Is a TV antena ok?

[cnmsales]

Just wondering right now im using a BC350a. I have it connected to an outside tv antena the kind you mount to the side of your house. As far as I can tell it works superb. I pick up a good bit of stuff or as far as i can tell. Is there any draw backs to doing this? Im i missing out on alot of things I might other wise be picking up with something else.

Also I have just purchased a cb radio and was going to use a splitter and connect both items to the antena. Is this ok to do. Will a cb radio work on this as well?

At this point int ime i am quite happy with the range im getting with it so if the range should be the same on the cb radio as it is on the scanner then that would be great. If it will not work the same please state.


Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[KR4BD]

A TV antenna will work in a strong signal area with a scanner but will not be optimal. It's drawbacks are these:

-It is "cut" to specifically receive TV frequencies which are often close to public service frequencies, but they are different.

-TV antennas use horizontal polarization (The elements are horizontal to the ground because TV signals are transmitted horizontally).

Scanner frequencies (Public Service Transmissions) are transmitted vertically. If you notice cop cars and fire trucks, their antennas are vertical which allows them to optimally receive vertically polarized transmissions.

As for operating a CB radio on a TV antenna.... I wouldn't even think of it. CB operates at 27 mHz and TV Antennas are cut for much higher frequencies. If you transmit into a TV antenna, you will fry the final transistors in your CB transceiver. Get an antenna which is intended for CB for your CB radio.

 

[cnmsales]

I was affraid of this.

Would this work for both items at one time?

http://www.antennawarehouse.com/Scanner/Superdiscone.htm

 

[KR4BD]

You could use this antenna for CB, but it would not be ideal. It is too much of a "compromise" if you are expecting good CB performance.

While you could use this antenna for your scanner and CB radio, you would not want to have BOTH a scanner and CB hooked up at the SAME time. You would fry your scanner the minute you transmitted on the CB.

There are ways you COULD have both connected at the same time, but this would involve having a highly technical, tuned duplexer (or diplexer) installed between the CB and scanner. Such an item is very costly.

My advice....

Use TWO antennas. One for CB and one for your scanner.

Keep them as far away from each other as possible so they don't interfere with each other. If you transmit on your CB and your scanner antenna is very close by, you will totally overload the front-end of the scanner and could even cause damage to it by blowing out the receiver front-end of the scanner.

 

[cnmsales]

well thats not what i wanted to hear LOL.

Any recomendations on a cheap cb antena im looking in the 40 dollar range.

 

[KR4BD]

I almost hate to admit it, but I do not operate on CB. I have been a ham operator (Extra Class) since 1975 and could give you all sorts of recommendations for ham antennas. I am sure many of the people here can tell you what some of the better CB antenna are.

If you are close to Las Vegas, you might try shopping at AES (Amateur Electronics Supply). The are a major ham radio supplier and I think the do sell CB items, including antennas, too.

 

[crayon]

Any recomendations on a cheap cb antena im looking in the 40 dollar range.

http://www.walcottcb.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=28_69

You can also find more with this search:

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&q=base+cb+antenna

 

[cnmsales]

Located in nevada MO. Also the main reason for the cb radio at least at this point is to pick up reception not to transmit. So i should be ok to run both on the same tv antena as long as im not transmitting untill i can gte an antenna for it?

 

[KR4BD]

If you use a single antenna to feed two receivers, it will work, but the incoming signal will be split between the two receivers. So, you will only be getting about half of the possible signal in each radio. This might be OK for you if your incoming signals are strong. I would get an "A-B" switch, so you can go back and forth between the two receivers. That way, you will get most of the available signal from your antenna into one radio at a time (the one you select with the A-B switch). Remember, too, you will want to use quality coaxial cable, probably RG-6, or similar to reduce signal loss from the antenna. RG-59 is OK for very short runs, but if most of your scanner reception is UHF, RG-6 is the minimum you will want.

 

[jhooten]

I almost hate to admit it, but I do not operate on CB. I have been a ham operator (Extra Class) since 1975 and could give you all sorts of recommendations for ham antennas. I am sure many of the people here can tell you what some of the better CB antenna are.

Easy enough. Think 10 meters and add 4-6 inches.

 

[KC4ZEX]

One of the best cb base antennas for yrs is the solarcon A99. its only $39.99 from Copper Electronics www.copper.com and its great for 10, 12, 15, 18, and 20 meter ham. also a pretty good low band receive antenna.

 

[Highlander_821]

If you could modify your TV antenna so you could mount it vertically, it would be a great scanner beam. I've done it before, and I have one I took down from my sister's house that I'm going to do just that with. I have a couple omnis up already, so it should be fun to compare gain between the three on various bands.

 

[cnmsales]

So turning it on its side would make it an excellent scanner antena?

Also thanks for the tip on the cb antena.

 

[Highlander_821]

It would be alot better than some of the garbage they sell out there. :x

Hey, no problem on the CB thing. I love 11 meters. It's funky, noisey, sometimes rude, chaotic, but it can be loads of fun! I've made lots of great freinds that I have met on CB. Let us know what you end up with antenna wise, I don't know as much as alot of the guys here, but I've tried lots of different things, and have learned some stuff along the way, mostly by doing things wrong the first few times, lol.

 

[cnmsales]

"Let us know what you end up with antenna wise"


Well im trying to decide on two different ones. The one probably isnt as good but could be easily be mounted on the side of my roof top. The other would require to be mounted to a poll. Ill probably go with the rof top one just because eventualy we are going to build a house out in the countrywhen we do that ill be able to talk to china wink wink