newbe

[GrayJeep]

I am about five miles west of the Quad Cities.but I am right on the river.looking at the site maps I should be within range.I am going to get another antenna just to be sure.

A different strategy - instead of immediately spending money and time on an antenna.

Program the scanner with a bank for FM channels and a bank programmed as EDACs. (and another bank programmed with your other EDACs if you aren't sure you're doing it right). Take the radio to the middle of the area served by the system and listen. FM should be loud and clear. See if the EDACS will trunk properly there.

Since this is a portable radio, and the system location should be less than 10 mi from you a few minutes spent listening and watching your scanner while you are bathed in very strong signals should tell you if you have the EDACS settings correct.

THEN you can work on getting a better antenna with confidence that you've got the programming in the radio right.

(take the manual with you so you can mess with settings while you sit in the park or parking lot or wherever you are receiving super strong signals)

 

[fulltime]

Are you near Buffalo.....


I would strongly suggest you join the Yahoo Groups ScanIowa
scaniowa : Scan Iowa

There are several people in the QC area on the group and will be able to help you out

YES I am at buffalo shores campground. I just joined sacaniowa and am waiting for approval.
THANKS

 

[fulltime]

Are you near Buffalo.....


I would strongly suggest you join the Yahoo Groups ScanIowa
scaniowa : Scan Iowa

There are several people in the QC area on the group and will be able to help you out

THANKS
I am in buffalo shores campground.
I joined iowascan this morning.

 

[GrayJeep]

THANKS
I am in buffalo shores campground.
I joined iowascan this morning.

Something just dawned on me- "Fulltime" = ?? HEY you're inside an RV aren't you?

You DO know that your scanner won't hear very well while it's inside that metal box don't you?

Without an outside antenna you won't hear much.

 

[fulltime]

Something just dawned on me- "Fulltime" = ?? HEY you're inside an RV aren't you?

You DO know that your scanner won't hear very well while it's inside that metal box don't you?

Without an outside antenna you won't hear much.

even outside down here I don't get much.
I am going to go to the top of the hill and try your different ideas.
thanks

 

[IowaGuy1603]

You are in a hole down there.........................with a hill between you and the towers......................

 

[fulltime]

You are in a hole down there.........................with a hill between you and the towers......................

I went up the hill anf got soom good reception
now I need an antenna.
any suggestions? I lost contact about a mile away and i was below the hill.

 

[IowaGuy1603]

This one at Radio Shack is not bad.................I have one on a 15' pole outside the kitchen for my base scanner (90% of the time when I don't have the scanner hooked up to my 2 meter antennna) Does a pretty good job and isn't very expensive.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103641

In your hole I am no sure how good of reception you CAN get..................
When someone answers you on ScanIowa-----from your area ask them
Mike Scheel should answer you on that fourm.......he knows his crap down in your area

 

[GrayJeep]

I went up the hill anf got soom good reception
now I need an antenna.
any suggestions? I lost contact about a mile away and i was below the hill.

Now that we know there's a mound of dirt between you and the system the only real answer is to move camp.

The frequencies these systems are on are pretty much line-of-sight. If the antennas can't see each other, they won't hear each other. Obstructions such as a ridgeline of dirt, or the metal shell of your camper inhibit reception.

Good luck!

 

[fulltime]

nwou
NOW that I have my scanner programed RIGHT I can hear loud and clear and with my new RS 800 MHz antenna I even can hear inside my TIN BOX.
But I can't hear some TGs I have programed and hear some TGs I don't have entered.