Is this antenna good?

[btritch]

I'm thinking about getting this antenna as a replacement of the one I have for long distances from radio shack but I don't know much about it, Does anyone really know anything about it that can help me? Any ideas/suggestions/pros/cons will be helpful.
Thanks

Here's the link..
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=family&summary=summary&allCount=24&cp=2032052.2032075.2032078.2032098&productId=2103160&accessories=accessories&techSpecs=techSpecs&currentTab=support&fbn=Type%2FScanner%26%23047%3BHAM&custRatings=custRatings&f=PAD%2FProduct+Type%2FScanner%26%23047%3BHAM&features=features&fbc=1&support=support&tab=summary

 

[Airdorn]

It's crap for the price. Get a Scantenna.

Radio Shack gets an award for the longest URL for a crappy product.

 

[btritch]

Where are scantenna's located? Who has them?

 

[Airdorn]

http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT7.html

There are other sources I think. I think you can get them off Ebay for a better price.

I've had one for about 4 years now, mounted up on a 30' mast in the Memphis weather, and it has and does perform wonderfully.

I have been using the 50' feedline that came with it for that time, but I am replacing it this weekend with 75' of LMR-400 I got off ebay.

 

[Bucko]

Also found here http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanants/2732.html

 

[andy404ns]

Radio Shack gets an award for the longest URL for a crappy product.

hahahhaa

 

[JohnBreen]

The disk-cone antenna in general is very wide range but the Radio Shack version is poorly constructed

 

[hoser147]

Ive got two different Radio Shack discones including the one above, I think they are decent antenna's. Range wise I get about 60 miles out of the one above, I have had one radial break and it was cheap to replace.....................Hoser

 

[Bill_White]

Why pay more??
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=AC-ST2

 

[k8mcn]

Why pay more??
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=AC-ST2

can vouch for their quick turnaround and good product---best price now----have purchased two........... and i am not even related to them

 

[hoser147]

Hey guys Im pretty sure Brian has a Scantenna.

 

[radiowaves]

Ive got two different Radio Shack discones including the one above, I think they are decent antenna's. Range wise I get about 60 miles out of the one above, I have had one radial break and it was cheap to replace.....................Hoser

I'm with Hoser, I like the RS Discone. Yes its a little filmsy, but easy to fix if a radial comes off.

I just purchased a Scantenna (ST-2) recently after hearing all the good about them. I put a reinforcment piece on the longest element so it can withstand the wind and installed at same height as my Discone (30ish feet). Ran it down to the scanners with the included RG6 and added another 20 feet of RG6.

Then compared signals from the Discone which has 75 feet of LMR400, to the Scantenna. Results were a little disapointing.... The discone had a noticable better signal into the scanner then the Scantenna did. I know the discone has better coax and all, just was exspecting a little more from the Scantenna...

Nothing against the ST2, but wouldn't buy another. I'd spend more money to get a better antenna. That's were it all starts anyway, then work your way down.

Just my two cents.

Chad
N0YK

 

[JoeHam]

A disk cone is a wide band, omnidirectional antenna with zero gain. It is not designed for long distance work.

This model works well from 120 MHz up. Higher frequencies will be limited by your selection of coax.

The elements are fragile and Radio Shack does not sell replacement parts. Consider the Diamond brand with solid elements for $10 more.

 

[LtDoc]

... or just make one. They aren't magic.
- 'Doc

 

[gewecke]

Ive got two different Radio Shack discones including the one above, I think they are decent antenna's. Range wise I get about 60 miles out of the one above, I have had one radial break and it was cheap to replace.....................Hoser

They're ok but for the price solid aluminum elements instead of hollow stamped tubing should have been used.

73,
n9zas

 

[sjlamb]

They're ok but for the price solid aluminum elements instead of hollow stamped tubing should have been used.

73,
n9zas

I can verify that this discone is a good value (under $50) and represents a huge improvement over the RS discone:

K1CRA Radio Store - Discone Antenna - Workman T734 / Tram 1411 / Jetstream JTD2 Details

All solid components and elements. Does great on VHF & UHF. Like all discones, a bit weak on outlying 800 TRS sites (25 miles or more) but, does fine on most TRS from 0 - 20 miles.

 

[bsdam]

A disk cone is a wide band, omnidirectional antenna with zero gain. It is not designed for long distance work.

This model works well from 120 MHz up. Higher frequencies will be limited by your selection of coax.

The elements are fragile and Radio Shack does not sell replacement parts. Consider the Diamond brand with solid elements for $10 more.

After having two of the RS discone antennas and having the radials break off, I purchased a Diamond.

I've been very pleased with it, very durable and well constructed. I have an ST-2 as well but haven't had a chance to compare them yet.

The Diamond is the model D130J (Diamond® Antenna ~ D130J Super Discone Antenna).

 

[jackj]

I bought a RS discone about 20 yrs ago. It's still up on my tower and working fine. I did break off one of the cone elements when I was putting it up but it seems to work fine without it. Both the disk and the cone elements are solid stainless steel, not aluminum. It seems that I paid around $75 for it. I don't know the part number now or even if it is the same antenna RS carries today. If today's antenna is the same then I would recommend it.

 

[gewecke]

I bought a RS discone about 20 yrs ago. It's still up on my tower and working fine. I did break off one of the cone elements when I was putting it up but it seems to work fine without it. Both the disk and the cone elements are solid stainless steel, not aluminum. It seems that I paid around $75 for it. I don't know the part number now or even if it is the same antenna RS carries today. If today's antenna is the same then I would recommend it.

I saw one last year at a garage sale, but didn't spring for it because (sigh) it was missing some elements. Yep, they were hollow.
You're right about the older discones that r/s marketed, I think they did have solid elements.

73,
n9zas

 

[RadioDaze]

Amazing how antenna technology moves so slowly that a 3-year old thread can be revived and continue along as if it were started only hours ago. Can you imagine this happening on a cell phone forum or a computer forum?