Colorado Antenna question.

[lazierfan]

Correction: make that 45.7 miles from Mt Morrison to South Castle Rock ( I Google Mapped it).

 

[blue5011]

I would stay away from RS coax especially at 800 mHz. Maybe you could get away with a very short length, but I'd go to HRO for better quality coax.

I don't know which idea is more idiotic... the fact that you think R/S coax is no good or the fact that you feel a VHF quarter-wave ground plane antenna is a lightning attraction...

It is a stretch to say the least that a ground plane antenna is likely to attract lightning. Having antennas up in Colorado, Georgia, Alaska, and finally Minnesota, I have never had a "direct" lightning strike (did have it come in the phone line once, took out a modem). One is more likely to get run over by a car than hit with lightning. My antennas are just above the roof line, so if I get hit, the house is **smoke** anyway.

Go to eham.net (a ham radio site), click on the "forums", then "elmers" and one can spend weeks in arguments about grounding and lightning. Some of those guys go at it night and day!

If one is using whatever coax for a scanner, it is only for receiving, hence 2 conductor zip cord could be used. Anything other than RG-58 is a waste of funds in my book. I have used RG-58, RG-8M, RG-8, and Belden 9913 with no discernable difference in received signal.

A ground plane and discone are basically the same antenna, for more gain one would need a beam or yagi. And since we are talking about VHF, UHF, and 800mhz, then only line-of-site transmissions will be heard anyway.

So many myths, so little time. <off my soapbox>

 

[jimmnn]

RG-58 for 800MHz with no-loss, wow now's that's a laughable statement.

Jim<

 

[mpg0515]

RG-58 for 800MHz with no-loss, wow now's that's a laughable statement.

Jim<

I had to read that twice... No difference between RG-8 and RG-58, two conductor zip cord?:lol: What have I been wasting all this money on all these years?:lol:

 

[blue5011]

RG-58 for 800MHz with no-loss, wow now's that's a laughable statement.

Jim<

Here in generally flat land Minnesota I can hear MN ARMER 800mhz tower sites in my six county area, yes with simple R/S RG-58, and a $29 R/S antenna. I did not state anything about loss or gain in respect to the type of coax used.

No, I would not as a rule use RG-58 for transmitting, but I have used it for 2 meter and 440 ham repeater and simplex work. Infering that all this expensive gadgetry is needed for radio reception is amoung one of the myths still seen today.

In most cases, a hobby scanner listener, will only hear line -of-site transmissions. That means at most all one hears is within 30-40 miles... VHF, UHF and 800mhz does not generally "skip" or bounce. While I have experienced "knife-edge refraction" (45+ mile hop "over" ridges in the Alaskan range) in the 450mhz range, reliably, near Denali Park/Cantwell in Alaska driving a truck on the Parks Highway.

I doubt the average user would know or could tell the difference in reception between RG-58 or RG-8, or any other type of coax.

The original question had to do with a R/S discone antenna, and I gave my opinion. One is free to spend whatever amount one desires for the goal.

 

[kc0kp]

Here in generally flat land Minnesota I can hear MN ARMER 800mhz tower sites in my six county area, yes with simple R/S RG-58, and a $29 R/S antenna. I did not state anything about loss or gain in respect to the type of coax used.

No, I would not as a rule use RG-58 for transmitting, but I have used it for 2 meter and 440 ham repeater and simplex work. Infering that all this expensive gadgetry is needed for radio reception is amoung one of the myths still seen today.

In most cases, a hobby scanner listener, will only hear line -of-site transmissions. That means at most all one hears is within 30-40 miles... VHF, UHF and 800mhz does not generally "skip" or bounce. While I have experienced "knife-edge refraction" (45+ mile hop "over" ridges in the Alaskan range) in the 450mhz range, reliably, near Denali Park/Cantwell in Alaska driving a truck on the Parks Highway.

I doubt the average user would know or could tell the difference in reception between RG-58 or RG-8, or any other type of coax.

The original question had to do with a R/S discone antenna, and I gave my opinion. One is free to spend whatever amount one desires for the goal.

I stand by everything I said. Discone antennas are not DC grounded. In Colorado humidity, they generate static electricity, especially when the wind is blowing. They have negative gain compared to a quarter wave antenna. The only advantage is their broadband capability and are better than not having an outside antenna at all.
Radio Shack makes lots of good stuff. Coax, unfortunately is not one of them (sorry Erik). I use LMR400 or Belden 9913 for long runs and LMR 200 for short runs.
Craig

 

[greenthumb]

Let's not stray too far on this one, guys...feel free to debate coax loss & lightning protection in the appropriate forum.

Or on eham.net

 

[abqscan]

Radio Shack makes lots of good stuff. Coax, unfortunately is not one of them (sorry Erik). I use LMR400 or Belden 9913 for long runs and LMR 200 for short runs.
Craig

No worries. RS Coax is far from good, however, I've had better results using the RG-6 vs. the other RG-x coax. And for antennas, the $30 outdoor antenna seems to perform better than the $70 discone.