Need advice on getting an antenna for my SDS100

[prcguy]

Here is a better price on the Larson, it always pays to check Ebay. Larsen VHF/UHF/800 Tri-Band Antenna Covers 150-165 450-470 806-940 MHz | eBay

I think you might have the wrong adapter. I think the SDS100 has a female SMA so you would need a male SMA to female BNC adapter. Your link shows a female SMA to male BNC.

Thank you, I will go ahead and make the purchase, to make sure I'm buying the right stuff mentioned with you and I

Antenna: Amazon.com: Larsen NMO150-450-800 Tri-Band Nmo Antenna: Home Audio & Theater

Adapter: BNC Male to SMA Female Adapter | Scanner Master

Mount and Coax Cable (BNC Connector): NMO 5'' Mag Mount | Scanner Master

 

[ManyReason]

Oh thanks for that ebay one because I am close to Wisconsin so it should ship fast to me!

For the adapter, wouldn't I need that adapter I linked so the BNC connector goes into the BNC male end of the adapter, then plug the adapter in to my scanner as my scanner is SMA female? I might be wrong I might have it all messed up But if you're sure you probably know more so I'll go with your word

 

[prcguy]

I don't own an SDS100 but it should have an SMA female. You should see a threaded post sticking out with a small hole in the end for a pin. If it were an SMA male it would be a threaded recess with a male pin sticking out.

Oh thanks for that ebay one because I am close to Wisconsin so it should ship fast to me!

For the adapter, wouldn't I need that adapter I linked so the BNC connector goes into the BNC male end of the adapter, then plug the adapter in to my scanner as my scanner is SMA female? I might be wrong I might have it all messed up But if you're sure you probably know more so I'll go with your word

 

[questnz]

Re your purchase. This sound about right, Larsen have a wide base thingy, just make sure that Magnetic NMO mount screw base is wider than your NMO mount on the antenna, maybe flat mount will be better than NMO mount with the raiser, check here for Maxrad and Larsen mounts.
https://www.theantennafarm.com/cata...-264/magnetic-mounts-265/high-frequency-1509/
Also you should get 90 deg right angle adaptor for your coax to minimize strain on your scanner connector. it will make things very tidy.
Good luck

 

[Firekite]

[whoops]

 

[trentbob]

My sds100 does not work with the standard SMA adapter. The SDS 100 has a special proprietary SMA connection because of the waterproofing feature.

I have to use the adapter that came with the radio and then connect with the BNC connection for my Mobile Installation.

The Larsen tri-band whether it be the older model which goes for about thirty bucks tops or the new model that I have with the reinforced base and spring is an excellent mobile antenna for the SDS 100.

 

[N3DEN]

Not to torpedo buying a new antenna, but be sure before you click on it, that your SDS-100 has the filters set to 'Off' and the range set to 50 miles. I'm in Md. and my SDS-100 picks up too well...good luck.

 

[Firekite]

be sure before you click on it, that your SDS-100 has the filters set to 'Off' and the range set to 50 miles.

Just checking, but doesn’t the SDS100 work like the 436HP where “range” is whatever the RR DB has as the official range PLUS whatever value you enter, if you’re using location info (GPS or zip code)? Meaning if a given site is set at 20 miles, and you set range to 50, it’s going to try to listen for it at 70 miles away? It doesn’t sound like the OP is failing to get the scanner to listen for what he wants, only that reception isn’t up to what he was expecting.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Not to torpedo buying a new antenna, but be sure before you click on it, that your SDS-100 has the filters set to 'Off' and the range set to 50 miles. I'm in Md. and my SDS-100 picks up too well...good luck.

Range only affects location based FL and Full DB entries. It does not affect RF directly. It simply turns on and off systems. If you are not using location based scanning it has zero affect.

Setting filters to off may work well in your area, but not necessarily for others.

 

[jharr465]

As an additional tip for indoor antennas: I use a metal kitchen cake, cookie, or pie pan from Wal-Mart. They only cost a couple of dollars each if you get the non-teflon coated ones. They work great for magnetic mount antennas and improve the performance of the antenna by providing a ground plane for the antenna. They come in round and rectangular shapes and various sizes.

 

[ManyReason]

As an additional tip for indoor antennas: I use a metal kitchen cake, cookie, or pie pan from Wal-Mart. They only cost a couple of dollars each if you get the non-teflon coated ones. They work great for magnetic mount antennas and improve the performance of the antenna by providing a ground plane for the antenna. They come in round and rectangular shapes and various sizes.

