External Fixed Antenna for Uniden Scanner

[Jomider]

Hi All, I have a pretty newbie question about an external antenna for my UBC125XLT. I would like to boost my reception as much as I can, so was planning to build/put up an external antenna in the garden. I have a Radioworld R-881 Super Gainer Scanner Antenna 25-1900MHz (41cm) already. I feel I have a number of options and my question is which one to choose and how to proceed:

1. Don't do anything

2. Using a pole in the garden connected by Coax or on the roof:

a. Mount the R-881

b. Buy another proprietary antenna

c. Build a homemade antenna

3. Add a pre-amp or not (no idea how or which one)

Hope this is not too silly a question - I have some knowledge, but as you can see not enough

Best Jonathan

 

[ka3aaa]

mount the antenna as high as you can get above the roof line and as far away from power lines as possible.

 

[a417]

Don't worry about an amp until you have proven you need one. As @ka3aaa said, HAAT and distance from noise sources are your best friend.

An amp could (and likely will) amplify unwanted noise sources and compound your issues.

 

[Jomider]

Thanks K and A17, sounds like better get on the ladder

 

[a417]

Thanks K and A17, sounds like better get on the ladder

before you go up the ladder, take the UBC125XLT out in the yard with the antenna and see how much different it sounds. Your issues could be local to your house and not require rooftop height (which would help, but some people consider rooftop trips via ladder a 'drastic measure)...you never know.

 

[Jomider]

Thanks, good advice - I noticed a big improvement just standing out front already

 

[bearcatrp]

An external antenna is always best but if your using the original stock antenna, there are better antennas on the market to replace the original antenna that came with it.

 

[Ubbe]

I would like to boost my reception as much as I can,

That R-881 length seem to make it suitable for airband. I would try and get some sort of ground plane kit for it, or make one yourself with some horizontal elements, same length as the antenna, attached to the braid of the coax. Stick that on a pole and fix to the roof or chimney. Use RG6 coax to get a low loss.

That's the most cost effective solution. You could get another antenna and low noise amplifier as the scanner has a fairly high internal noise figure but hight above roof line are the most effective way to go without spending a lot of money.

/Ubbe

 

[W9WSS]

IMHO taking a rubber antenna normally used directly on the radio and using it externally mounted with a length of coaxial cable seems to me like an exercise in futility. Why do this "enhancement" for a rubber antenna when there are *so many* alternatives to utilize as a great base station monitor antenna? You can build a ground plane antenna out of a SO-239 connector, or any number of base monitor antennas that are on the market.

 

[Jomider]

Thanks everyone that's super helpful - I'll let you know where I go..

Best

 

[Jomider]

Thanks Ubbe - had a go at the ground plane .. bit home made, but seems improved. I'm thinking of putting it on a 10m pole..

Best Jonathan