Compact high-gain wideband antenna for BCD436HP work well in urban area?

[M00ke]

Hi RR,

About half a year back, picked up the BCD436HP and really love its functions, but I've noticed the factory antenna is kinda bad. So I got a few different antennas, two of which were from AECreative and quickly realize how terrible their quality. The high-gain telescopic antenna from AECreative lasted 2 months before stopped working, as soon as I smell burns from that antenna I discarded it. Few days ago I ordered a flexible AECreative antenna from Amazon, it works but just receiving slightly better than factory one.

I live in Toronto, Ontario and in dense urban area with a lot of buildings and reception is depended certain locations. Also note, I've been into CB for at least a year before picking up scanner hobby. I usually love to take long walk around the city for trunk and conventional/analog discovery.

What type of high-gain and wideband antennas best for the BCD436HP but also useful for handheld/walking? I don't have price preference because IMO I think cheap antennas don't work that well. Thank you for your suggestions! Stay well!

 

[jonwienke]

Pick any one of the three. They're pretty much mutually exclusive.

 

[Enjoi19]

I have fairly good luck in downtown Toronto with the Remtronix 800mhz antenna, usually scanning Toronto Emergency Services. Depending on where I am, I pickup FleetNet decently with it. However it is worth noting that with how dense Toronto is, some spots just suck, deep downtown, at street level. It feels weird coming from the GTA into the city and everything being hit and miss suddenly.

Like others said though, I don't think "wideband", "handheld" and "good" are quite something you'll be able to find.

 

[a417]

which is the more important feature, compactness, bandwidth or high gain?

As @jonwienke mentioned, you're looking for a unicorn if you expect a compact, highgain, wideband antenna to 1) exist, and 2) be any good.

 

[iMONITOR]

The high-gain telescopic antenna from AECreative lasted 2 months before stopped working, as soon as I smell burns from that antenna I discarded it.

An antenna would never burn on a scanner. It must have been something else.

 

[pb_lonny]

What band do you need the best signal on? In my case, I need UHF around 460MHz.

 

[prcguy]

High gain doesn't belong in the same sentence as the antennas you are discussing.

which is the more important feature, compactness, bandwidth or high gain?

As @jonwienke mentioned, you're looking for a unicorn if you expect a compact, highgain, wideband antenna to 1) exist, and 2) be any good.