Better RISCON with a YAGI??

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bobruzzo

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I have a 6 element 800mhz YAGI on the way. Planning on using it for reception of Mass State Police system. The closest tower they use is about 30 miles away on Copicut Hill in Fall River area. Elevation is about 380 feet asl there. While I am at it I was also thinking, since I have programmed in my SDS200 both RISCON and MASS SP, I can utilize the yagi for both systems. Copicut Hill is almost exactly due east of my location in Cranston. Due east 30 miles. What I am thinking is if I point the yagi due east it may bring in the RISCON EAST zone in a little better too. Here is data sheet on the antenna: YAGI
I am not really knowledgeable on detailed antenna specs but would this yagi give me enuff beamwidth to still pick up RISOC NORTH, SOUTH and PROV sites off the sides of the antenna? Although I have an SDS radio I still experience a little simulcast here, probably due to my location. But it's almost impossible to narrow it down as to what the cause is. Reception is definitely a lot better on the SDS than my BCD996p2 for sure. But who knows if its from multi path distortion, cell towers, etc....I am thinking a beam antenna might help, and for the price of the antenna and short coax length its worth the attempt. Going to keep coax run VERY short. Mounting yagi right outside shack window on pole on 2nd floor. Using LMR 240 with N connector on antenna.
Also I am not that knowledgeable on RISCONs tower arrangements etc....but if I theoretically pointed yagi south towards the south site(s) would I still hear transmissions from the other sites (north, east Prov)? Since its all part of the same system. I read somewhere that by isolating the reception to one site it would decrease simulcast issues.
 

cg

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Experimenting is the only realistic way to determine what is best for you.

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hummin24

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Yagi's didn't seem to help me with my home patrol. Even up 30ft. With all my experimenting I've concluded its the scanner and not the antenna's that are troublesome. My unification g5 picks up EVERYTHING with no problems and just its stubby antenna. I can hear hear Providence PD FD inside my house in North Kingstown.
 

bobruzzo

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Yagi's didn't seem to help me with my home patrol. Even up 30ft. With all my experimenting I've concluded its the scanner and not the antenna's that are troublesome. My unification g5 picks up EVERYTHING with no problems and just its stubby antenna. I can hear hear Providence PD FD inside my house in North Kingstown.
How do those G5's work when you are out and about? Like if you go for a walk or drive is the reception still pretty stable? I might end up getting one of those since I don't have a portable. The only site I have trouble with even with the SDS200 is PROV. But I have been looking at display and notice it depends on what frequency they are on at the time of transmission. Certain ones the audio is perfect and there are a couple others that audio is a little messy. Audio on other 3 zones perfect.....I keep checking the D-error and all 4 sites and only PROV gives the most errors. But anyway I am going to research the G5 on Youtube....
 

900mhz

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The difference between the SDS series and the Unication's are night and day...no messing around with filters, no messing with IFX and no specific frequency issues etc. There is no comparison.
 

floridafuzz

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The difference between the SDS series and the Unication's are night and day...no messing around with filters, no messing with IFX and no specific frequency issues etc. There is no comparison.
I will 2nd your post. I ended up purchasing a Unication G5 and I could not be happier. The learning curve to program was a little steep in the beginning, but with the help of others it is quite doable. The reception is great on these units and the comms are very clear. I couldn't be happier.
 

floridafuzz

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How do those G5's work when you are out and about? Like if you go for a walk or drive is the reception still pretty stable? I might end up getting one of those since I don't have a portable. The only site I have trouble with even with the SDS200 is PROV. But I have been looking at display and notice it depends on what frequency they are on at the time of transmission. Certain ones the audio is perfect and there are a couple others that audio is a little messy. Audio on other 3 zones perfect.....I keep checking the D-error and all 4 sites and only PROV gives the most errors. But anyway I am going to research the G5 on Youtube....
Bob- check out the G5. You won't be disappointed. They are great units. Read up about them also on the
Unication Forum on Radio Reference.
 

ScubaJungle

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Its comparing a professional industry-backed receiver with a mediocre hobbyist receiver. The selling point with traditional scanners is the convenience. You dont have anything else bar an SDR with a computer that can decode DMR (and all its variations), NXDN, PV, P25, EDACS, all in one - so if you want that convenience, you get a Uniden or Whistler scanner. If all you want to listen to is one system (P25, EDACS, etc), then by all means, go with the professional option as it is proven to work and must work with lives on the line.
Of course, the antenna makes a difference, but in combination with a good receiver, your decode is going to be solid in a wider area than with a mediocre receiver.
 

bobruzzo

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Bob- check out the G5. You won't be disappointed. They are great units. Read up about them also on the
Unication Forum on Radio Reference.
Yes I will.....The reason I bought the SDS200 is because most of the time I am at home. I retired in 2016 and spend quite a while at my desk listening to my scanners. And with the virus thing, I am home that much more. I never cared for handhelds much because of lousey audio and battery life. Plus reception in my area with a conventional handheld is lame. But I am hoping to get out a little more. We are going on vacation in 2 weeks up to new hampshire. So all I have read about the G5 is changing my mind about how I feel about hand helds. I have that feeling, like I did with the SDS200 that eventually I will get one. If I do get the G5 probably not till end of summer.
 

