Antenna problems

[Davejb]

I have a Pro 2096 and listen to a range of around 150.xxx to 465.xxx, no trunking, some digital. I recently installed a new Scantenna in my attic (about 15 feet up, I know it's better off on the roof but not an option right now). Even with it in the attic I would think it'd be better or at least equal to the stock telescoping antenna that came with the scanner, not so however, the stock antenna works quite a bit better. Only thing I can thing of is the cable routing, it runs up inside a hollow beam along with some house wiring. Anything I can use to sheild the antenna cable or do I need to look somewhere else for the problem.

 

[Al42]

What kind of cable (RG-58? RG-8? RG-6?) and how long is it?

 

[Davejb]

50' RG-6, wood siding with shingle roof. I just took some meter readings on the cable. With the balun coil connected, center pin to shield measured .004 ohms, with the coil disconnected I got an infinite reading so it doesn't look like the cable or coil is bad (assuming I should have a low reading through the coil).

 

[LarrySC]

All GRE scanners overload when tooooo much antenna is used. Try the ATT function.

 

[jcecklund]

Change your Coax

Hello,

I too have the scantenna in my attic and did not get good results until I changed my coax to LMR-400.

It sounds like your getting signal loss with your currrent coax and possibly the connectors... this was my problem until I changed both the coax and connectors.

I now can easily hear 100 miles away and have no problems with the scantenna.

 

[kf4lne]

Hello,

I too have the scantenna in my attic and did not get good results until I changed my coax to LMR-400.

It sounds like your getting signal loss with your currrent coax and possibly the connectors... this was my problem until I changed both the coax and connectors.

I now can easily hear 100 miles away and have no problems with the scantenna.

If an antenna is so crappy that you have to use somthing as low-loss as LMR 400 then you take the antenna DOWN and replace it with something that is actually going to work! Scantennas are crap. I have had better results with unterminated coax than with a scantenna. If you install a scanner antenna and it doesent preform as well as the stock antenna and you have eliminated the feedline and connectors as the problem then its a good bet you just have a POS antenna.Scanner antennas are lossy except very close to the frequency it is resonate at, the scantenna is NOT truely that wide banded. the scantenna is nothing more than an overpriced fan dipole. If you want something that will receive well buy something resonate or build one, antennas are not hard to make if you can read and do a google search for antenna projects.

 

[jcecklund]

My Scantenna speaks for itself!

My experience,


Scantenna $33.00

LMR-400 coax 60 feet $ 38.00

1.Gold plated Military BNC conector ( don't remember what paid) $20.00??

Went from only monitoring 20 mile radius to just over 102 miles.

Do this if you want opinons on the scantenna. That way you have lots of opnions instead of someone who likes to slam other peoples post?

Post a message in the antenna forum asking who uses the scantenna and what are their opinions of it?

"kf4lne" says that its a piece of crap antenna? I think you will get alot of people that disagree. Come to my home and see for yourelf? I wonder how many people can actually say, there antenna in the attic hanging on one nail can pick up clear transmissions at 102 miles away?

I totally disagree with "kf4lne".
I have several professional grade base antenna's and have tried them all and my so called "POS" or "Crap" Scantenna out preforms all of my professional grade antenna's hands down!.

Peace!

 

[kf4lne]

