Antenna upgrade for radioshack pro 163

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k9police

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Does anybody have any simple antenna upgrade ideas that I can buy for my Radioshack Pro 163. I am not allowed to put anything on the roof of my house. At this time, I am still using the antenna that came with the scanner. I seem to be getting alot of static on local frequencies for some reason. Can somebody please give me some ideas as to some other type of antenna I can buy or something I can do to the antenna that I have now. Thanks.
 

N8IAA

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Does anybody have any simple antenna upgrade ideas that I can buy for my Radioshack Pro 163. I am not allowed to put anything on the roof of my house. At this time, I am still using the antenna that came with the scanner. I seem to be getting alot of static on local frequencies for some reason. Can somebody please give me some ideas as to some other type of antenna I can buy or something I can do to the antenna that I have now. Thanks.

Do you have a metal file cabinet close to the scanner? If so, why not try the radio shack magmount antenna? Or even the telescoping whip with the center load coil and a right angle bnc connector?
Larry
 

Sinister

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Need a little more info to what frequencies and where you are located ? Is the static always present or just certain times of the day? Have you tried to move the scanner to another room ?
 

k9police

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I have a metal file cabinet like 3 1/2 feet from the scanner. Can you send me a link of what the two antennas look like and where I can get one at a reasonable price. Thank you for your help. Also why would the metal file cabinet do that?
 

satosi

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The antenna is mounted on the filing cabinet using a magnet. Any other large piece of standing metal would be suitable to mount the antenna.
 

k9police

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I am in Southeastern Massachusetts in a town called Medfield, MA. What information do you need about the frequencies that I listen to. I listen to local police and fire that surround my hometown of Norfolk, MA. I have almost the same exact frequencies programmed that the Police/Fire Department listen to for Mutual Aid. I have tried moving the scanner to another room and nothing. My backyard is mostly woods and the static is usually always present but it is worse only sometimes. But some frequencies are always really staticy such as Wrentham Police and Wrentham Fire which has a frequency of Police: 482.50000 and Fire 453.26250. I have a couple of frequencies programmed in here that I dont hear at all for some reason. I can give you a list of all the frequencies and how bad the static is for each frequency if that would help you try and figure out the issue.
 

lbfd09

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I do not see how much you want to spend or how much you are wanting to increase your reception range.

Practical experience has showed me that the old Mon51 all frequency antenna the best. BAD news - this antenna currently is on longer in production. Alternatives for this antenna is a couple of the higher gain Dimond and Comet. An excellent but costly antenna is the Dimond SG7900/NMO for hiband and UHF or the more ecconomical CR627NMO. These are moble ham use antennas and require an NMO ground plane kit (25.00 to 35.00).

Their performance is not quite are good as the old Antenna Specilest's, but do make a close second. I occasasionall use one or the other of my higher gain ham antennas when my 6 Mon50's are not available and have only to complain that I loose those repeaters and systems on my fringe reception area (~130+ miles away). I also stick mu antenna as high as I can get it. One is presently sitting about 35 to 45 feet up. Yes I have notice definitive improvement on every 5 feet I push that pole up. As to the vegitation (trees) - placing it in as tree clear as possible is best, but keeping it far from other wires can bring even higher improved results.

Now you may not want something so sensitive and all hearing, a discone or even an unity gain antenna can improve those signals.

Have fun....
 

krokus

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k9police said:
Does this just sit on the file cabinet by itself and talk to the other antenna that i have now?

No. It would be connected to the scanner, in place of ytour current antenna.
 

pjtnascar

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Sussex County, NJ
I have that antenna (radio shack mag mount) stuck to a metal heater by my window. It is very effective with any scanner I connect to it. Since you are receiving most of the freqs you want to hear except for some static, this antenna should do the trick.

Although some here would disagree, you could try removing or rearranging the sections of the radio shack mag mount (if you do get it) and see if it works even better. I have had some strange luck playing with antennas and scanners. You could even try taking a piece of wire, stripping the end, and attaching it to the telescopic whip that is already on the scanner. Then, try placing the wire in the window with a suction cup or taping it. Sometimes, strange "magic" will make a simple thing like some wire on your existing antenna work better. It may defy what the experts say, but it doesn't cost anything to grab a piece of wire lying around the house. Have fun!
 
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