good all band scanner antenna
- Thread starter car2back
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Read the antenna comparasons on this site and decide:
http://www.northwestradio.com/interceptnw/antennas.htm
http://www.northwestradio.com/interceptnw/antennas.htm
Well what range are you scanning in? I have a good freind of mine with a 96 that uses a 14 dollar cell phone anteanna to monitor 800 mhz. It is 3 inches tall and has a magnetic base. It is built for cellphones and of course needs a bit of modigication on the ned plug if you dont have an adapter. My freind simply cut the old connector off and soldered a BNC connector onto it. Works perfectly and is very unobtrusive.
Now this wont work for you if you dont do 800 meg.
So how about you let us know what you are monitoring.
Now this wont work for you if you dont do 800 meg.
So how about you let us know what you are monitoring.
nexus
Member
Re: Range
A simple 800 mhz 3db gain antenna will work excellent for you then.
This is what I use to scan vhf, uhf, and 800mhz stations from my car.
the most common is the NMO mount. It really depends on what kind of vehicle you drive.. But you can get them in stainless or black, and they're only about 14 inches long.. It's the exact same thing that public safety uses on their vehicles..
You can buy one from most antenna dealers.
http://www.tessco.com/products/displaySkus.do?groupId=360&subgroupId=34&offset=10
phil_smith said:
A simple 800 mhz 3db gain antenna will work excellent for you then.
This is what I use to scan vhf, uhf, and 800mhz stations from my car.
the most common is the NMO mount. It really depends on what kind of vehicle you drive.. But you can get them in stainless or black, and they're only about 14 inches long.. It's the exact same thing that public safety uses on their vehicles..
You can buy one from most antenna dealers.
http://www.tessco.com/products/displaySkus.do?groupId=360&subgroupId=34&offset=10
Making the choice
If were in the area near tulsa i would use a nmo 1/4 wave 18inch whip . that would take care of the vhf , uhf , 800 band's . 800 mhz signal is lost by the time you hit US HWY 75 and State HWY 11 .
If were in the area near tulsa i would use a nmo 1/4 wave 18inch whip . that would take care of the vhf , uhf , 800 band's . 800 mhz signal is lost by the time you hit US HWY 75 and State HWY 11 .
click23
Member
I love my RS mag mount antenna.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.a...me=CTLG_008_009_010_001&product_id=20-032
http://www.radioshack.com/product.a...me=CTLG_008_009_010_001&product_id=20-032
loumaag
Silent Key - Aug 2014
RS antenna
I wouldn't use that antenna if it was the last 1 on earth . i wouldn't even buy any of there cb or tv antenna's tell you the truth . i've had my share of problem's with there product's . an good friend of mine told me to use larsen for any radio . they out last the other guy and better made . that's why i own 3 of them nmo 27 , nmo 150 , nmo 800 . but i can pretty much hear what i want on my nmo 150 .
I wouldn't use that antenna if it was the last 1 on earth . i wouldn't even buy any of there cb or tv antenna's tell you the truth . i've had my share of problem's with there product's . an good friend of mine told me to use larsen for any radio . they out last the other guy and better made . that's why i own 3 of them nmo 27 , nmo 150 , nmo 800 . but i can pretty much hear what i want on my nmo 150 .
K5MAR
Member
loumaag said:
Yeah, I have to laugh, every time I see a review of a questionable antenna (such as a recent review I read of the latest Nil-Jon), they compare it to the RS magmount! I tried two of them a couple of years ago, took both back. Even the VHF/UHF reception is marginal, at best.
Mark S.
nd5y
Member
I had a stock RS mag mount several years ago and agree that it is a piece of
crap, because the base & coax are junk.
I took mine apart and used the coils and some old whip sections, a good
Larsen mount and real coax and built one that worked a lot better,
especially on low band. If I remember correctly I got the whip sections to be
resonant at 43, 156, & 450 MHz.
Tom
crap, because the base & coax are junk.
I took mine apart and used the coils and some old whip sections, a good
Larsen mount and real coax and built one that worked a lot better,
especially on low band. If I remember correctly I got the whip sections to be
resonant at 43, 156, & 450 MHz.
Tom
Good mobile antenna....
Hi Phil. I've been experimenting w/antennas since my 1st scanner (8 channel crystal) when I was 10 yrs old. 27 years and MANY, MANY radios later, I've tried probably every type of antenna made so far.
I'm using 1 now that I've really had great results with. It's made by Valor, and it's model #GM-270. It's a dual-band glass mount. (I've never been a big glass mount fan until this antenna). I originally purchased it because it was small (approx 18") & economical. I was very surprised to discover it outperformed my higher gain (and considerably more $$$) all-band Larsen. I live in a suburb n/o Detroit, where all types of radio systems are used. I've used it w/my Icom R5, Yaesu VX-150, as well as w/2m & 70cm Icom mobiles. I've found it works best on the 118-170MHz & 420-470MHz ranges, but it does a pretty respectable job on one of the local 800MHz systems too.
