Base vs. Handheld Reception

[CStarr59]

I have a Pro-433 base and a handheld PSR-100 and the base has so much better reception. Why is this? I've tried better antennas on the PSR-100 and the pro-433 base still blows it away. I turn them both on and sit them side by side and the base picks up all kinds of stuff while the handheld just searches quietly away. Both radios have the exact frequencies programed into them. I just don't understand why there would be so much difference in performance between the two scanners. Can someone please explain...?

 

[jakegday]

i dont know why it is either, my cobra sr900 also receives the distant signals better then my pro 76, pro 83, and bcd396t combined, and thats with numerous different antennas on the handhelds, i still cant believe it....

 

[xpawel15x]

Base scanners are built better since their insides don't have to be packed together like handhelds in order to make them portable..

 

[zz0468]

The only fair comparison would be to run them on the same antenna, preferably at the same time. But as has been said, there are a lot of compromises made to package something that small. If you put one on the bench and measured things, you'd probably be surprised at just how bad those receivers really are.