grounded, and to meet code, you need a lightning protector type device where the coax enters your home.
Was also wondering, until get a base model SDS200 and outdoor antenna setup, would another type antenna work better for my SDS100 handheld, only using stock rubber duck now? Doesn't seem any difference now between indoors and outdoors. If so, best one to get? Thanks
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
There are 'better' antennas, but they are usually band specific. If you are only going to listen to one band, an antenna designed specifically for that band will outperform the stock antenna.
If you are going to use the entire capability of the scanner, the stock antennas are a good overall compromise.
Thanks!
RadioReference.com Forums
Does anyone have any experience with this antenna set?
I'm in foothills of nc/ga areas and trying to get better communication mainly in cherokee county 28906 area. I have a Uniden sds200 and would like to be able to move to different places in my home and garage. Both places have metal roofs. Your recommendations is appreciated. Thanks
www.dxengineering.com
Moonraker UK Limited 11-533 Moonraker Ltd SkyScan VHF/UHF Receive Antennas | DX Engineering
Free Shipping - Moonraker Ltd SkyScan VHF/UHF Receive Antennas with qualifying orders of $99. Shop VHF/UHF Mobile Monitor Antennas at DX Engineering.
www.dxengineering.com www.dxengineering.com
Does anyone have any experience with this antenna set?
I'm in foothills of nc/ga areas and trying to get better communication mainly in cherokee county 28906 area. I have a Uniden sds200 and would like to be able to move to different places in my home and garage. Both places have metal roofs. Your recommendations is appreciated. Thanks
www.dxengineering.com
Moonraker UK Limited 11-533 Moonraker Ltd SkyScan VHF/UHF Receive Antennas | DX Engineering
Free Shipping - Moonraker Ltd SkyScan VHF/UHF Receive Antennas with qualifying orders of $99. Shop VHF/UHF Mobile Monitor Antennas at DX Engineering.
www.dxengineering.com www.dxengineering.com
This antenna works amazing for a wide coverage antenna. What will be your problem as is mine is a metal roof that blocks out signals but you will hear more with this than the stock rubber duck antenna.
Yes this antenna works several times better than the stock collapsible whip that is shipped with the sds200. A outside antenna would be best to get it above the metal roof. You could put this outside but it is not weather rated and it will degrade rather fast. I am actually looking at getting their double cone antenna 11-558 to put up when I am able to do some outside work.
I will take a look at the 11-558 also but not sure of the type coax and lightening protection options to use.
Someone also mentioned:
stick a magmount antenna
right in the middle of the metal roof.
I have no idea of what would be best items to purchase and needed for a proper/safe install.
So many options, none the same.
Confusing, being new to this.
So idk. Thanks
Someone also mentioned:
stick a magmount antenna
right in the middle of the metal roof.
I have no idea of what would be best items to purchase and needed for a proper/safe install.
So many options, none the same.
Confusing, being new to this.
So idk. Thanks
Attachments
For a antenna that would require Coax LMR 400 is best for UHF and up. It diminishes the losses at those frequencies. Most diagnostic tests are done per 100ft of coax. At 400 MHz (what most medical personal run on) it is about 2.7dB this increases as the frequency goes higher. If you use RG8 this loss increases to about 4.4 dB at 400 MHz.
Lightning protection is one I have never really worried about. If you are hit with a direct strike you have more problems than a blown up scanner probably the side of your home is gone. Some go with a DC grounded antenna for this reason such as a J pole and they work just fine. Being DC grounded they get rid of any static charge continually though the coax at the RX/TX ground. They are however narrow banded vs a discone is wide and not DC grounded.
A mag mount directly in the middle of the roof will also work just fine the main thing of getting your antenna up in the clear is for reception of VHF/UHF as these are more line of site.
As far as the antenna goes I am still researching what I want I may go with a Diamond D130NJ instead but the price of the Moonraker is appealing however some people say it is not designed correctly and is a dummy load compared to a traditional Discone.
Lightning protection is one I have never really worried about. If you are hit with a direct strike you have more problems than a blown up scanner probably the side of your home is gone. Some go with a DC grounded antenna for this reason such as a J pole and they work just fine. Being DC grounded they get rid of any static charge continually though the coax at the RX/TX ground. They are however narrow banded vs a discone is wide and not DC grounded.
A mag mount directly in the middle of the roof will also work just fine the main thing of getting your antenna up in the clear is for reception of VHF/UHF as these are more line of site.
As far as the antenna goes I am still researching what I want I may go with a Diamond D130NJ instead but the price of the Moonraker is appealing however some people say it is not designed correctly and is a dummy load compared to a traditional Discone.
Ubbe
Member
They have named it incorrectly as it is not a discone design but a dipole type of antenna that works almost like a fat dipole having a wider frequency span. It will create all kinds of issues with impedance and directivity but as it is a lot of metal in the air it will work fine. Antennas works naturally quite well at three times their frequency, so if it happens to be made for 155MHz it will also do well with a low SWR at 465MHz.
/Ubbe
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