Which one is better on 800mhz. Just on the fringe of 2 analog systems and 1 digital system. I'm just out of reach with the Rs 800 antenna. Any improvement with the larsen?
Larsen NMO 150/450/800 antenna vs RS 800 duck
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Are you using the antenna in a mobile or base environment? If your using it inside a vehicle or building it won't be as good as a antenna outside.So if your using your radio while mobile I would get the Larsen tri-band antenna,if its a base use I would look into getting a base antenna.
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Very true. The problem is I don't have a lot of room to work with. I'm monitoring from a 2nd floor room, no attic space accessible or rooftop. The thinking was since the larsen is only about a foot long and from what I heard, decent on 800 and excellent on vhf/uhf that I could use that from the second floor near a window and use a metal cookie tin as a ground plane, or if possible, use the metal closet door as one. But since the majority of my monitoring will be on both 800 and uhf if this antenna isn't any better than my rs 800 on 800mhz then I may as well just use something like the diamond rhc77a ( I think that's the model) for uhf and explore other options like amplifiers for the 800. I only need a slight improvement in 800 though, otherwise I may pick up interference from a nearby cell and 800 tower. I suppose I could use the larsen as a mobile on my car, but truthfully when I'm on the road I only monitor local traffic to avoid accidents and other road hazards. And to be sure I'm monitoring with a Psr 800 and 396xt.
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In general, anything is better than a rubberduck.
I have the Larsen 150/450/800 and I love it. It really does perform very well on 800. Obviously indoors it's going to be less effective than outdoors, but your cookie-sheet idea might work pretty well. In my honest opinion though, you're probably better off with the Diamond RH77CA for the practicality based on how you say you use your scanner. It's a lot more convenient in the car since you'd be back and forth inside and out, and it also does respectably on 800.
Knowing your area, I'll mention I have used my RH77CA on a BCD396XT in Evesham Twp and picked up both NJSP South Simulcast and Camden County 500MHz frequencies just fine from indoors and inside the car.
I have the Larsen 150/450/800 and I love it. It really does perform very well on 800. Obviously indoors it's going to be less effective than outdoors, but your cookie-sheet idea might work pretty well. In my honest opinion though, you're probably better off with the Diamond RH77CA for the practicality based on how you say you use your scanner. It's a lot more convenient in the car since you'd be back and forth inside and out, and it also does respectably on 800.
Knowing your area, I'll mention I have used my RH77CA on a BCD396XT in Evesham Twp and picked up both NJSP South Simulcast and Camden County 500MHz frequencies just fine from indoors and inside the car.
fullmoon
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RH77CA is very nice
Thank you for the input. I may consider both antennas.
ridgescan
Member
I took just the centerloaded element from my Larsen and fabbed it to the base of an 800meg cellphone antenna glassmount and it does pretty darn well on 800. I received San Francisco Police on 800 trunked at 12 miles out of the city which IMO is a good distance for what I have. Your application of a Larsen Tribander with a non-bastardized mount like mine should make you very happy.
A third possible choice?
I know you asked about the RS800 and the Larsen--I have both and love them--but I have a third choice you might consider: Max Systems 800 antenna. I find it is slightly better than my RS800 antenna indoors, and it definitely helps in pulling in my fringe signals. You can usually find them on eBay--here's some info about them from Universal Radio:
Max Systems 8HH Scanner Antenna
Good luck,
I know you asked about the RS800 and the Larsen--I have both and love them--but I have a third choice you might consider: Max Systems 800 antenna. I find it is slightly better than my RS800 antenna indoors, and it definitely helps in pulling in my fringe signals. You can usually find them on eBay--here's some info about them from Universal Radio:
Max Systems 8HH Scanner Antenna
Good luck,
Thanks! Looks like an interesting antenna. Yea I am definitely going 800 in the upper attic.
So what would be a good 800 antenna I could put in an attic above a second floor that would be 4 feet high or less? Directional antennas may work too. Looking to monitor 4 800 systems (Philadelphia, pa, montgomery county, pa, cherry hill, nj, and delaware state). Philly and delaware are digital. The nearest is cherry hill (10 miles), the farthest is delaware (35 miles). I'm not as concerned with delaware as the other 3. Those other 3 are pretty much in the same direction as my location (they're northwest of me). Hope this helps.
NAF5085-700/800 MHz Whip Antenna - Motorola Solutions USA
I found this on the motorola website as a portable antenna for 2 way radios. Would this work on a scanner? I wonder how it would compare to a RS 800 duck?
I found this on the motorola website as a portable antenna for 2 way radios. Would this work on a scanner? I wonder how it would compare to a RS 800 duck?
An attic yagi may work for you--I have one, and it has made the difference on a few troublesome systems. You may be asking too much of it to pick up a signal that is 35 miles away, through a roof, though. Not sure if you have restrictions on outside antennas--that's your best bet for the distant system. Still, you can mount a yagi in your attic, and have it work pretty well. I got mine on eBay for $45, and had an old camera tripod. Can't upload a photo of it, for some reason, but you can see the messy install here:
http://forums.radioreference.com/ma...timore-county-p-25-system-26.html#post1716908
The Motorola antenna may work fine, but you'll most likely need a BNC or SMA adapter for your PSR-800 or 396XT, since the Motorola antennas are usually MX screw-on types. Of course any adapter can add signal loss.
http://forums.radioreference.com/ma...timore-county-p-25-system-26.html#post1716908
The Motorola antenna may work fine, but you'll most likely need a BNC or SMA adapter for your PSR-800 or 396XT, since the Motorola antennas are usually MX screw-on types. Of course any adapter can add signal loss.
That's a neat little portable...the Max systems. The yagi is interesting, and if shaped like that would fit in my attic great. Ok dumb question...what is "Yagi"? A company name or that particular antenna?
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