BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Frequency Distance (Range)

[Dvcummings]

This is my first post so please bear with me. Other than using an outdoor antenna, is there another way to improve range for towns (frequency) farther away? My close towns work well along with some county frequencies. As an example, I’m less than 25 miles from the City of Rochester, NH and I have difficulty reaching them.

 

[nd5y]

About all you can do is move the radio or antenna around to find good reception spots.
How far you can receive depends more on surrounding objects (building construction if indoors) and terrain than just distance. You can try different antennas but that may or may not help.

 

[dave3825]

Other than using an outdoor antenna, is there another way to improve range for towns (frequency) farther away?

What range are the freqs. What's around you? What scanner and antenna are you using now?

 

[Dvcummings]

About all you can do is move the radio or antenna around to find good reception spots.
How far you can receive depends more on surrounding objects (building construction if indoors) and terrain than just distance. You can try different antennas but that may or may not help.

Thank you

 

[brcoz]

I use one of the cheap mag mount antenna and put it a window. In another room I use a mag mount on a cookie sheet next to the window.
They work better then an antenna on the scanner.

 

[ofd8001]

Option 1 Check your programming to be sure Attenuation is NOT turned on.
Option 2 (as above) magnetic mount on a cookie sheet (mine is on top of a bookcase).
Option 3 attic antenna (if you have a way of snaking the cable down to your scanner). If you can go this route, use the best cable you can afford and get the antenna as high as you can.

 

[n1chu]

Optimum reception depends upon a bunch of variables. Just one example of this is from an old adage the ham (amateur radio) community has sworn by for decades… “Before you double the output power of your station, double the height of your antenna.” That holds true for receiving also. The best you may accomplish is with an outdoor gain antenna mounted as high as practical. If you are restricted from doing this the only thing you can do is try finding a “hotspot” (that one particular location within your dwelling (using the previously stated methods). There are also antenna amplifiers you can put in-line with the antenna but if you go with that be advised the amp will amplify the noise floor also. It may show marginal improvements with one frequency but cause problems with whatever else you listen to.

 

[ecps92]

This is my first post so please bear with me. Other than using an outdoor antenna, is there another way to improve range for towns (frequency) farther away? My close towns work well along with some county frequencies. As an example, I’m less than 25 miles from the City of Rochester, NH and I have difficulty reaching them.

Base or Portable scanner ?
Stock or other Antenna ?

25 mi should not present that much of a problem, unless you have an obstruction between you and them (Hill, Mountain)

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Also depends on how much power the target station(s) is (are) putting out. If police are putting out all 50 watts & fire 98 watts ERP they're licensed for you should be able to get some sort of pick up on them (might not be full scale signal) from (less than?) 25 miles out with a stock antenna. Although I know nothing about the topography there, what your RF environment looks like & other factors. An outdoor antenna mounted as high as you can get it would definitely help. Welcome to the RR forums!

 

[dave3825]

From post # 3

What range are the freqs. What's around you? What scanner and antenna are you using now?

 

[ecps92]

What range are the freqs. What's around you? What scanner and antenna are you using now?

98% of NH Public Safety is VHF High

 

[Dvcummings]

Optimum reception depends upon a bunch of variables. Just one example of this is from an old adage the ham (amateur radio) community has sworn by for decades… “Before you double the output power of your station, double the height of your antenna.” That holds true for receiving also. The best you may accomplish is with an outdoor gain antenna mounted as high as practical. If you are restricted from doing this the only thing you can do is try finding a “hotspot” (that one particular location within your dwelling (using the previously stated methods). There are also antenna amplifiers you can put in-line with the antenna but if you go with that be advised the amp will amplify the noise floor also. It may show marginal improvements with one frequency but cause problems with whatever else you listen to.

Thank you

 

[Dvcummings]

Base or Portable scanner ?
Stock or other Antenna ?

25 mi should not present that much of a problem, unless you have an obstruction between you and them (Hill, Mountain)

Base/Vehicle Scanner (Uniden BCD996P2) with a vehicle window mount antenna for vehicle and currently using it for interior through window

 

[Dvcummings]

What range are the freqs. What's around you? What scanner and antenna are you using now?

I'm using a Uniden BCD996P2 Scanner with a vehicle window mount antenna in vehicle & house window (temporary, beats the stock antenna). I am using ProScan programming software which I love. Frequency range is from 154 - 160. I do have a large hill between me and the city I'm trying to reach that has multiple different community antenna's attached. I am receiving some of their Fire Department signals but not any of the police departments.

 

[ecps92]

Base/Vehicle Scanner (Uniden BCD996P2) with a vehicle window mount antenna for vehicle and currently using it for interior through window

Try moving the antenna a few inches (home) to get the most optimal reception - it could be only a matter of inches or feet. Keep experimenting.

I've used/relied on those over the window lip (BNC) mounts for years now and have great reception , with some notable exceptions due to Great Blue Hill blocking me....but otherwise love my lip BNC and use an amateur dual band antenna for reception across VHF High, UHF and UHF-T

 

[donc13]

This is my first post so please bear with me. Other than using an outdoor antenna, is there another way to improve range for towns (frequency) farther away? My close towns work well along with some county frequencies. As an example, I’m less than 25 miles from the City of Rochester, NH and I have difficulty reaching them.

The range depends on what is between your antenna and the transmitter antenna.

As others have said, physically "eyeball" any kind of obstruction between your antenna and the transmitter antenna.

Then, if you can, move your antenna higher and outside if you can. The use of premium coax between your antenna and scanner can be critical as mentioned by @ofd8001