Antenna Selection for planned shack

[Skyd]

Hey all - I'm in the planning/brainstorming phases of building a little ham/scanner shack. I won't be doing any antenna work or running coax til spring so I've got time to overthink everything.

I currently use a discone antenna on my PRO-106 as an antenna and that antenna will stay where it is. It feeds to my main floor of the house while my new "shack" will be on the 2nd floor. Different purposes, but I digress.

I'm wondering if for my new setup a discone is the way to go or if I'd be better off with something else. I've done a little analysis of the frequencies I have programmed currently and also a look at stuff in my reception area. Here's what I found

First - 800/900mhz is almost non existent where I am, as is most trunking and what trunking is around is NXDN which I can't get anyway.

The large bulk of frequencies I listen to fall between 140-180 Mhz and 400-470 Mhz. There are a handful in the airband that I have programmed but that's not high priority, there's also about 30 I have in the 30-60 MHz neighborhood.

I'm just throwing numbers out to capture the majority, I'm not using any specific band referencing.

SOOOO all of that being said - is there something better I could be using that won't break the bank. I looked at the OmniX and that looks promising but I don't know if it's an improvement over a simple discone, also that would be the upper end of what I'd prefer to spend.

Also not opposed to building my own.

I also plan to run more than 1 radio as funds allow me to expand but I'd prefer to keep it to 1 antenna except for maybe HF or if down the road some 800/900MHz stuff shows up.

Follow up question - I've thought about having a HF only scanner to capture those lower frequencies but I'm assuming I'd need a pretty large antenna for that?

 

[dave3825]

I looked at the OmniX and that looks promising but I don't know if it's an improvement over a simple discone,

I would think any antenna that has gain would do a bit better than a discone. My discone sucks at distant 7/800 so now I am building a 6 or 7 element yagi tuned for 800 that should have 8db gain, according to the calculator.

 

[Skyd]

I would think any antenna that has gain would do a bit better than a discone. My discone sucks at distant 7/800 so now I am building a 6 or 7 element yagi tuned for 800 that should have 8db gain, according to the calculator.

I thought about a Yagi also but I'd like something omnidirectional at least 270 degrees, there's maybe one direction I care less about. I'm not sure how my discone does at 7/800 as I only have like 3 frequencies programmed in that range and they are just national ones that likely are rarely used in my area.

 

[iMONITOR]

A discone antenna is a popular choice for many because it's wide-band and people think it's a one-does-all solution to their needs. Typically they have zero gain so they're not a great choice for anything unless you're limited to having only one antenna. In order for them to work somewhat well they need to be mounted up high. 20~30 feet or you'll be disappointed.

DPD Production's OmniX Scanner antenna is a better choice over the discone because the elements are tuned closer to the actual bands you would typically be monitoring, providing some gain. It's also a much sturdier antenna that will stand up to more severe weather than most discones. If air-bands are your goal, the DPD MilTenna Omni UHF/VHF Base Antenna is the one you want.

 

[Skyd]

That was sorta what I was wondering, I'm using a discone to cover bands I don't really need to and getting no gain. I'm not big into air bands, there's really not much to listen to near me anyway. I think maybe that OmniX is going to be my best option.

I would like to get some of those lower frequencies though in the 30-60MHz range, but I can cross that bridge when I come to it

 

[iMONITOR]

That was sorta what I was wondering, I'm using a discone to cover bands I don't really need to and getting no gain. I'm not big into air bands, there's really not much to listen to near me anyway. I think maybe that OmniX is going to be my best option.

I would like to get some of those lower frequencies though in the 30-60MHz range, but I can cross that bridge when I come to it

Neither the discone or the Omni's would work well for 30-60 MHz. Take your time and do some research on your needs. That's half the fun of the hobby.

 

[Skyd]

Neither the discone or the Omni's would work well for 30-60 MHz. Take your time and do some research on your needs. That's half the fun of the hobby.

Right I realize that - which was kind of my whole point. I do recieve stuff currently on my discone even down to CB range but it's not ideal. I could probably goto the Omnix and be much happier.

Research is hardly ever my problem, I over research and then i really need opinions to help me sort through the data. Specs vs. real world can sometimes be a big difference.

 

[jmp883]

I use a Scantenna ST-2. Most of what I listen to is VHF-Hi and UHF with a bit of VHF-Lo. It is coupled to a preamp and feeds 5 scanners. I’m very happy with its performance.

 

[mass-man]

The Scantenna does a better jjob on low band than the Omni X. Just be sure to get the newer heavier duty version. The original was a good performer but fell apart easily.

