Best antenna for Pro-96?

[OmensEdge]

Hey, just wondering which antenna you Pro-96 owners would recommend. I'm thinking about getting a Pro-96 soon and I was wondering how the reception is with the stock antenna. The guy at the local Radio Shack said that's all he uses on his and that he's been picking up pretty much everything with it. Anyone else getting great reception just with the stock antenna? If not, could you recommend me something that you have tested out and found to be better performance wise. Thanks!

 

[LGLHOOK]

I have a pro-96 and i did not care for the stock antenna. I got to much squelch interferance. I bought radio shack #20-283. Wonderful antenna.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=&product_id=20-283

 

[RDCat]

up in colorado im using
a ICOM vhf/uhf antenna
FA-1443b
works ok on vhf uhf 800 and colorado DTRS
works ok in any car im in

 

[Dubbin]

I use the radio shack 800 that LG mentioned above and the GRE 800 located HERE

 

[ReceiverBeaver]

Hey Guy,

Ouch!!!! Another what's the best of something question!!! It always depends on where you live (scanning area) and what you want to listen to. If you're in the middle of a big city then the stock antenna may be fine for you. Or you can select any of a number of higher gain antennas from a variety of sources. If you're in a small town-rural county setting, then most everything is going to be on VHF from air thru 2 meter ham thru public saftey and business, about (108~174 mhz) In that case you can select a gain antenna made for VHF and get optimum results. Just depends.

 

[baddandy23]

I use the stock and it works very well for me, I listen to 27 mhz all the way through 900mhz freqs. I also have that 800 mhz antenna from RS. I originally bought it for my Pro 95 but I use it for my 96 as well. I was fairly impressed with it as it works well for me in the 800 mhz, it works fairly decent in the UHF and just alright in the VHF areas as well. Not real expensive either. I use the RS mag mount antenna as well and again, it works well in some bands, but not in others. The antenna that I have been favoring of late that I use is a Miricle baby CH-32 handy comet antenna which I got from http://www.aesham.com. It works very well in the UHF and the 800 mhz bands, but it kind of suffers in the VHF band. Like it was said before, it all depends on what you are listening too. If you want a general purpose all band antenna, then I personally would stick with the stock rubber ducky. Hope that helps.

 

[OmensEdge]

Thanks guys. I'll probably just give the stock antenna a try and see how it performs. If I do end up getting a new one though, can you buy the #20-283 antenna in stores or just from their website?

 

[brwkem]

Both

Website or stores should have that stock number.

 

[baddandy23]

got mine in a store

 

[LGLHOOK]

i got mine from the store too I paid $2.00 less in the store.

 

[Dubbin]

You guys really might want to take a look at the GRE 800 antenna ($20.99 shipped) that I posted above. It beats out the RS 800 using my PRO96 on Ohio MARCS.

 

[baddandy23]

I have been thinking bout that GRE 800mhz. Anybody else have an opinion on it? Only thing is that i have no extra cash right now since i just bought my 246T. :wink:

 

[OmensEdge]

Well, I picked up one of the 800MHZ antennas today with my Pro-96 and I'm waiting to try it out. I'll let you all know how it performs. Dubbin, I'll keep that antenna you suggested on the backburner if I need to try out something else.

 

[OmensEdge]

Well, it seems to be working pretty good. However, I can't tell much of a difference, at least in my home, between this and the stock antenna that comes with it.

 

[viciouspossum]

I just ordered both the GRE 800mHz and the RS 800mHz today. I've heard the RS one is better than the stock Pro-95 one I use for the VHF 150-170 bands. But I also wanted to try the GRE one 'cause I've heard it is better than the RS in the 800mHz bands. I was wary because if you read the document on the GREamerica site, it seems that it is not really geared for the 150-170mHz bands, but we'll see. They are both racing to get to me in the mail. :lol: I'll be using them on a Pro-25,-46,-83 or -95, until I get a BC246T. My sis lives up on a big hill, so I'll try pulling in the Seattle trunking systems I usually only get on the other side of town when they arrive.

 

[OmensEdge]

Let me know how that GRE 800 MHZ antenna works out.

 

[FTLAUD]

Does anyone know if those amplifiers help at all in receiving trunked radio signals. There's some channels I receive at home that are marginal, and am hoping maybe with those I'd be able to receive them.