bobruzzo

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I will 2nd your post. I ended up purchasing a Unication G5 and I could not be happier. The learning curve to program was a little steep in the beginning, but with the help of others it is quite doable. The reception is great on these units and the comms are very clear. I couldn't be happier.
I am slowly getting interested more and more now after watching videos and reading about them. I am going to start putting a few bucks away and maybe by August/Sept I will get one. And I am sure I will be on here asking for help!
 

hummin24

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How do those G5's work when you are out and about? Like if you go for a walk or drive is the reception still pretty stable? I might end up getting one of those since I don't have a portable. The only site I have trouble with even with the SDS200 is PROV. But I have been looking at display and notice it depends on what frequency they are on at the time of transmission. Certain ones the audio is perfect and there are a couple others that audio is a little messy. Audio on other 3 zones perfect.....I keep checking the D-error and all 4 sites and only PROV gives the most errors. But anyway I am going to research the G5 on Youtube....



Bob, I don't think you are getting it! They are amazing. Inside your pocket, on the floor of the car, inside/outside it just doesn't matter. Like someone else said its a professional public safety product as opposed to a scanner. There is absolutely no comparison. The only thing that could be improved is its max volume and bluetooth set up its very difficult. Buy one, you'll never look back.
 

bobruzzo

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Bob, I don't think you are getting it! They are amazing. Inside your pocket, on the floor of the car, inside/outside it just doesn't matter. Like someone else said its a professional public safety product as opposed to a scanner. There is absolutely no comparison. The only thing that could be improved is its max volume and bluetooth set up its very difficult. Buy one, you'll never look back.
The more I read and hear about them I think I am going to get the G5 probably end of summer. Gotta put some cash aside. What I do like is I have not heard a SINGLE bad or negative thing about them....thats a selling point. Plus the durable construction is what I like.
 

sgblais

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Absolutely love my G5. I have been well into Worcester County MA and can pick up the RISCON Metro Zone(Providence) while on high ground. Check out Rays pagers in PA, he is very helpful.
 

bobruzzo

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Absolutely love my G5. I have been well into Worcester County MA and can pick up the RISCON Metro Zone(Providence) while on high ground. Check out Rays pagers in PA, he is very helpful.
Yes I think I will be getting a G5 myself. How do they work mobile? I mean if you are walking around, like in the park or woods is the reception pretty stable? I understand the G5 is not a scanner but a pager. I never liked handheld (scanners) because the signal would fluctuate too much and audio output was weak. But I am hearing very good things about the G5.
 

sgblais

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Yes I think I will be getting a G5 myself. How do they work mobile? I mean if you are walking around, like in the park or woods is the reception pretty stable? I understand the G5 is not a scanner but a pager. I never liked handheld (scanners) because the signal would fluctuate too much and audio output was weak. But I am hearing very good things about the G5.
The reception is absolutely fantastic with it on your belt, in your hand or in your cup holder in the car. It excels at receiving distant signals well outside the footprint of the system.
 

bobruzzo

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The reception is absolutely fantastic with it on your belt, in your hand or in your cup holder in the car. It excels at receiving distant signals well outside the footprint of the system.
Cool thats what I want. Where you live in Burrillville can you hear the south and east sites? I am in Cranston and the East site has always given me bad reception. Not sure why and my yagi is pointing to the east too. South site is the strongest most reliable here. Providence is flaky sometimes and North is strong. Thats with using yagi....vertical antennas are not as consistent for some reason. I have a big hill to my east so I am sure that is causing some trouble.
 

sgblais

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Cool thats what I want. Where you live in Burrillville can you hear the south and east sites? I am in Cranston and the East site has always given me bad reception. Not sure why and my yagi is pointing to the east too. South site is the strongest most reliable here. Providence is flaky sometimes and North is strong. Thats with using yagi....vertical antennas are not as consistent for some reason. I have a big hill to my east so I am sure that is causing some trouble.
I can receive the North system everywhere and sometimes Metro or South if you’re on high ground but its very location dependent. Can’t get East at all. You will find most of your issues will clear up if you get the G4/G5. You’d be amazed at how much traffic you’re missing.
 

bobruzzo

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I can receive the North system everywhere and sometimes Metro or South if you’re on high ground but its very location dependent. Can’t get East at all. You will find most of your issues will clear up if you get the G4/G5. You’d be amazed at how much traffic you’re missing.
Yep I am starting to put a few bucks aside and will be getting one probably end of Summer. The East site is very hard to get for some reason, unless you live on coast. I can get it but always bad garbled audio. But you are not missing much. Only a couple towns use it and not much action going on in east bay.
 

wa1lad

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I have no issue receiving any of the zones in Warwick. Using an old TrunkTracker IV with the telescoping antenna it came with. Plenty of action in the East Bay also. All of Newport, all of Little Compton, Tiverton PD, Middletown PD and Portsmouth PD all use it every day. And then there are RISP, RIDOT, DEM and USCG..........
 
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