Delco PA antenna

[RMull53]

I'll start this off by saying - I have a little knowledge of antenna and scanner/frequencie knowledge, but I do know a lot of the terminology is over my head or confusing.

With that being said, I have the BCT15x in my vehicle with a small dual band inexpensive antenna from Amazon currently.

My question is majority of the time I get decent reception, but that seems to be only on the handful of channels and dispatches that I always hear.

For example, I usually only hear Upper Darby, Chester, Springfield, Broomall, and a few other neighboring companies and I sometimes get spotty coverage with fire channel 4.

So aside from the spotty coverage, why is it that I don't hear many other companies or municipalities dispatched or chattering and yes, I uploaded through radio reference the frequencies into my scanner through the program on my computer.

I figure it's my antenna, not reaching those places, but then again it doesn't stand a reason why the dispatch channel only comes over occasionally with said companies from above.

Much appreciated and thanks in advance

 

[u2brent]

Are the ones not coming in so good on VHF LO band?

 

[EAFrizzle]

There's also the possibility that your dual-band antenna isn't performing well at the frequencies you're monitoring. For UHF, most antennas cover ~430-470 MHz. Those frequencies in the 500 MHz range aren't going to be picked up as well. For those, a UHF ¼ wave trimmed to that segment of the band will give you the best performance.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

For example, I usually only hear Upper Darby, Chester, Springfield, Broomall, and a few other neighboring companies and I sometimes get spotty coverage with fire channel 4.

I'm very familiar with Delco's conventional system as it exists today, have listened to it for decades, streamed & recorded fire channels for Broadcastify and my former platform, firegroundaudio.com in the early 2000s. This has been a known issue for me & others since not every channel is carried on every site. When I lived in Drexel Hill I had reliable coverage on S4, S5 & S6, F1, F4 & F10. Mediocre coverage with S1, S2, F3, F5 & F7 and scratchy coverage on S3. I was able to improve my RX countywide through the use of various mobile antennas through the years.

With that said, Delco's T-band conventional system will soon be replaced by a fully simulcast P25 Phase-II system at the end of the year which will render your BCT15X obsolete. If I were you I'd plan on picking up an SDS200 & not spending any money trying to improve upon the legacy system to be retired so when Delco makes the migration you'll be able to track the future simulcast system without a hitch. On the new system every agency will be simulcast on every site so you'll no longer have to worry about not picking up Chester when you're in Radnor for example. Currently only automated voice dispatch is carried on the new system (TGID 200) with occasional field testing on TGID 201. Further discussion on said migration can be found on this thread

 

[rgchristy]

There are very few scanner antennas made for the UHF T-band.

I'm not going to talk about the new system, as John covered it very well.

In the interim, with your BCT15X, I would make sure that you have both VHF Hi & UHF T-band dispatch frequencies programmed in. I've found that when one doesn't come in, the other does and it's usually the VHF Hi one.

508.2375

WIJ815

RM

203.5 PL

DC Fire Disp

County Fire Dispatch (Voice)

FMN

Fire Dispatch

154.415

KGA346

B

CSQ

UDFD Disp

Fire - Dispatch (Simul of 46.480)

FMN

Fire Dispatch

For our vehicle, I use the following set up:

PulseLarsen NMOMMRBNC

NMO Magnetic Mount - Round - 12 Feet RG-58/U Coax - BNC Male Connector

www.hamradio.com

(I know, I didn't drill the hole, but I didn't get thrown out of the house over it, either.)

Laird TE Connectivity UTRA4502S3NB UHF 450-512 MHz Ultra Phantom Two Way Radio Antenna - NMO - Black

Laird TE Connectivity UTRA4502S3NB UHF 450-512 MHz Ultra Phantom Two Way Radio Antenna - NMO - Black

theantennafarm.com

You may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere.

My best coverage is with my Compactenna Scantenna III. I use the Laird because we spend a lot of time in and out of hospital garages and we don't have to remove it for that. We would never run it through a car wash, though. I comes off for that.

I know that you didn't mention handheld, but just in case, my best performer is this antenna from Smiley Antenna:

5/8 SLIM DUCK 470 MHZ — Smiley Antenna

5/8 SLIM DUCK Super efficient UHF antenna show a OMNI directional 6 dbd gain flexible base loaded antenna, manufactured tough enough for the military and aesthetically pleasing for the consumer. Sealed in synthetic rubber and utilizing the Tuned Antenna's one piece NT-MIL Space Age covering system (

www.smileyantenna.com

Although not specifically designed for 512 MHz, it seems to work the best for Delco.

My second choice would be:

Watson W-801 Regular Gainer (BNC)

Moonraker was established in 1978. Since then we have become the largest manufacturer of Amateur, CB, and Scanner antennas and accessories in the UK We are also the largest local authorised dealer for Alinco, Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu and Wouxun

moonrakeronline.com

They're hard to find. Also, they have newer antennas that I haven't looked at yet.

I noticed that you have "53" in your username. When you go digital, you'll have access to Broomall's private DMR channel, which also simulcasts dispatches.

Good luck to you.

