best INDOOR antenna for scanner..

[giguchan]

Hello all,
I know there really is no such thing .An outside Antenna is always the best.Due to a new circumstance i need to utilize a "back of set antenna" for my scanner. I have been using the old skool BOS from RS for years(the one with coil in the middle) but for some reason on 800 it does not perform too well.

Any of you Apartment dwellers what do you guys use? I was using a diamond D130J. which i think is the finest antenna i have ever used, but she had to be taken down and packed away until such time i can expose her back to the elements i have to use a Indoor antenna.

My main interests are going to be 800/public service UHF FIRE/EMS- just the basics nothing exotic. I have an old skool RS 2006 with it's antenna that comes with it seems to work just fine.The other units i am talking about.. the BC780XLT and the 996XT.

Thanks

 

[n5ims]

I believe that the antenna you have needs to be nearly fully collapsed for it to work on 800 MHz. The instructions should say how it should be set for each band for best results.

I have good luck using the standard GRE/Radio Shack 800 MHz scanner antenna 800MHz Scanner Antenna - RadioShack.com using a 90 degree BNC adapter to allow it to be vertical. I also use a standard 800 MHz NMO mount antenna stuck on a steel pie tin with good results (not sure of the brand, it was a 'hamfest special' for about 50 cents).

Good results can also be had using a 4 drawer steel filing cabinet placed by a window with standard mobile mag-mount antennas on it. The cabinet is good for holding the usual files (or other junk) and is large enough to be a decent ground plane from VHF-Hi up.

 

[ka3jjz]

This question begs another question (sad to say, sometimes they do)...do you have an attic? If it's tall enough your D130J will work just fine up there, in most cases - certainly not like having it outdoors away from structures, but almost certainly better than a whip on the radio.

Are you up a couple of floors? Do you have one of those old air conditioners in your window? A perfect place to hide a mag mount...

More details needed...73 Mike

 

[giguchan]

N5IMS,
Thanks for the reply. I have in the past tried that..it does work. the improvment is marginal at best.. but when i do try that believe it or not the rest suffers(VHF/ UHF) I have to find a somewhat of a happy medium.. too bad it does not have a seperate BNC for 800 like some of the higher end receivers.

ka3jjz,
I dont have acces to the attic. that was the first place i looked , but sadly i do not have access to it. I have a buddy who has his Diamond up there..his works like a charm.Central AC in the house so there is no need for an out of window unit... they look uglier than an antenna would-but they would serve the purpose..

I think i might try another Back of set antenna.. i am thinking that this one while very old might have taken a few physical hits .. it's probabally just old and tired. the connection at the bottom could be tighter. I'll get another tomorow and see what the results are.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[gewecke]

N5IMS,
Thanks for the reply. I have in the past tried that..it does work. the improvment is marginal at best.. but when i do try that believe it or not the rest suffers(VHF/ UHF) I have to find a somewhat of a happy medium.. too bad it does not have a seperate BNC for 800 like some of the higher end receivers.

ka3jjz,
I dont have acces to the attic. that was the first place i looked , but sadly i do not have access to it. I have a buddy who has his Diamond up there..his works like a charm.Central AC in the house so there is no need for an out of window unit... they look uglier than an antenna would-but they would serve the purpose..

I think i might try another Back of set antenna.. i am thinking that this one while very old might have taken a few physical hits .. it's probabally just old and tired. the connection at the bottom could be tighter. I'll get another tomorow and see what the results are.

Thanks for the replies.

When it storms,I use a mfj-1717 in my pro-197 and 780xlt and it works quite well on 700-800mhz. I'm about 5 miles from nearest P25 site.
n9zas

 

[fineshot1]

Desktop Discone

Hey gig - you might want to try one of these.

Radioware & Radio Bookstore - Scanmaster Desktop Discone Antenna

If you got a lot of noisy routers/modems you may want to keep
them as far away from the antenna as possible.

Good luck...

 

[giguchan]

Hey,
thanks for the reply message.. I will look into that as well.. I have a feeling that i will just get another BOS antenna i might try the RS or the one i saw on the scanner master page with no coil..
thanks.

 

[giguchan]

fine shot,
That is the craziest antenna i have ever seen for inside use! something like that i would try because it's broadbanded and i dont have to collaspe it according to what i wanna listen to.. consider it bookmarked. I'll bet it works pretty well. I know my Discone i had outside work like Gangbusters..
thanks for the heads up.

 

[engine3]

i used a RS 20-176, i think thats the catolog number
its an outside antenna but its small enough to stick in a corner
and be out of the way and it worked pretty darn well on all bands

there fairly inexpensive as well

 

[giguchan]

Engine 3
Thanks for the reply. i think i have to use an inside antenna for now, but my situation will change shortly and then i should be able to go back to my outside setup.. minus the tower... sniff...

 

[Paulsan]

DPD Productions - Custom Antennas for Commercial & Hobbyist Applications

Try these guys.

 

[giguchan]

Paulsan,
Thanks ffor the reply. I will look into this company and see what they have to offer!
Thank again.

 

[giguchan]

Has anyone tried this Table top Porky pine yet? I'll manage to loose any eye.. after it's assembled
Radioware & Radio Bookstore - Scanmaster Desktop Discone Antenna

 

[gewecke]

A simple cellular magnetic mount antenna works great with the proper tnc/ bnc adaptor on any steel surface.


73,
n9zas

 

[giguchan]

Thanks for the reply.... so far i'm not jumping up and down with the Austin Spectra /SP-1300 setup. I have only had it for a day so i will have to run some more test and see where that takes me.. I do need a ground plane though... i'm heading out to the grocery store now to find one... in the baking isle!

I realize that running a moble Antenna in the house here will not yield any earth shattering results... but i am hopeful of something positive.

 

[gewecke]

Lol! A baking pan works great for a ground plane actually. If you can stick it up high on top of a bookcase.


73,
n9zas

 

[W8RMH]

I use this antenna for 800, it works great.

https://www.scannermaster.com/800_MHz_2_5db_Gain_Base_BNC_Scanner_Antenna_p/14-540716.htm

 

[giguchan]

Hey all....
I had to settle for a round metal pizza pan it's for 15 INCH pizza so hopefully it will serve me well.. i found smaller square pans i thought bigger shoulkd be better. funny thing mag mount i was using got to close to the CRT(yes i am still using one..) and freaked it out! so it wont be going anywhere near my old school puter monitor.. thanks for all of the suggestions.
I still have plenty of programming questions! dont wanna wear out my welcome on just one topic! i did buy the "how two" book from Scanner Master though.. that was a good move!

 

[maalox]

best indoor antenna i haved use was a mag mount scanner ant from radioshack..

 

[giguchan]

Maalox,
ok then thanks for the input. I have a lot of the NYC stuff(i live in suffolk) in my Moto portables.. I normally tune in when i am working in western nassau.Thanks for the information...