So this "ground plane" only has to be a metal surface under the mount? Does it have to be connected to the actual ground itself? I'm planning on making a small area upstairs for scanning and all my floors upstairs are carpet, so would it still work if I had metal surface under the mount? As a ground plane? Sorry I've never used an external antenna before so I'm dumb

 

[trentbob]

I just want to add a few things here that might help you. Your filters are very important. Google the SDS 100 filters and read all the post about how to use them they will make a tremendous difference in picking up all of the bands that you want to hear. I'm not sure turning off global is going to be the best thing. That should stay on normal and then you go in and customize filters on each site of each system or in each department for each analog Channel. Makes all the difference in the world.

Not exactly sure what you're doing with this antenna but were you thinking of using a mobile antenna with a magnet that you're going to attach to something metal like a filing cabinet or something?

If you're unable to put an antenna on your roof with good quality low loss coax then here's an idea I always used before I had a house. Now I have an antenna farm of three antennas on my house but what I used to do was...

I would buy a cheap ground plane 7 to 800 megahertz, UHF, VHF High Ground plane antenna, it would have 15 inch radials, it should cost about 30 bucks.

Get about 20 ft or maybe 10 ft of LMR 400 coax. Mount the antenna on a broom handle and hook it up to your radio. You can walk around your listening post and lean it in the corner, on the wall or near a window. That ability to move it around can really help to pick up different systems. It's better if you do this upstairs.

If you find a sweet spot then you can just leave the antenna in that position.

Again the filters on the sds100 make all the difference in the world. Avoid using the auto filters as they sample all the filters on one object at a time and cause your scanning or searching to take all day. Focus on leaving Global on normal then going into each system site and applying invert or wide invert or wide normal. For individual objects go into that department and do the same however it all affect all the objects in that department. Anything you don't change the filter on will have the global filter which is normal applied to it. Also add the filter indicator to your display on the radio so you don't have to go by memory or keep a cheat sheet, it'll tell you what filter is on each object.

Again, it makes all the difference in the world.

 

[ManyReason]

I just want to add a few things here that might help you. Your filters are very important. Google the SDS 100 filters and read all the post about how to use them they will make a tremendous difference in picking up all of the bands that you want to hear. I'm not sure turning off global is going to be the best thing. That should stay on normal and then you go in and customize filters on each site of each system or in each department for each analog Channel. Makes all the difference in the world.

Not exactly sure what you're doing with this antenna but were you thinking of using a mobile antenna with a magnet that you're going to attach to something metal like a filing cabinet or something?

If you're unable to put an antenna on your roof with good quality low loss coax then here's an idea I always used before I had a house. Now I have an antenna farm of three antennas on my house but what I used to do was...

I would buy a cheap ground plane 7 to 800 megahertz, UHF, VHF High Ground plane antenna, it would have 15 inch radials, it should cost about 30 bucks.

Get about 20 ft or maybe 10 ft of LMR 400 coax. Mount the antenna on a broom handle and hook it up to your radio. You can walk around your listening post and lean it in the corner, on the wall or near a window. That ability to move it around can really help to pick up different systems. It's better if you do this upstairs.

If you find a sweet spot then you can just leave the antenna in that position.

Again the filters on the sds100 make all the difference in the world. Avoid using the auto filters as they sample all the filters on one object at a time and cause you're scanning or searching to take all day. Focus on leaving Global on normal then going into each system site and applying invert or wide invert or wide normal. For individual objects go into that department and do the same however it all affect all the objects in that department. Anything you don't change the filter on will have the global silver which is normal applied to it. Also add the filter indicator to your display on the radio so you don't have to go by memory or keep a cheat sheet, it'll tell you what filter is on each object.

Again, it makes all the difference in the world.

I will definitely research this right now. Thank you!

 

[ManyReason]

I just want to add a few things here that might help you. Your filters are very important. Google the SDS 100 filters and read all the post about how to use them they will make a tremendous difference in picking up all of the bands that you want to hear. I'm not sure turning off global is going to be the best thing. That should stay on normal and then you go in and customize filters on each site of each system or in each department for each analog Channel. Makes all the difference in the world.

Not exactly sure what you're doing with this antenna but were you thinking of using a mobile antenna with a magnet that you're going to attach to something metal like a filing cabinet or something?

If you're unable to put an antenna on your roof with good quality low loss coax then here's an idea I always used before I had a house. Now I have an antenna farm of three antennas on my house but what I used to do was...

I would buy a cheap ground plane 7 to 800 megahertz, UHF, VHF High Ground plane antenna, it would have 15 inch radials, it should cost about 30 bucks.

Get about 20 ft or maybe 10 ft of LMR 400 coax. Mount the antenna on a broom handle and hook it up to your radio. You can walk around your listening post and lean it in the corner, on the wall or near a window. That ability to move it around can really help to pick up different systems. It's better if you do this upstairs.

