Antenna Recommendations

Status
Not open for further replies.

arion

Member
Joined
May 28, 2004
Messages
8
Location
Maquette, MI
Hello;

I just bought a Rat Shack Pro-197 and am looking for a gain antenna that will do a better job than my discone I currently have. It's a good quality diamond discone but I live in a rural part of Michigan and have had only spotty coverage of the digital mpscs apco-25 system up here. The only tower I get real good sig strength on usually doesn't have a lot of activity.

I was looking around on scanner master and am considering the WBV-60 antenna but I can't find any user reviews on it. WBV-60 Wideband Base Antenna I'm not opposed to using a semi directional antenna as long as I can still get local VHF coverage off the lobes.

I'm curently already using LMR400 feedline to the diamond with the N connector on one end and the BNC connector for the radio. I'm basically looking for any user recommendations in fringe areas. The only caveat is I do happen to have a cell phone tower only 1/4 mile away and am experiencing some front end overloading on various VHF freq's already so I'll have to selectively attenuate the problem ones.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!!
 

tonsoffun

Senior Moderator
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,503
Location
Central Ontario
Hi Arion,

I moved your thread to the antenna forum, please use the appropriate forum next time.

Thanks so much:)
 

omniryx

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
9
A quick suggestion which is controversial so maybe we'll get some dialog going.

You might consider the Austin Ferret. Now, this is an antenna that people either love or hate. I've never met anyone who had experience with one who was ambivalent about it. I have used one for five years. It is mounted on top of an 8m mast and connected to my BCD996XT with LMR400. I get superb reception on 2m, 1.25m, 70cm, and 33cm. The stick has been through four hurricanes and innumerable thunderstorms. It remains in as-new condition. Not cheap. I hasten to say that others will tell you that it is an overpriced POS. In my experience, most who do so have never owned one.

Good luck and let us know what you settle on.
 

arion

Member
Joined
May 28, 2004
Messages
8
Location
Maquette, MI
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to try to find some info on it. I don't mind spending the money for quality. As an adjunct I decided I have to get the current discone up higher than what it is. I'm just using thinwall tv mast right now and as the discone is pretty lightweight it's not guyed. I've got 12 sections of mil surplus fiberglass pole coming which were used in erecting camo netting. The discone doesn't weight very much and I think with this system and having it guyed I'll get another 20' of working height which should help quite a bit. The discone being a non gain antenna certainly has some tradeoffs and if the additional height doesn't do the trick I'll pony up the money for a better antenna. The LMR400 coax is supposed to be rather low loss at UHF frequencies so the feedline should be o.k. Does that ferret use a 'n' connector at the base?

Thanks again.
 

omniryx

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
9
Easy to find the site. Scanner Antennas, Omnidirectional Multi band. Yes, it has an N connector. LMR400 is excellent; pricey but very low loss. About $250 and they only build it after you order it so there is a little wait, or maybe you can find a dealer with one in stock.

Elevating your discone will certainly help but the only way to find out how much is to try it. My own experience with fiberglass (and it was the military surplus type) was not good. Every time we had a severe thunderstorm mine would snap off, either at the antenna mount or just above the guys. A Ferret will just bounce and wait for you to pick it up but a discone that slams to the ground is ancient history. So be careful if your area is prone to storms. I switched to a Penninger aluminum mast. Built like a tank...will last several forevers. Again, a bit pricey but you get what you pay for and I hate being stuck with shabby crap.

Good luck and keep me posted.
 

SCPD

QRT
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
0
Location
Virginia
I have the same dilemna. Antenna's are driving me nutts.
They can make or break you. I have an old cb ground plane
that I use for the 42Mhz Highway Patrol, it's superb, I can hear
other states when "skip" is in. On the 155 Mhz, it still works
like a champ. 453Mhz is so strong power wise, you don't need
an antenna, laughing.. However, with this new 800 trunking
ordeal, it changes everything, all bets are off. I guess I'll have to
retire the old antenna specialists ground plane and find something
else. I did buy a maxrad 800 pinecone, or as I call them. they look
like exactly like a ground plane, only they fit in the palm of your hand,
hence, 800 mhz length's.
 

omniryx

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
9
Another alternative for 800mHz

You might want to look at the AOR DA5000. Another well built (and, sadly, not cheap) antenna excellent on 800mHz. Very compact. Universal Radio says it looks like Darth Vader's radio antenna. I think it makes you look like you work for the NSA.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top