 

[cavmedic]

Also keep in mind that the " Simulcast" channels aren't a county wide simulcast, ( except command, I may have missed one) It will be difficult to hear one side of the county when physically on the other side. Another common mistake is programming the channels as Narrowband, which only M7, S6,M6, are narrowband, everything else on the legacy system is wide band. ( DMR not included)

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Also keep in mind that the " Simulcast" channels aren't a county wide simulcast, ( except command, I may have missed one)

Pretty sure the PD data channel on 506.5625 is too?
Ah, maybe not. Command comes in clearer from my Montco QTH than does Data

 

[rgchristy]

Keith @cavmedic , Steve @stevecast2024 , I don't know if you guys own scanners, since you have Kenwood radios, but what antenna(s) do you/would you use for Delco for both analog and DMR on a handheld scanner?

What antennas do you use on your Delco Kenwood radios?

I was thinking of picking one up to try it out. I'm guessing that eBay/Amazon is probably not the place, because they are probably counterfeit.

From the picture, it looks like the KRA-27M/2/3

 

[RMull53]

well first off - thank you for all for your knowledgeable info

1. good to know about the switch over in the county to the new system, and unfortunately my radio will no longer work for it by end of year 2025. ill figure that out when its getting closer to it.

2. i do have a handheld BC125AT - which i assume will no longer work as well, since it is analog only?

3. i have not had the chance to add the additional frequencies yet, but i know theyre not in my radio, i only have the dispatch channel 46.xxxx or what ever it is.

4. ill start doing a little research into what i want to do before i pull the trigger on anything. if anyone knows of a digital radio needing a good home, keep me in mind. brand new SDS is certainly not in the budget at this current moment but maybe i can find an OT shift or two haha

and again, i appreciate all the help you guys provided.

 

[stevecast2024]

Keith @cavmedic , Steve @stevecast2024 , I don't know if you guys own scanners, since you have Kenwood radios, but what antenna(s) do you/would you use for Delco for both analog and DMR on a handheld scanner?

What antennas do you use on your Delco Kenwood radios?

I was thinking of picking one up to try it out. I'm guessing that eBay/Amazon is probably not the place, because they are probably counterfeit.

From the picture, it looks like the KRA-27M/2/3

View attachment 185160

Hey Chris. Yes we run the KRA-27 M2. They have been solid performers. The new radios come with a KRA-47 MB. Which is VHF UHF and 700/800mhz.

 

[rgchristy]

well first off - thank you for all for your knowledgeable info

1. good to know about the switch over in the county to the new system, and unfortunately my radio will no longer work for it by end of year 2025. ill figure that out when its getting closer to it.

2. i do have a handheld BC125AT - which i assume will no longer work as well, since it is analog only?

3. i have not had the chance to add the additional frequencies yet, but i know theyre not in my radio, i only have the dispatch channel 46.xxxx or what ever it is.

4. ill start doing a little research into what i want to do before i pull the trigger on anything. if anyone knows of a digital radio needing a good home, keep me in mind. brand new SDS is certainly not in the budget at this current moment but maybe i can find an OT shift or two haha

and again, i appreciate all the help you guys provided.

If you need a hand, just yell. I'm in Secane, so I can't be too far away.

Do you run with 53? I used to run with 03, 20 (with Steve's Dad) & AMB 144.

Take care

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

2. i do have a handheld BC125AT - which i assume will no longer work as well, since it is analog only?

Correct, this will not work on the new system

 

[RMull53]

If you need a hand, just yell. I'm in Secane, so I can't be too far away.

Do you run with 53? I used to run with 03, 20 (with Steve's Dad) & AMB 144.

Take care

cool thanks! yeah im gonna need one at some point. just off hand what might you be looking to sell and how much you asking?

and i used to run amb 53 back a while ago before i got out of nursing school. but im still surrounded with Fire/EMS/Police with family and friends, so i like to stay in the loop. also live in springfield now so 144 is my local now, so my kids like to listen to the radio and see the vehicles responding. true fire/bandaid whackers at heart haha.

 

[rgchristy]

cool thanks! yeah im gonna need one at some point. just off hand what might you be looking to sell and how much you asking?

and i used to run amb 53 back a while ago before i got out of nursing school. but im still surrounded with Fire/EMS/Police with family and friends, so i like to stay in the loop. also live in springfield now so 144 is my local now, so my kids like to listen to the radio and see the vehicles responding. true fire/bandaid whackers at heart haha.

Marple, Springfield, Narberth, etc. are all top shelf ambulance corps'. I grew up in Drexel Hill, but we lived in Springfield for twenty years or so. We moved to Secane almost two years ago, because the house was too much for just my wife and myself to keep up with.

A good friend of mine is a flight nurse on LifeNet in Delaware. He started out as an EMT at Springfield & an orderly at Springfield Hospital (Tri County, at the time), and was one of the people responsible for getting me into Fire/EMS. He became a Paramedic, Paramedic Chief (106), then a nurse and finally a flight nurse. He teaches ACLS, etc. He also worked at Crozer as an ER nurse, too.

Living in Springfield, you should consider joining the Ambulance Corps. Great group of people! Some of the people that I ran with are still running.

Sorry, I don't have anything to sell. I rarely sell any scanners/radios. I always seem to find a use for something, since I do a lot of recording and submitting of unknown/discovered frequencies.

 

[RMull53]

So someone just asked me at work about Pulse Point and what not. With all the upgrades that are spoken above - Will Delco be on Pulse Point come the new system?

 

[stevecast2024]

It is unrelated to the radio system upgrade but PulsePoint is coming. Hope to be live by end of summer.