 

[Skyd]

Oh there's a new scantenna? Ok off to Google!

 

[dave3825]

I use a Scantenna ST-2. Most of what I listen to is VHF-Hi and UHF with a bit of VHF-Lo. It is coupled to a preamp and feeds 5 scanners. I’m very happy with its performance.

Yup, great antenna and was out of this world with an amp. I am slowly rebuilding mine that did not survive Hurricane Sandy.

 

[dave3825]

Oh there's a new scantenna? Ok off to Google!

Nothing new in production. That last version produced was a little more sturdy than the original st2. There was a guy that was going to start building and selling but I am not sure what happened. Seems like the project fell apart.

 

[mass-man]

Mine was the original years ago...loved it but after several moves and weather it finally became scarp aluminum. Where I am now requires an attic antenna and the OMNI-X works for what I need to monitor.

 

[Skyd]

Nothing new in production. That last version produced was a little more sturdy than the original st2. There was a guy that was going to start building and selling but I am not sure what happened. Seems like the project fell apart.

aha yes, I've just discovered. That's a bummer. Not seeing any on eBay either. I'm on the fence with the omniX. It's kinda pricey for what is, and I keep hearing it's deaf anywhere outside the listed bands.

 

[prcguy]

aha yes, I've just discovered. That's a bummer. Not seeing any on eBay either. I'm on the fence with the omniX. It's kinda pricey for what is, and I keep hearing it's deaf anywhere outside the listed bands.

Check eBay often for a military surplus COM201B, its a broad band ground plane that covers 30-90Mhz and they work very well. They are not cheap but they get down in the $175 or less range when a seller has several and sales drop off at higher prices. They have telescoping legs/ground radials and for permanent use I replace the telescoping legs with fixed EMT conduit of the same length.

 

[Skyd]

Check eBay often for a military surplus COM201B, its a broad band ground plane that covers 30-90Mhz and they work very well. They are not cheap but they get down in the $175 or less range when a seller has several and sales drop off at higher prices. They have telescoping legs/ground radials and for permanent use I replace the telescoping legs with fixed EMT conduit of the same length.

That'd be a good option to hit my Lo-band stuff.

I'm thinking I might just get another Discone for my listening shack. I keep going back and forth and the Omni-X looks promising but seems like there's mixed reviews about it and some people say it's deaf on everything outside the listed ranges.

If I could get something that does at least as good as my discone but has gain/increased performance on even some of the ranges I listen to that would be great. I may be asking for too much, especially at reasonable prices.

I looked at my "master list" of frequencies I typically will want to listen to and after taking out the VHF Lo band I'm left with aprox - 118-180Mhz, 220-470Mhz, and that's about it. The only stuff I have listed above that are like the national/federal 700/800 stuff that I doubt I'm ever gonna hear out here in the sticks anyway.

I was thinking of just trying a dual band 2m/70cm and seeing what I can get and if it doesn't do well I can use it as a ham antenna.

 

[popnokick]

If you’re concerned about not picking up signals “outside the listed ranges” you’re going to find a 2M / 70cM dual band ham antenna wiil work very well in “the listed ranges”… and not very well outside that. Those antennas are extremely narrow bandwidth compared to an OmniX. Good for ham 2M / 70cM but the OmniX is a better choice to receive the ranges of interest you listed. You’ll be better off with two antennas, with the dual-bander for ham use.

 

[Skyd]

If you’re concerned about not picking up signals “outside the listed ranges” you’re going to find a 2M / 70cM dual band ham antenna wiil work very well in “the listed ranges”… and not very well outside that. Those antennas are extremely narrow bandwidth compared to an OmniX. Good for ham 2M / 70cM but the OmniX is a better choice to receive the ranges of interest you listed. You’ll be better off with two antennas, with the dual-bander for ham use.

Right, sorry if I gave the impression I wanted 1 antenna for scanner and ham. That's not the case at all. But I am trying to have just 1 for the scanners. I'm starting to lean towards just getting a decently built Discone.

 

[Skyd]

Well unless anyone has a better suggestion, I think I'll go with a Diamond D130J. Seems like it's a popular choice that people are quite happy with in terms of a Discone. It's about $30-50 cheaper than the Omni-X (depending where I get it) and about $50 more than the Tram 1411.

 

[zlamb0002]

Well unless anyone has a better suggestion, I think I'll go with a Diamond D130J. Seems like it's a popular choice that people are quite happy with in terms of a Discone. It's about $30-50 cheaper than the Omni-X (depending where I get it) and about $50 more than the Tram 1411.

What did you end up with and do you like it?