Best allband portable antenna for 396xt

[scannersnstuff]

i re-purchased an alinco dj-x30 sma antenna, having lost my original. although the receiver was a piece o' junk <imho> the antenna seem's to work great on vhf-uhf, and o.k. on 800 mhz. it is fatter at the base, and then goes to a long taper at the top. it is very flexible, and about 7-8" tall. you can bend the heck out of it, and it goes back to it's original shape. i use it on a variety of sma radio's, and am very happy with it.

 

[Ablice]

I have a WSMA881 Super Gainer, and I like it, but I don't have anything else to compare it other than the stock duck.

Which of course, is highly rated for its poor quality across all bands...but I use it if I'm just monitoring local PD.

If anyone wants to compare my 881 I don't mind as long as you give it back (I have no trunked 800s worth listening to in my area, and the closest P25 is 120km from here)

 

[joneil2000]

I very much like my Watson 889 tele-gainer. Not only does it work better than the stock antenna, the fact it can bend (it has a joint about half way up) is hand when carrying yuor scanner around. I also find on some frequencies, not all, you can slightly improve reception by playing with the length of the antenna itself.

 

[mke65]

Best Antenna for BCD396XT

I will throw my pennies into the fray though really just concurring with previous posts.

If I personally was only allowed to have one antenna to use with this radio then it would be the SMA Version of the Watson Super Gainer 881. That is as close to a perfect match for this scanner as possible. Handles all frequencies very well and with the extending antenna can be moved to match which frequencies you are monitoring. When brought down it is small and with the folding knuckle is very portable.

For monitoring only the 800 then get the Radio Shack and use the adapter or get the scannermaster 800 sma antenna. But the difference between these and the 881 for this radio is not noticable. For the pro 106/gre 500 the Watson was not usable because here in San Diego it overloaded my radio being such a good antenna.

 

[jimg]

I will throw my pennies into the fray though really just concurring with previous posts.

If I personally was only allowed to have one antenna to use with this radio then it would be the SMA Version of the Watson Super Gainer 881. That is as close to a perfect match for this scanner as possible. Handles all frequencies very well and with the extending antenna can be moved to match which frequencies you are monitoring. When brought down it is small and with the folding knuckle is very portable.

For monitoring only the 800 then get the Radio Shack and use the adapter or get the scannermaster 800 sma antenna. But the difference between these and the 881 for this radio is not noticable. For the pro 106/gre 500 the Watson was not usable because here in San Diego it overloaded my radio being such a good antenna.

I purchased the W-881 Super Gainer 16" portable antenna (BNC version) from ScannerMaster for my 396XT and it does great on receiving from low band to 800 mhz trunked. I have also used my duckie window mount (BNC) in my car and it does a great job there too!

 

[Ablice]

How much better are y'all getting with a discreet car antenna versus like a WSMA-881 inside?

Reason is that I have a pretty hard time picking up the CHP (39-42MHz low band, VHF mobiles, and some UHF freqs, then there's a trunked system integration in San Diego, but I don't go down there) pretty much everywhere. Sometimes I'll hear the base station only on 154.905 but no mobile response. And so on. On a hilltop I was able to pick up Monterey station CHP fine...an easy 100km from here.

 

[jimg]

How much better are y'all getting with a discreet car antenna versus like a WSMA-881 inside?

Reason is that I have a pretty hard time picking up the CHP (39-42MHz low band, VHF mobiles, and some UHF freqs, then there's a trunked system integration in San Diego, but I don't go down there) pretty much everywhere. Sometimes I'll hear the base station only on 154.905 but no mobile response. And so on. On a hilltop I was able to pick up Monterey station CHP fine...an easy 100km from here.

I had the same problem--could not receive the THP (42-45mhz) on the rubber ducky that came with the 396XT, but I can now using the W-881 Super Gainer (16" in length), even inside the house. However, using it inside the car, I think it would be marginal, at best,--metal roof, so I mount the antenna on the duckie window mount antenna, that I mentioned in my earlier post, and it does a good job.

 

[jimg]

double post

 

[BigDogg795]

It's safe to say the WSMA-881 should work fairly well for my 346xt as well, right?

 

[W2WP]

i very much like my watson 889 tele-gainer. Not only does it work better than the stock antenna, the fact it can bend (it has a joint about half way up) is hand when carrying yuor scanner around. I also find on some frequencies, not all, you can slightly improve reception by playing with the length of the antenna itself.

ditto!