Just order the BC125AT handheld scanner on Amazon

[maxxkatt]

I live in North Atlanta. I need to know the setup and components to mount a Discone antenna in the attic with the cable going down to my 1st floor office.

I plan to use this scanner at home and in the car. Need a recommendation of an antenna for my SUV and how to get the cable into the car up to the driver seat area.

I could probably figure all this out myself, but based on my experience with my Metal Detecting forums it is better to get the advice from people who have done what I wish to do.

Will get the scanner next wed according to Amazon.

Thanks.

 

[Swipesy]

Your two questions are nearly impossible to answer. The variations in home construction are numerous. Mobile variations are also numerous.

Basically I use a patio umbrella stand with a 5 foot metal pole to which I attached the Discone and was able to run the coax to my radio room. However I ran the coax when the house was being built.

As to SUV I was amble to use a Comet RS730 NMO hatch unit with a Larsen Tri-Band antenna on one SUV. My second SUV only had a glass hatch and I could not use the Comet on the hatch. I mounted the Larsen to the roof rail instead. The big issue is if you put the vehicle in the garage you need a short antenna. When mounted on the hatch the antenna cleared the garage door. When on the roof rail it did not. Had to use a foldable mount to lower the antenna each time I went in the garage. You just have to research all the options available on the market to fit your personal situation.

 

[DanRollman]

I live in North Atlanta. I plan to use this scanner at home and in the car.

Perhaps more importantly, what are you planning to listen to in and around Atlanta? There isn't much that can be received on the BC125AT here. At least on the local government / public safety side, almost everything in the metro area is P25 digital trunked, which the BC125AT cannot do. You'd need a more expensive digital scanner for that.

Of course, the BC125AT would be a decent scanner for monitoring AM aircraft band, Cherokee or Dawson county (which are still VHF analog for a bit longer). I'm struggling to come up with much more that you can hear on a BC125AT in Atlanta. I own one, and I use it mostly for aircraft monitoring or for travels to rural areas that are still analog. My digital radios get all the use in metro Atlanta.

 

[maxxkatt]

Swipesy - I won't have any problem running the cable from the attic down to the ground floor because I did that many years ago. On the car I have a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. It stays outside the garage because my wife's car and junk have garage priority. I remember a long time ago, we just cut a hole with a metal hole punch and mounted the antenna on the cars. Not willing to do that know. I am probably going to get a magnetic mount for center of the SUV roof and run the cable down the back through the hatch. In the past cars had enough room since the fit and finish between the door and the car body allowed a RG-58 cable to be placed in the gap. Not sure about the more modern cars today. I guess I will just have to find out. Thanks.

DanRollman - had a realistic hand scanner many year back for aircraft band. My main interest will be CB radios with truckers when we travel on vacations and other short trips. Next will be aircraft and maybe military aircraft in and out of Dobbins. Not so interested in police since I know most metro Atlanta counties have modern equipment. Not ready to put extra money into a digital scanner at this time since I got around $3,000 tied up in metal detectors. Thanks.

 

[Bob1955]

Perhaps more importantly, what are you planning to listen to in and around Atlanta? There isn't much that can be received on the BC125AT here. At least on the local government / public safety side, almost everything in the metro area is P25 digital trunked, which the BC125AT cannot do. You'd need a more expensive digital scanner for that.

Of course, the BC125AT would be a decent scanner for monitoring AM aircraft band, Cherokee or Dawson county (which are still VHF analog for a bit longer). I'm struggling to come up with much more that you can hear on a BC125AT in Atlanta. I own one, and I use it mostly for aircraft monitoring or for travels to rural areas that are still analog. My digital radios get all the use in metro Atlanta.

APD is digital. My son is a LEO there.
DanRollman, is Atlanta simulcasting? I'm just curious.
Stay safe and have a good Sunday.

Bob

 

[DanRollman]

APD is digital. My son is a LEO there.
DanRollman, is Atlanta simulcasting? I'm just curious.
Stay safe and have a good Sunday.

Bob

Yes. Atlanta, North Fulton cities, Fulton County, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Forsyth, Clayton, Henry, Hall, Bartow, Rockdale, and most others are on P25 digital simulcast trunked systems.

 

[maxxkatt]

Ok, here is the plan so far. discone tram 1411 antenna in the attic and in my home office downstairs I will use RTL-SDR dongle and software on my lapltop to hear the P25 systems in north metro Atlanta.

Using RG8 50 foot cable from Disone in attic to my office.

In the car a wilson little Lil magnetic mount CB antenna to hear truckers and other analog signals with my BC125AT or may even bring my laptop with my RTL-SDR setup.

I was told that on a mobile installation compared to a handheld in the car the CB Antenna and the metal ground plane of the SUV roof should be ok on just receiving other frequencies with my BC125AT.

 

[maxxkatt]

Changed my mind. Will return the BC125AT, and SDR dongle. I ordered the SDS100. My laptop was Win XP, too expensive to update to Win 10 and plus the laptop is old. Plus the SDR software choices were confusing. Yeah, the SDS100 has a learning curve, but at least that is a proven system that I know works.