GROVE SCANNER BEAM

[LMHODNETT]

I recently bought the scanner beam from Grove with the idea that it would outperform my Diamond discone. I even bought 9913 coax so there would not be a lot loss. The truth is I do not seem to see much difference between the two antennas. I try to monitor my hometown which is about 75-80 miles from my present location. With the discone I can monitor signals from that area sometimes very well. I thought with the beam I could aim it in the correct direction and improve the signal. I installed the beam vertical to the ground as suggested, but I am wondering if horizontal would get me a more narrow pathj to my target area. Anyone have any suggestions or comments, please

 

[loumaag]

Most all Land Mobile Radio (LMR) services use vertically polarized antennas, so mounting it horizontally at that distance would introduce a huge attenuation factor. It is possible that the transmitter site that you need to aim at is not where you pointed the antenna. Remember, most radio systems take advantage of topography for mounting repeaters. For example the local Civil Defense channel for my present county is mounted on a hill way west of town almost in the next county over, because that is the closest high point in the area. From there it can (and does) reach out quite far. If I was 70 miles south of town and pointed a beam at Sisseton, I would miss and get poor reception. Use the FCC database or indeed the maps provided here on the DB to determine where you need to point your beam.

 

[N_Jay]

I recently bought the scanner beam from Grove with the idea that it would outperform my Diamond discone. I even bought 9913 coax so there would not be a lot loss. The truth is I do not seem to see much difference between the two antennas. I try to monitor my hometown which is about 75-80 miles from my present location. With the discone I can monitor signals from that area sometimes very well. I thought with the beam I could aim it in the correct direction and improve the signal. I installed the beam vertical to the ground as suggested, but I am wondering if horizontal would get me a more narrow pathj to my target area. Anyone have any suggestions or comments, please

What band?

 

[LMHODNETT]

BEAM

LOU,
I have the beam in the correct path as far as I can tell. I adjust it when I get a signal form the target city and I marked it on the rotator. What I find a little strange is that the signal doesn't really change that much, even when I move the rotator a lot. I wonder a what distance the beam really follows a path to increase the signal.
I scan 108-800 mhz and I use a Icom PCR1000 receiver.

Thanks for your comments and please add more if you have any more.


Thanks,
Larry

 

[fivestarr]

Grove scanner beam

Greetings,
I bought a Grove scanner beam about 10 years ago. I was excited about how much more signal I was going to get and was sorely disappointed. I used 50' 9913 and couldnt tell the difference between it and my scantenna. This is using my Icom R-7100. So I shortened the coax and tried 20' and got the same result. My opinion: its a piece of crap. I threw it up in the attic and there it is to this day. Get yourself a Create Design log periodic, you will like it. You can transmit and receive 50 mhz to 1300 mhz, no tuning necessary.
The antenna is the most important component in radio transmission and reception. You can take a 1 watt handie-talkie and a Create log periodic and talk 20 miles, maybe more. My "dos centavos"
Fivestarr

 

[LMHODNETT]

FIVESTARR,
Thnaks for your comments. Did your Log Periodic give you the gain you wanted? I am finding the same for this Grove unit that there is little to no gain.

Larry

 

[fivestarr]

Grove scanner beam

Yes, I get 5-6 db average gain over the various bands. Best improvement was on 800 when using hardline. My 800 reception came to life when I hung the log periodic with new hardline. I would advise anyone who is setting up a base to use hardline such as the Andrew FSJ -1-50A which is .25 inch superflex. Even if you are going to stick to a budget antenna like a scantenna, I urge you to use hardline. You wont be sorry. Just shop ebay until you find what you can afford and fits the need.
I posted on another thread last night about this auction on ebay that it took just a few minutes to find.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...p;item=5761329093&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

That's a good example of a good deal on hardline. Its much more expensive if you buy it by the foot and then buy connectors. Just remember, you have to keep the water out. That means no connectors exposed to the elements, they have to be properly sealed. If you let water get inside the feedline is junk.