BCD396XT Antenna Upgrade

[teufler]

There are several antennas that will work, provided great coverage on one or two bands and so so on the others. You can feed theradio with a dual band ham atenna, any brand will do, you can feed with a 1/4 wave vhf, you get a signal from outside the vehicle so it will be a plus compared to the stock antenna. The one antenna that covers all the bands, has some tuning capabilty on the low band, is the AUSTIN SPECTRE, Its a dedicated monitor antenna that works great. It is one antenna that will last years, through car changes and all. Mine has been used since 1998 and still works the same as the day it was bought. The antenna is a high price, then you will have to add to the costs a mounting system. I use a trunk lid mount. I have used other antennas, but they lasted through one car and when I got a new car, the antena hadto be replaced.. the opposite spectrum is the Spectrum Force mobile antennas. $19.95 with the coax and the sma connector for attaching to the 396xt.
Scanner Antennas
Universal list a bunch of antennas but the Spectrum Force is light, but a power mag so it will not blow off. Its small, can be packed in luggage is you are renting cars, it handles all the bands very good.

 

[Drkatzjr45]

I have tried just about every antenna you can think of.....and you can't beat the RS 800MHZ for 800

 

[teufler]

For 800, if you want to get serious, an Antennex fg8063.. Its a base antena dedicated to 800 mhz. Its transmit and receive.. Several of the communications companys have older surplus stuff laying around. Another is the Antennex Y8966 beam. Both of these antennas require N connectors and probably a better coax so they require an investment on the antenna and coax. But if 800 monitor is desired, these are very good. For our needs at monitoring, they don't have to be band new. Companies might have some surplus that they would sell at a good price.