All the ham stores carry them, but I found the best price at HRO, $39.95. The website is: www.hamradio.com Hope my 2 cents helped you a little.....
73's
-Phil, N8HAT
Hi Phil. I've been experimenting w/antennas since my 1st scanner (8 channel crystal) when I was 10 yrs old. 27 years and MANY, MANY radios later, I've tried probably every type of antenna made so far.
I'm using 1 now that I've really had great results with. It's made by Valor, and it's model #GM-270. It's a dual-band glass mount. (I've never been a big glass mount fan until this antenna). I originally purchased it because it was small (approx 18") & economical. I was very surprised to discover it outperformed my higher gain (and considerably more $$$) all-band Larsen. I live in a suburb n/o Detroit, where all types of radio systems are used. I've used it w/my Icom R5, Yaesu VX-150, as well as w/2m & 70cm Icom mobiles. I've found it works best on the 118-170MHz & 420-470MHz ranges, but it does a pretty respectable job on one of the local 800MHz systems too.
All the ham stores carry them, but I found the best price at HRO, $39.95. The website is: www.hamradio.com Hope my 2 cents helped you a little.....
73's
-Phil, N8HAT
STiMULi
Member
how small are you willing to go?
click23
Member
I have not had any proplems with the 800mhz reception. On our local TRS it comes in as well as with a RS 800mhz duckie. Some days I can pick up the TRS in Knoxville, TN, over 50 miles away, with the mag mount. But I am not saying this is the best antenna out there. The reason I use it is beauce the ranges of freqs I listen too, 37-46, 72-76,~145, 150-160, 450-460, and 850-860. I need one antenna to listen to all of those while I am on the road. If anyone has a better wide band mobile antenna out there let me know.
KC4ZEX
Member
Probably the best inexpensive antenna thats not too large or ugly and can be portable for quick removal is a dual band 2meter 440 mag mount. It will work great on the high band and UHF and do a fairly good job on 800 has a BNC connector for easy connection. MFJ-1724B $16.95 or an EDB-2 Hamstick antenna from Lakeview Ant Co. $17.95. Both are about 19inches tall with a good black magnet.
okla-lawman
Member
I am in Tulsa and use a tri band antenna low/vhf/uhf antenna and it picks up reaally good on the lowere bands and is ok on 800. I can pick up Skiatook police from south Tulsa. I want to switch to one made for the commercial market by Comet. If i remember the specs are vhf 3 db/ uhf 6 and 800 mhz 8 db. hro has it on their web site. It is not real cheap but should give outstanding performance.
hulka
Member
For a mobile mount I use the "tri-band" antenna from Ham Radio Outlet. It cost $25.00. It works great in the VHF/UFH & 800MHz range in my opinion. I can not mount anything big on the roof where I live at and thinking about mounting one of these outside for a outside antenna for the time being.
Anyone use one of the discones that AOR makes? They do not look like a bad antenna to use. I was looking at the DA3000. I can't get it now, but when I go to a place that I can use it I was looking that way. Any comments on it??? http://www.aorusa.com/baseant.html
Kevin
Anyone use one of the discones that AOR makes? They do not look like a bad antenna to use. I was looking at the DA3000. I can't get it now, but when I go to a place that I can use it I was looking that way. Any comments on it??? http://www.aorusa.com/baseant.html
Kevin
800 band drop out
the reason why i said that you would loose the 800 signal at the skiatook turn off is . the higher landscape and those dropping hill's and tree's on hwy 11 . i've ran a nmo150 and loose the 800 signal right the turn off . i'm not sure if the city has put up newer tower's near skiatook if they did that's cool . only tower i know about is the ohp tower up on that hill just outside of sperry but that's there vhf . but i almost bet the city of tulsa has installed a radio system on that location . like i said i'm not sure it's been yrs since i knew about the tower being used for ohp . i'm almost sure that 800 can be heard further north in a open area .
the reason why i said that you would loose the 800 signal at the skiatook turn off is . the higher landscape and those dropping hill's and tree's on hwy 11 . i've ran a nmo150 and loose the 800 signal right the turn off . i'm not sure if the city has put up newer tower's near skiatook if they did that's cool . only tower i know about is the ohp tower up on that hill just outside of sperry but that's there vhf . but i almost bet the city of tulsa has installed a radio system on that location . like i said i'm not sure it's been yrs since i knew about the tower being used for ohp . i'm almost sure that 800 can be heard further north in a open area .
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