Outside Antenna Issues

[dclayton55]

I have a discone antenna it was 20 feet up, so I went up to 35 feet now the local sheriff comes in terrible whats going on??? The next county over comes in great both are 800mghz.

 

[ka3jjz]

Without more information on where you are, your scanner and the system(s) affected, a WAG would be cell or NexHell interference...best regards..Mike

 

[dclayton55]

antenna issues

I am Manatee County FLA there is a repeater 1 mile away for the county I listen too. I hear Sarasota strong I Have a bcd 396T when I put my portable antenna on local comes in good but then Sarasota comes in weak?? Could this be a Manatee County issue or should I drop my antenna back down?

 

[dclayton55]

any Ideas

 

[lebrunmn]

Overload maybe?

I am Manatee County FLA there is a repeater 1 mile away for the county I listen too. I hear Sarasota strong I Have a bcd 396T when I put my portable antenna on local comes in good but then Sarasota comes in weak?? Could this be a Manatee County issue or should I drop my antenna back down?

It may seem counterintuitive, but you might try attenuating the system that comes in poorly. I'm guessing that is the system with the tower 1 mile away. I've never had an overload issue with my 396T, but you may actually be too close to the tower. This is just a guess, though.

 

[kb2vxa]

Seems you have misled them with the word overload. Since you mention only one agency which would use one or a few closely spaced frequencies overload is not the problem. There is no such thing on the frequency you're receiving on no matter how strong those signals are, otherwise units in close proximity would be unable to communicate.

Now for suspect number one, you placed your antenna in a dead spot by raising it. Without getting technical above the average head, raising or lowering it or moving horizontally a foot or two should move it out of the "bubble".

Don't be confused, bubbles are frequency and position selective to a point so I'm not surprised if you only lost one station. One last thought, raising an antenna by only 15' gives fairly negligible signal increase so overload where none previously existed is out of the question.

 

[dclayton55]

You are right!! Today I went down 10 feet and its crystal clear.