If you find a sweet spot then you can just leave the antenna in that position.

Again the filters on the sds100 make all the difference in the world. Avoid using the auto filters as they sample all the filters on one object at a time and cause your scanning or searching to take all day. Focus on leaving Global on normal then going into each system site and applying invert or wide invert or wide normal. For individual objects go into that department and do the same however it all affect all the objects in that department. Anything you don't change the filter on will have the global filter which is normal applied to it. Also add the filter indicator to your display on the radio so you don't have to go by memory or keep a cheat sheet, it'll tell you what filter is on each object.

Again, it makes all the difference in the world.

And yes, I'm planning on using the antenna for an indoor antenna as my stock and other antennas. I am planning on putting the mount on something metal

 

[trentbob]

Yes I've heard of people using a mobile antenna on a filing cabinet for the ground. The magnetic mount is going to have probably RG58 coax so there will be some loss on UHF and 7 800 megahertz. People think that 10 -12 ft does not make a difference but it does.

Somebody was saying a pie dish, sounds interesting.

Personally I don't think it would work as well as a tri-band ground plane antenna mounted on a broom handle or better yet taking the broom handle and mounting it on a straight stand-up lamp or hat rack. Again using a low loss coax like lmr400 or equivalent.

As I was saying previously I do use the Larsen tri-band antenna on my car. I always used the original one that cost about 25 or 30 bucks until last year I switched over to the new version that has a heavy-duty amount and a spring and I think I spent about $70. I got it when it first came out.

I personally would never use a magnetic mount on my car because it just doesn't ground well, of course with an NMO mount the best way to go is to drill a hole.

So if you're going to use a mobile antenna for your base setup try to get the cheaper Larsen tri-band antenna I'm sure they're still out there at scannermaster or antenna Farm. Replacing the RG58 would be a good idea and will make a big difference even though people will tell you it doesn't matter.

The thing I like about the tri-band cheap ground plane antenna is all the radials are only 15 in Long and you can get a good quality long broom handle at Home Depot and just buy the low loss coax in 10 or 20 feet denomination. You would need a BNC adapter to hook up to your adapter screwed into your sds100.

You have options.

 

[ManyReason]

Yes I've heard of people using a mobile antenna on a filing cabinet for the ground. The magnetic mount is going to have probably RG58 coax so there will be some loss on UHF and 7 800 megahertz. People think that 10 -12 ft does not make a difference but it does.

Somebody was saying a pie dish, sounds interesting.

Personally I don't think it would work as well as a tri-band ground plane antenna mounted on a broom handle or better yet taking the broom handle and mounting it on a straight stand-up lamp or hat rack. Again using a low loss coax like lmr400 or equivalent.

As I was saying previously I do use the Larsen tri-band antenna on my car. I always used the original one that cost about 25 or 30 bucks until last year I switched over to the new version that has a heavy-duty amount and a spring and I think I spent about $70. I got it when it first came out.

I personally would never use a magnetic mount on my car because it just doesn't ground well, of course with an NMO mount the best way to go is to drill a hole.

So if you're going to use a mobile antenna for your base setup try to get the cheaper Larsen tri-band antenna I'm sure they're still out there at scannermaster or antenna Farm. Replacing the RG58 would be a good idea and will make a big difference even though people will tell you it doesn't matter.

The thing I like about the tri-band cheap ground plane antenna is all the radials are only 15 in Long and you can get a good quality long broom handle at Home Depot and just buy the low loss coax in 10 or 20 feet denomination. You would need a BNC adapter to hook up to your adapter screwed into your sds100.

You have options.

Yikes, I bought a 5 inch NMO mount with a 17 FEET RG58 cable, because I want to make sure I can find a good antenna spot then use all the cable if I have to if I need a lot of space

 

[trentbob]

Yes that's pretty standard. 17 ft of RG 58 is usually what a mobile mount comes with. That will work.

 

[ManyReason]

Yes that's pretty standard. 17 ft of RG 58 is usually what a mobile mount comes with. That will work.

Alright now I am waiting for those items to come, I am setting up a desk upstairs as I found being upstairs improves reception a good amount than my normal downstairs room. I will also look into a wide metal surface to put the mount on top of

 

[trentbob]

The member who suggested the non teflon cooking sheets sounds interesting. If you could pick up a cheap used filing cabinet somewhere that always works good too and you can always use the storage space.

 

[TailGator911]

I remember having a Bearcat 220 base scanner and using a mag mount on a metal filing cabinet. It worked quite well in my office. Back when things were simple. Ahh the good ol' days.