MTO Antenna

[SousaTowing]

Which antenna is everyone using to listen to MTO Maintenance with a Uniden BCD 996P2? I’m trying to improve my home setup.

 

[gary123]

Any good VHF antenna will be perfect. If you have a discone or a 2metre compatible antenna you should be fine. If your going to use a mag mount near a window or balcony I would recommend a 1/4 VHF whip (18 or so inches).

For those antenna location challenged. A magmount sitting on a large cookie or oven bake plate works very well.

 

[SousaTowing]

Any good VHF antenna will be perfect. If you have a discone or a 2metre compatible antenna you should be fine. If your going to use a mag mount near a window or balcony I would recommend a 1/4 VHF whip (18 or so inches).

For those antenna location challenged. A magmount sitting on a large cookie or oven bake plate works very well.

I’m currently using a Larsen NMO 150, it worked great at my apartment mag mounted to the balcony, but now that I have moved to a house. It’s only picking up local stuff

 

[gary123]

You need some type of ground plane. The bigger the better. Also the higher the antenna the better.

If you moved a long way you may need to update the system/sites your monitoring.

 

[SousaTowing]

Do you think this will work ?

Larsen Antennas BSAKIT Base Conversion Kit - Radioworld

144-512 MHz, Ground Plane Kit Bracket

www.radioworld.ca

 

[IdleMonitor]

Do you think this will work ?

Larsen Antennas BSAKIT Base Conversion Kit - Radioworld

144-512 MHz, Ground Plane Kit Bracket

www.radioworld.ca

I wouldn't pay $114 for it. You can get them cheaper on Amazon or eBay. Basically, it's a ground plane. Will it work? Yes. Will it improve? Not sure, I have one, don't really use it. But if you put the Larson on it, and get it at a decent height, then I don't see why it wouldn't work for you.

The best option if it's available to you, or you are capable of this, is to get yourself a discone antenna and put it on a 30 ft. pole and you'll do just fine. Or put your Larson on a 30 ft. pole with the ground plane kit and get your signals better.

 

[EJB]

Lakeshore Communications had good antennas. I've bought a few from them. I worked there for 3 days (don't ask). They are in Etobicoke near the airport.

One thing about LMRN, the towers aren't as strong as FleetNet. I can generally only get Hamilton in Hamilton. Sometimes when I hook up my outdoor antenna Niagara Falls and Toronto come in.

Someone mentioned a cookie tray. What I did was take a metal hanger and mag mount antenna on the tray and hook the hanger to curtain rods.