I will continue to bash the "scantenna" until someone shows me some technical proof that prooves it really is more than 0 db gain over a half wave dipole on the frequency ranges it is actually resonant at and more than a peice of metal at frequencies it is not resonant at. I can hear signals just fine at over 100 miles away using a 1/4 wave ground plane antenna tuned for the range I want to hear. before I moved here I had a VHF-HI colinear antenna and a UHF colinear antenna and a 900MHz cellular 5db gain antenna connected to a signal combiner in the attic about 12 feet off of the ground and I could easily hear signals from over 100 miles away. To be more specific I lived in Asheville, NC and I could hear signals from Andrews/Murphy, NC and as far away as Knoxville, TN. No, I did not live on a hill. This antenna system was used to replace my scantenna that I determined was a POS as have so many other technically inclined people who realize such a device is a comprimise. if you really want to belive that gold plated BNC connector is so wonderful, perhaps you should take a look at why electronic connectors are plated with gold. It has nothing to do with conductivity, it has everything to do with anti-corrosion. Gold plating is NOT used to improve conductivity. In side-by-side comparison of my current antenna and a scantenna both mounted on 10 ft 1.75 inch diameter poles on the roof of my 2 story house, both fed with Belden 1613A triple shielded coax I was able to consistently hear transmitters in Gatlinburg, TN using a home brew unity gain antenna system whereas with the scantenna I was only able to hear those stations during ideal band conditions. I invite anyone who wants to see this system in operation to contact me and arrange a time. My contact information can be found at QRZ.COM under the callsign KF4LNE. Any questions?

 

[jcecklund]

Dan, take chill pill, I am not here to argue

Geez..

My first line in my message clearly states " my experience"

I never stated or implied that gold connectors are better in way shape or form. If your unhappy with the antenna complain to the manufacturers.

I can't help that you had a bad experience with the scanntenna, I am just stating that I disagree with your impressions.

Your antenna is on the roof, mine is in the attic and still performs excellent.
Your antenna knowledge I am sure is very good, however that does not make you an expert other peoples recieving capabilities. You knowledge comes from what your taught and your experience.

I make no claims that the scantenna is the best antenna, however, I have found it to work better than my six or more other antenna's. I have two half wave dipoles and a VHF-HI colinear antenna and 1/4 wave , they do not recieve nearly as well in the attic as my scantenna. Now, maybe they would preform better on my roof but that is not an option in my area, I would have to move to where you are in the mountains to to test them.

I am here to share my experience with the scantenna and I hope everyone receives as well as I do or better using what ever gets the job done.

Good antenna technical info @ http://www.marcspages.co.uk/tech/antgain.htm

 

[N_Jay]

I will continue to bash the "scantenna" until someone shows me some technical proof that prooves it really is more than 0 db gain over a half wave dipole on the frequency ranges it is actually resonant at and more than a peice of metal at frequencies it is not resonant at. I can hear signals just fine at over 100 miles away using a 1/4 wave ground plane antenna tuned for the range I want to hear. before I moved here I had a VHF-HI colinear antenna and a UHF colinear antenna and a 900MHz cellular 5db gain antenna connected to a signal combiner in the attic about 12 feet off of the ground and I could easily hear signals from over 100 miles away. To be more specific I lived in Asheville, NC and I could hear signals from Andrews/Murphy, NC and as far away as Knoxville, TN. No, I did not live on a hill. This antenna system was used to replace my scantenna that I determined was a POS as have so many other technically inclined people who realize such a device is a comprimise. if you really want to belive that gold plated BNC connector is so wonderful, perhaps you should take a look at why electronic connectors are plated with gold. It has nothing to do with conductivity, it has everything to do with anti-corrosion. Gold plating is NOT used to improve conductivity. In side-by-side comparison of my current antenna and a scantenna both mounted on 10 ft 1.75 inch diameter poles on the roof of my 2 story house, both fed with Belden 1613A triple shielded coax I was able to consistently hear transmitters in Gatlinburg, TN using a home brew unity gain antenna system whereas with the scantenna I was only able to hear those stations during ideal band conditions. I invite anyone who wants to see this system in operation to contact me and arrange a time. My contact information can be found at QRZ.COM under the callsign KF4LNE. Any questions?

So what is the relative cost of your multi-band antenna set up vs. the Scantenna?

I don't think anyone (except maybe the people selling it) claim the Scantenna has any great gain.

Looks to me like a decent multi-band antenna, and that is about all.

If the gain at the center frequencies come to 0 dbd and the nulls in the bands of interest are less than 6 dB, then you should be happy.