Ohio MARCS - Pro2096 in a Mobile

[SLWilson]

Maybe this should be in the Antenna Forum, but, it's mainly an Ohio issue....Anyway, I have a Pro2096. At home, on the RS pull-up antenna that came with the scanner, I can hear everything in our area on MARCS. I live within a mile of one of the MARCS towers. I can hear the Jackson patrol post as well as any Gallia/Meigs mobile units. HOWEVER, put the scanner in a mobile and drive "ot of town" away from the tower and it doesn't hear a thing (on MARCS)...Hears UHF and VHF OK.....So, here's the question....I've tried a standard multi-band mobile scanner antenna. I've tried a 800MHz cellular antenna and the pull-up one that came with the scanner. Again, NOTHING from MARCS....What type of mobile antenna WILL work with MARCS??? Thanks, Steve/Gallia

 

[Swipesy]

800 Antenna

I use Antenex's Phantom antenna for mobile and it works great and has a nice low profile.

 

[FPO703]

You also have to remember that once you're out of range of a tower, you'll need to have the frequencies in the radio for the outlying towers. If you don't have them programmed in, you're SOL.

 

[SLWilson]

You also have to remember that once you're out of range of a tower, you'll need to have the frequencies in the radio for the outlying towers. If you don't have them programmed in, you're SOL.

I have all the neighboring county tower freqs in it. I went out in Greenfield Twp earlier today. I could hear the traffic (from Gallipolis) through the Oak Hill tower OK....Steve

 

[SLWilson]

Antenna....

I use Antenex's Phantom antenna for mobile and it works great and has a nice low profile.

Just ordered the TRAB8213 Black Phantom antenna with NMO mounting socket & I'm going to give it a try. It should go good on a black Tahoe. Hide it up in between the luggage rack...Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[hoser147]

All I use is the rs 800 antenna on the scanner and have never had a problem on the road. I dont think its an antenna problem you have ............hoser147

 

[wa8pyr]

What type of mobile antenna WILL work with MARCS??? Thanks, Steve/Gallia

I use a glass-mount scanner antenna made by Transel or another company of their ilk. Works very well. From my driveway I generally get Columbus, Circleville, Orient, Pleasant Valley (sort of), London, and Lancaster well enough to get a usable digital signal.

Works very well on VHF and UHF, and surprisingly well on low band also, which is amazing considering the thing is only about 12-14" high.

Tom

 

[rs96]

I too have a Pro-2096 and a Pro96 and I have no trouble pickink up the Marcs towers in my area. Where I live I am within a couple of miles from the tower and a couple miles of the Highway Patrol Post. When I am on my way to work I never loose a signal on any of these Towers. They luckley have one in every great spot in each county.

 

[SLWilson]

What is it then?

All I use is the rs 800 antenna on the scanner and have never had a problem on the road. I dont think its an antenna problem you have ............hoser147

What do you think if it isn't an antenna problem. Again, it works GREAT with an Antenna Specialists "dual band" scanner antenna. But the AS antenna is just Low, Hi and UHF coverage. When it was built, they hadn't come up woth 800 MHZ trunked radio yet !!!! AND, it hears trunked radio OK at home on the antenna that came with it...Plus, all I'm interersted in listening to on the scanner while mobile IS the trunked radio. I have two-way VHF and UHF radios that I use for work in my vehicle....Steve

 

[W8OSP]

Steve get ahold of me i have an antenna u might want, antennax 5db 12'' 800-900mhz nmo mount!

 

[w8mkh]

I use a suction cup wire antenna i got at Universal and it works fine
I travel from Columbus to Marietta to Logon to Lancaster and hear traffic all over
73

 

[hoser147]

Steve I agee with FPO 703 I live in an area that has multiple sites none that are very close to my radio and under different conditions my scanner hits off multiple towers. When a trransmission is made on Marcs it goes to at least 3 towers. It is well worth the time to program your radio different ways on different banks and see what one serves your purpose the best. When I am on the road my scanner basically follows the towers as I go and this has worked well for me,just using the rs 800 antenna. Just giving you some other options and Ideas on things to try. Best of luck and good scanin.........hoser147 oh by the way nice setup in your truck

 

[SLWilson]

Antenex Phantom - 800 MHz Antenna

Thanks everyone that helped out with "what might be wrong" with me NOT being able to hear much on the Pro2096 in the mobile.

I ordered a new 800MHZ Antenex 3db gain antenna. Got it yesterday. Tried it out this evening. Works like a charm.

I'll do a little more extensive driving this weekend and really test it, but, IN TOWN now, I'm hearing the Gallipolis, Racine & Carmel Church MARCS sites. Wasn't hearing them before. Added a couple of pics of the antenna below....Again, Thanks all! Steve/Gallia