New rail listener here looking for a good indoor antenna for rail listening. I live .25 miles away from 3 busy rail crossings along a BNSF line with defect detectors I can very faintly pick up through the static and even some of the FREDs as well as some train to dispatcher etc. comms as they approach my area. There is also a yard about 5 miles away or so from me.
What are some good antennas for railfanning from home? I have an attic discone I have not had a chance to try to hook up since I moved a few months back and several mag mount antennas on the wall I am using for monitoring public safety as well as a dipole that came with my RTL-SDR. Currently using my 996XT to listen.
Since you've got a discone I'd say put that back up. However, it's winter, so quick and dirty might be preferable.
My preference for quick and dirty has always been to find a metal coffee can, punch a hole in the bottom and install an NMO mount with about 15 feet of cable, then use a 1/4 wave whip on top. Put the whole thing in a window and it works just fine.
I've also punched a hole in the bottom of a coffee can and installed a BNC connector with 10-15 feet of cable on it. Put the scanner antenna on that and put the whole thing in a window and like the NMP mount on a can, it works fine.
Finally, metal coffee cans also work nicely to stick a magmount antenna to, as do pie pans or cookie sheets.
Metal coffee cans are getting tough to find, so you could also use a paint can or metal bucket; you should still be able to buy new (empty) paint cans at a paint store or home center. The advantage to a metal paint can with a lid is that you can fill the inside with sand, rocks or whatever and slap the antenna on the lid; the whole rigging will then stay firmly in place no matter where you put it.
A lot of railroads are changing over to NXDN and in Michigan NXDN & DMR as well. I didn't find any DMR in the state of Texas, and only one using NXDN. Just an FYI to keep in mind should you decide to purchase a new radio in the future. This will not affect your choice in antennas.
Not exactly true; most railroads are NXDN-ready, but have made no move toward a large-scale shift to that mode. The few places it's in use are at yards and terminals, as in the Fort Worth example shown. The few railroads using DMR are small shortline or industrial roads, and not very many of those. The 996XT the OP is using should serve him well for awhile yet.
