Pro-197 Range Help.

[vividvisions]

I just got the Pro-197 about a week ago, As you probably know they come with the telescopic antenna. I am using this mainly as a base scanner and don't really anticipate taking it with me anywhere in the car. I currently listen to Baltimore County's digital system and get okay signal. There is room for improvement and I'd also like to listen to the City more. I am about 5 miles from the City/County line and can pick up a good bit of the city also but it becomes gargled often due to the distance depending on what district I listen to. Are there any upgraded telescopic antennas or better antennas to use that may improve the signal and clarity? I'm not looking for anything major significantly different but an improvement would be nice. I'm not looking to put an antenna outside or on the roof or anything but anything else would be alright. I'm happy with this scanner, it was annoying to program it at first but since then I have completely programmed in all of Baltimore County police and fire manually without software.

 

[morrisr3nd]

Go to radio shack and get one of the 800 MHz rubber ducky and a bnc 90. You will pick up the digital 700 and 800 bands better. Hope this helps.

 

[vividvisions]

Go to radio shack and get one of the 800 MHz rubber ducky and a bnc 90. You will pick up the digital 700 and 800 bands better. Hope this helps.

I have a Pro-528 analog scanner that came with the rubber antenna, This wouldn't happen to be the same antenna would it?

 

[DickH]

I just got the Pro-197 about a week ago, As you probably know they come with the telescopic antenna. I am using this mainly as a base scanner and don't really anticipate taking it with me anywhere in the car. I currently listen to Baltimore County's digital system and get okay signal. There is room for improvement and I'd also like to listen to the City more. I am about 5 miles from the City/County line and can pick up a good bit of the city also but it becomes gargled often due to the distance depending on what district I listen to. Are there any upgraded telescopic antennas or better antennas to use that may improve the signal and clarity? I'm not looking for anything major significantly different but an improvement would be nice. I'm not looking to put an antenna outside or on the roof or anything but anything else would be alright. I'm happy with this scanner, it was annoying to program it at first but since then I have completely programmed in all of Baltimore County police and fire manually without software.

A telescoping antenna is not the answer unless you set it for the correct length (height). For 800MHz the 1/4 wavelength is 3-1/4 inches and multiples; 6-1/2", 9-3/4", 13", etc.
Some of those lengths may work better than others.
Because of the short wavelength, if you move the scanner around, SLOWLY, you will find strong and weak spots around your house. And it should be better near a window.
You will have better luck if you lock it on the control channel so you will have a stable signal while moving the scanner around.

 

[morrisr3nd]

800 MHz antenna

I have a Pro-528 analog scanner that came with the rubber antenna, This wouldn't happen to be the same antenna would it?

No it's not the same. Sorry.

 

[vividvisions]

No it's not the same. Sorry.

I looked it up and realize that now, I couldn't reply as fast because I was a new member and my posts needed to be moderated. Anyhow, thanks for helping out a noob. I'll be purchasing this Antenna most likely today and will post my results.

 

[MillerAirport1]

GRE Super Amplifier may help you

Go to Grove Enterprises and buy a GRE Super Amplifier. Get a good 30-1300mhz antenna ,and an 90 degree
elbow to extend GRE unit out beyond edge of back of scanner. Set the Gain control to max, and buy a
Energizer Lithium Ultra Battery for the unit. I get significant pick up of frequency's on Stalker mode, its the
best thing I did besides going through many antennas. Ask questions

 

[gewecke]

Go to Grove Enterprises and buy a GRE Super Amplifier. Get a good 30-1300mhz antenna ,and an 90 degree
elbow to extend GRE unit out beyond edge of back of scanner. Set the Gain control to max, and buy a
Energizer Lithium Ultra Battery for the unit. I get significant pick up of frequency's on Stalker mode, its the
best thing I did besides going through many antennas. Ask questions

The GRE amplifier on a pro-197 is not a good idea, unless you're 50 miles away from basically all forms of rf! :roll:

I use a indoor 800mhz. mag mount on a book case 2 miles away from the starcom tower, and still have to use the attenuator for some listening!

73,
n9zas

 

[MK]

You should consider buying a SpectrumForce antenna. It is a small, unobtrusive mag mount antenna that can be stuck on the vehicle exterior. It takes less than a minute to run the cable quickly inside. Reception will increase a lot over having a small antenna inside your vehicle. Very little effort is required to install the SpectrumForce.

SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and BNC

 

[morrisr3nd]

You should consider buying a SpectrumForce antenna. It is a small, unobtrusive mag mount antenna that can be stuck on the vehicle exterior. It takes less than a minute to run the cable quickly inside. Reception will increase a lot over having a small antenna inside your vehicle. Very little effort is required to install the SpectrumForce.

SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and BNC

The OP said that it probably wasn't going in the car.

 

[vividvisions]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I took morrisr3nd's advice and got the 800mhz antenna from Radioshack. I do get significantly less gargling and breakup from the County police however I see no improvement from the City. I am starting to wonder if there is something else interfering with my signal to the city or if something else is wrong. I can hear it but it cuts out a lot and is kind of always gargled. I'm happy it improved my listening for the more local area but am still on a mission to pick up the city better. Not sure what my issue is. May try posting in the Maryland/Baltimore section.

 

[wtp]

walls

some homes have insulation in the walls that is like styrofoam (but harder)with aluminum sheeting on both sides. try getting near a window to see what happens also don't forget things like a refrigerator can block a signal. even moving up 3 inches could change the reception. move it around see what happens

 

[DickH]

some homes have insulation in the walls that is like styrofoam (but harder)with aluminum sheeting on both sides. try getting near a window to see what happens also don't forget things like a refrigerator can block a signal. even moving up 3 inches could change the reception. move it around see what happens

I told him all that, but in more detail, 2 days ago. I don't think he tried it.

 

[LH2428]

RadioShack outdoor antenna is great !!

 

[AC2OY]

I'm confused the only two Radio Shack police scanners I ever owned used the stock telescopic antenna's worked perfectly! This Pro-197 I receive transmissions from 30 or 40 miles away clear as day. Maybe when I really have time I'll try to search the military bands and see what I can pick up?!

 

[DickH]

I'm confused the only two Radio Shack police scanners I ever owned used the stock telescopic antenna's worked perfectly! This Pro-197 I receive transmissions from 30 or 40 miles away clear as day. Maybe when I really have time I'll try to search the military bands and see what I can pick up?!

Since you have a Ham call, you should know that an antenna works best when set to the proper wavelength, not just pulled all the way up?

 

[vividvisions]

I think it is an issue with my area and not the actual scanner, others have had similar issues. Apparently Baltimore City is hard to pick up sometimes no matter where you are. I am gonna see if a firmware update improves anything anyway though, I doubt it.

 

[kc4jgc]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.5.0.81 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

I'm surprised Mike KA3JJZ hasn't chimed in yet. There is a wiki here on RR that addresses reception of both Baltimore city and county systems. Look in the MD forum. That wiki is mentioned several times throughout, usually by Mike. I would read that wiki before buying anything. Basically, it"s a matter of selecting one site to program and the fact that both systems use what's known as LSM modulation on their P25 signals, which scanners have trouble decoding. It's not impossible. With some tweaking you can improve reception to a degree. With that said, much beyond the city line reception drops off fast. At 5 miles you might be ok after tweaking. On my 106. I get decent reception on Pulasi Hwy near Middle River & other locations a short distance away from the city. Good luck!

 

[vividvisions]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.5.0.81 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

I'm surprised Mike KA3JJZ hasn't chimed in yet. There is a wiki here on RR that addresses reception of both Baltimore city and county systems. Look in the MD forum. That wiki is mentioned several times throughout, usually by Mike. I would read that wiki before buying anything. Basically, it"s a matter of selecting one site to program and the fact that both systems use what's known as LSM modulation on their P25 signals, which scanners have trouble decoding. It's not impossible. With some tweaking you can improve reception to a degree. With that said, much beyond the city line reception drops off fast. At 5 miles you might be ok after tweaking. On my 106. I get decent reception on Pulasi Hwy near Middle River & other locations a short distance away from the city. Good luck!

Thanks for the info, I can pick up the county perfectly fine, city just gives me the issues. Gonna try some tweaking.

 

[AC2OY]

Since you have a Ham call, you should know that an antenna works best when set to the proper wavelength, not just pulled all the way up?

To be honest with you Dick I have experimented with those antennas at different heights years before I got my ticket and never noticed any deference picking up any transmissions. The Pro 197 by far has the best speaker or Rx output I have ever heard yet.