Best Wide-Band Scanner Antenna...the seventeen foot tall X700HNA or D3000N Discone?

[emtbucky1]

price is no worry, base station, antenna with highest gain for all band scanner?

X700HNA Dualband Base/Repeater Antenna ?

Or am I just better off with a wideband discone? Like the D3000N?

 

[mule1075]

price is no worry, base station, antenna with highest gain for all band scanner?

X700HNA Dualband Base/Repeater Antenna ?

Or am I just better off with a wideband discone? Like the D3000N?

If you want gain you can pass on the discone.

 

[prcguy]

The X700HNA is a narrow band 2m/70cm antenna and will be very detuned in the commercial VHF/UHF bands and way out of spec on anything else like VHF/UHF air, 700/800MHz, etc. The Discone can easily outperform it in some bands. If your scanning only involves 2m and 70cm amateur then the X700HNA will work night and day better.

 

[mmckenna]

price is no worry, base station, antenna with highest gain for all band scanner?

X700HNA Dualband Base/Repeater Antenna ?

Or am I just better off with a wideband discone? Like the D3000N?

You can get dual band antennas that are tuned for the commercial/LMR/Public safety portions of the VHF and UHF bands. They'll have some gain as opposed to the discone. If VHF/UHF is all you need to listen to, it might be a good choice.

 

[prcguy]

There is the Comet GP-9NC commercial version which covers UHF 460-470MHz and VHF but sharply tuned around 155MHz. I've had two of those and the VHF side was very narrow band for me, but if your monitoring is centered only around these frequencies it would make a great high gain scanner antenna.

And BTW, the title mentions "the seventeen foot tall X700HNA" but its actually 24ft tall!

You can get dual band antennas that are tuned for the commercial/LMR/Public safety portions of the VHF and UHF bands. They'll have some gain as opposed to the discone. If VHF/UHF is all you need to listen to, it might be a good choice.

 

[emtbucky1]

Sounds like for overall, the best is the discone.
The TIP of the 17' or the 24 ' antennas would be at about the same height as where I could get the discone.
So i guess the discone would be the winner,,,kinda.

 

[mmckenna]

Might be a good solution. Make sure you use good coaxial cable though. With no gain, the cable loss becomes an issue at the higher frequencies.

 

[devicelab]

Well whomever is recommended a 17ft VHF/UHF dual-band antenna as an "all-band scanner" antenna doesn't have the slightest clue. I own the Diamond X510HDN and a D3000N and the D3000N kicks the X510's butt most of the time. The only except is when transmitting VHF/UHF on the X510. The radiation pattern is designed for transmitting and is thus much more efficient. On receive, the discone is amazing but I find I need more filters to narrow its effectiveness at times. Plus I live in a ****ty high-RF area so it's easily overloaded. The X510 requires a paging filter but otherwise it's a solid performer. BTW, both antennas are at the same height (30ft off the ground) and use LMR400 coax.

 

[allend]

price is no worry, base station, antenna with highest gain for all band scanner?

X700HNA Dualband Base/Repeater Antenna ?

Or am I just better off with a wideband discone? Like the D3000N?

Honestly for all bands for a scanner I would just buy the Diamond D3000N Type Discone antenna and don't over think it with any type of gain.

I have bought and tried all sorts of antenna's and spent wasted money taking down the Diamond Discone and installing others and regret it everytime. You really do not need LMR low loss feed line. You can just use RG6 coax and be just fine with it. I would not go longer than 50 feet if you can and you will be happy and not have to spend alot of money and get everything you will need to make sure all bands of your scanner work. Don't over think all of these idea's from other people. Since it just for a scanner then this is the perfect antenna 25-1300 mhz hands down the best. Make sure you get it up at least 30 to 40 feet above the dirt line of the earth. Good Luck

 

[devicelab]

You really do not need LMR low loss feed line. You can just use RG6 coax and be just fine with it.

This depends on what you want to listen to and also how long of a coax run you need. If you need anything close to 100ft then you should consider RG8 at the very least. LMR400 is a better investment however. Also, if you're listening to frequencies above 700 Mhz then you really should invest in LMR400. Yes, there's a big cost difference between that and RG6 Quad Shield but it's mandatory if you want to do any ADS-B (1090 Mhz) tracking. (Most people have a separate antenna for that however.)

Also if you plan to Tx with your discone then you're better off with RG8 or LMR400.

 

[emtbucky1]

Well whomever is recommended a 17ft VHF/UHF dual-band antenna as an "all-band scanner" antenna doesn't have the slightest clue. I own the Diamond X510HDN and a D3000N and the D3000N kicks the X510's butt most of the time. The only except is when transmitting VHF/UHF on the X510. The radiation pattern is designed for transmitting and is thus much more efficient. On receive, the discone is amazing but I find I need more filters to narrow its effectiveness at times. Plus I live in a ****ty high-RF area so it's easily overloaded. The X510 requires a paging filter but otherwise it's a solid performer. BTW, both antennas are at the same height (30ft off the ground) and use LMR400 coax.

Thnx Excellent info!!!
Well it's too late. The 3000n has already been ordered. Hahahaha
Thnx again.

 

[Gadgetmann]

Allend or emtbucky1, where did you buy your Diamond 3000N discone from? Price?

 

[emtbucky1]

eBay. Always eBay. Best prices always. I think it was $9,000. No wait....$110.00 new.

 

[n2pqq]

This is what I use .

Create CLP-5130-2N VHF/UHF Log-Periodic Antenna
Parts and Accessories

 

[Gadgetmann]

Ok, thanks and the Create antenna will not meet my needs as I want 700/800Mhz mainly.
What are the differences between the Diamond 3000N and the Diamond D130J?

 

[mule1075]

as I want 700/800Mhz mainly.

Might want to look into something besides the discone if that is the case.

 

[w4amp]

I have found the Comet KP20 900 mhz antenna to work well with 700-900 mhz. You want LMR400 feedline minimum.
KP20 Data Sheet

Some discones favor VHF, others favor UHF. I use two discones and a KP20 with a Stridsberg combiner.

The X700HNA is huge and works well on 144 and 440 ham radio, I have one. It will receive 155 and 460 well, but overkill for receive only.

 

[doovenator]

I'm surprised the Omni X isn't on the list. I installed mine within the last year and have been happy with it. From what I've read on the forums I thought it was one of the best out there. OmniX Scanner Base Antenna Is it because its not as wide-band as some of the others?

 

[allend]

This is what I use .

Create CLP-5130-2N VHF/UHF Log-Periodic Antenna
Parts and Accessories

I am curious about this antenna. Can you give the plus and the minus of this antenna. I know it is Horizontal Polarization .

What is good about horizontal or vertical using this antenna? Seems like a very good antenna.

 

[Gadgetmann]

Might want to look into something besides the discone if that is the case.

Ok and any suggestions?
Would the OmniX be better?

I already have LDF4_50A feedline, about an 90-100 ft run.
I also have an 800Mhz Yagi but it is a stationary mount, I thought about mounting it onto my mast with my TV rotator.