Expert opinions needed

[snapperq]

I live in northwest Ohio near Tiffin (50 miles south of Toledo) and need an expert opinion. I'm using a Uniden BCD 996XT with a Dimond 130J omni directional antenna monitoring 800Mhz. The antenna was up about 60 feet and getting great reception (will receive about 70% of Toledo 800Mhz transmissions). As you noticed I said was getting reception. Strong winds took down my antenna and mast which appartently was installed incorrectly.Not be me.....
What I need opinions on are the following:
Is there a better performing antenna? I'm think omni is the best, but am not really sure!
Is higher the better? I'm thinking about 70 to 80 ft. Note that I was at 60 feet and am thinking if I was a little higher my reception for long distance will improve.Using LMR400 coax. Will need to go to 200 feet after relocating antenna location. Will I get a lot of loss in my reception? I plan to bury the coax in PVC pipe underground.

Sorry about all the questions!

 

[jackj]

Are you interested in only 800 MHz? If so then why not go with an antenna designed to cover just that band? If you want to listen to VHF or 450 Mhz as well, then you'll need a multi-band antenna like the 130J. If you are interested in listening to MARCS as well as Lucas Co. then an omni directional antenna would be best.

LMR400 coax is good stuff but 200 feet will give you a lot of loss at 800 MHz. My antenna is up about 45 feet and I have about 75 feet of Belden 9913F which is about the same as LMR400. Try to work something out where you have less than 100 feet of coax even if you have to mount your antenna lower. You will reach a point of diminishing returns where the extra signal you get mounting your antenna higher is eaten up by the extra loss in the feed line.

 

[DcotorWu]

snapperq,

Contact me off the group and I think I can help you out. I have a basement mini-metalshop, lots of aluminum, and over 30 yrs building antennas. I work cheap and I am close enough for you to come and pick up the antenna when you are ready if you want. I don't usually sell stuff, just make my own antenna farm, but I would do you up something way better priced and better working than the commercial jobs.
Believe me, it will take more time to build it than I charge for the antenna, so I can hardly call it a profit making concern . I am retired and I like to have little busy projects like this to keep occupied.
olekkeykollekter at yahoo dot com will get you in touch. Make the message title 800 mhz antenna, so it will get my attention.

Wu

 

[DcotorWu]

by the way, snapperq, don't worry about asking questions at all. The only bad question is the one you DON'T ask. There are tons of people that like to help. I, for one, will answer any question I know or look up the answer in my stack of antenna books going back to 1939.

Wu