noob needs help with rural reception

[popnokick]

SenorMoofer is thinking along the same lines I am. If you have tall trees close to the trailer, consider hoisting the wire version of the Off-Center Dipole up into a tree. The difficult thing will be positioning the 75 ohm coax feed line so that it runs away perpendicular at a 90 degree angle from the vertical portion of the antenna for at least 3 to 6 feet before it goes downward. Use 75 ohm TV coax.... not only because it is a proper match with the TV transformer balun, but also because it is low loss, but because it is lightweight enough to pull up into the tree. Pull the coax cable in through a window.... or if you have a passthru port made to bring in a TV antenna.

 

[I_am_Alpha1]

When I started reading these posts, I wondered if she lives in a Faraday cage...yup, metal walls with metal roof. The metal will keep signals away. Take your scanner outside and see what it does--try all your antennas. If you notice a significant improvement, you have your answer. If you don't notice a significant improvement, your location is the issue and you will need a very big antenna on a very tall pole. But, we're going to hope your scanner works great outside. If so, you can try the mag mount antenna in a window with the scanner below it and see how it does. You will more than likely need something outside the metal box. It doesn't have to be high in the sky, just a small pole attached to the side of the house just like a TV antenna would be done--nothing scary about it. Something like this: https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-013537

 

[ChaosWitch]

YEa... I read that before I even posted. Why doesn’t anyone make and sell those? I find it hard to believe that no one in the world has one for sale. Oh well.

 

[ChaosWitch]

Sorry I was relying to the last post on page one with my previous post.

But yes. There is a noticible amount of improvement in certain spots outside. Which is why I wanted a simple wire dipole antenna justnlike the one I’ve asked about several times. I do need something outside because inside it’s just terrible everywhere. Oh well. Maybe I’ll find someone to make me one. If not. I’ll just go back to knitting.
.

 

[SenorMoofer]

YEa... I read that before I even posted. Why doesn’t anyone make and sell those? I find it hard to believe that no one in the world has one for sale. Oh well.

There is people that make them, for example here is one on eBay Frequency Devices Off Center Fed antenna for 40, 20, 10 and 6 Meters 40-6OCFD https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/141690653087

You can buy that and a section of cable and hang it outside but as been stated it will be hundred more dollars to buy this then just building a simple antenna you will also need to buy a piece of rg8 coax the proper length of run from your temporary hanging spot to the inside of the house and a adapter to get the cable end to BNC

 

[whitty]

I live about 40 miles southwest of Burnside and have a scantenna about fifteen feet high(maybe) just barely above a metal roof and I can receive all counties around me, including parts of Tennessee. I can also receive both the London and Columbia posts of the KSP plain as day.

 

[I_am_Alpha1]

MM, I know what antenna you're thinking of...I used one once in a building that had poor RF reception and couldn't install a roof antenna. It didn't work any better. It is basically a homemade antenna someone is selling online. Do a YouTube search for "how to make a scanner antenna" and you will see a few ideas. The link I pasted above costs around $50 with shipping and only needs a pole. Try your mag mount on your roof--at least it will be a benchmark so you know where to go from there. Stick with it--I've been scanning over 30 years and love it...it's amazing what you hear that is never published by the media.

 

[ChaosWitch]

You all are just great. Seriously. So much knowledge. I found one place I can use my mag mount and get a bit clearer reception on the 3 frequencies I can actually hear. I stuck it to a curtain rod by my bedside. I can hear strong static on the mccreary frequencies now. Which is an improvement compared to nothing from em. I have about 20 frequencies programmed in and I can only hear 3 of them with any sort of clarity.
So Because of the better reception in my bedroom which is on the south side of my house (opposite of Somerset but closer to mccreary and also furthest from the powerlines) I’m thinking that that corner of my back porch would be my best spot for a pole antenna It is the most open area around my house furthest away from trees and such. It is also where my satellite dish is attached. Would my satellite dish cause interference with a radio antenna? I assume I could run the radio cords into the house along side the sat cords.

Is there a “for dummies” guide to installing and grounding a radio antenna? Like seriously. The easiest most redneck basic guild possible.


And I know you all have shared several great product links with me already. But I’ll ask again for more advice to compare to the above links.
What antenna would you all recommend I purchase for outside on a pole.. (saying that already scares me about lightening cause that will be the highest metal thing around)

I could get a pole about 20ft attached to my porch n that would put it about 12 ft above my roof. That enough?

 

[ChaosWitch]

Hmm.... now I’m thinking about duct tapping my mag mount to a 10ft piece of 1x1 treated lumber I have n just hoisting it up into the air n see what I hear. HAHAHHA it has a 10ft cord. ������ too THAT for redneck. Lol

 

[DJ11DLN]

Hmm.... now I’m thinking about duct tapping my mag mount to a 10ft piece of 1x1 treated lumber I have n just hoisting it up into the air n see what I hear. HAHAHHA it has a 10ft cord. ������ too THAT for redneck. Lol

Nail or lagscrew a cheap cookie sheet to the end of the 1X1, and you won't need the duct tape. It will also give the antenna a ground plane to work off of, which you need with that kind of antenna. You can get co-ax pre-made in lengths and with the connectors you need to extend it.

Just take it down if it's going to storm. Be pretty hard to ground that sort of thing and a lightning block might be fairly useless. But it might work and, well, see my sig line!:lol:

 

[ChaosWitch]

Nail or lagscrew a cheap cookie sheet to the end of the 1X1, and you won't need the duct tape. It will also give the antenna a ground plane to work off of, which you need with that kind of antenna. You can get co-ax pre-made in lengths and with the connectors you need to extend it.

Just take it down if it's going to storm. Be pretty hard to ground that sort of thing and a lightning block might be fairly useless. But it might work and, well, see my sig line!:lol:

Hahah! I have quoted your sig line several times since I first saw it here. Love it! I think that’s what I’m going to do. Atleast until I figure out where to put a more permanent pole. But then again.... I may just leave it that way. Hahhaa ok. Thanks everyone for the advice. I’ll come back here and bookmark all the awesome links in a day or so.

 

[JStemann]

The Rh-77 makes a noticeable difference in the reception on my home patrol. With a metal roof, you might also consider a simple mag-mount (mobile) antenna.

Jeff.