Best Antenna

[scannerpro]

I’m new to scanning 800/900Mhz Phase 1 systems on a PRO-96. What is a good antenna BNC connection? I’m attempting to listen to a system about 50 miles away from my residence. Would a “Rubber Duck” antenna or a discone antenna be better? Would it even be able to pick up the system?
Thank you.

 

[bob550]

A good portable antenna is the Remtronix 800 (Remtronix 800). However, receiving a digital signal, and maintaining a good decode, from a 50-mile distance will be challenging to impossible. If you were to try, your best bet would be a directional 800 MHz yagi antenna (800 Mhz Yagi) mounted as high as possible outside your house. Even then, you'd need to have no natural or man-made obstructions between you and the transmitting tower. Using a discone antenna mounted 20 feet up, I have no luck receiving a P25 system 30 miles to my North, and that's using my Unication G5 which is a very sensitive receiver.

 

[N1XDS]

I’m new to scanning 800/900Mhz Phase 1 systems on a PRO-96. What is a good antenna BNC connection? I’m attempting to listen to a system about 50 miles away from my residence. Would a “Rubber Duck” antenna or a discone antenna be better? Would it even be able to pick up the system?
Thank you.

A good portable antenna is the Remtronix 800 (Remtronix 800). However, receiving a digital signal, and maintaining a good decode, from a 50-mile distance will be challenging to impossible. If you were to try, your best bet would be a directional 800 MHz yagi antenna (800 Mhz Yagi) mounted as high as possible outside your house. Even then, you'd need to have no natural or man-made obstructions between you and the transmitting tower. Using a discone antenna mounted 20 feet up, I have no luck receiving a P25 system 30 miles to my North, and that's using my Unication G5 which is a very sensitive receiver.

Like what Bob has stated in his reply. Remtronix 800 is a great portable antenna to use or if you want something that gets the job done so you can hear distant county radio systems around the area or down the road from you a Yagi antenna or DPD antennas will do. I use both DPD Productions Omni X antenna that picks up everything such as analog, digital and Military air (which I only listen to) also the other antenna I use is the ADS-B vertical antenna for picking up ADS-B messages from airplanes flying above.


DPD Productions Omini UHF/VHF antenna

 

[iMONITOR]

I’m new to scanning 800/900Mhz Phase 1 systems on a PRO-96. What is a good antenna BNC connection? I’m attempting to listen to a system about 50 miles away from my residence. Would a “Rubber Duck” antenna or a discone antenna be better? Would it even be able to pick up the system?
Thank you.

Impossible to answer without having more info. Location/terrain, power of transmitters, repeaters, etc? Something like this would be more appropriate:


Radio Research Inc: $49.99
Antenna Yagi 806-896 MHz, 11 dBd gain, 100 Watts

 

[ridgescan]

I get San Francisco 800mHz strongly and reliably, full-citywide...with my D130J outside up 50'. But I can tell you that is about the extent of my 800 range at best. Oakland is very faint at only several miles across the bay. So your expectation of 50 miles is a tough one. Like the guys above said, a good Yagi pointed right at the agency and up and outside is probably the only hope.

 

[bob550]

If you refer to the RR database for the location you want to monitor, find the desired system of interest, then click on the appropriate site, you'll display a map showing the effective range of the transmitter. That'll help you plan out what you will be able to listen to, and what you can't.

 

[scannerpro]

Thank you everyone for the responses. It appears a lot of factors as well. (repeaters in the area, terrain/obstructions etc.) I will check into the antennas everyone recommended! Thanks!