Pro 2004 antenna help.

[kodiac]

I would appreciate any help with an homebrew antenna for my pro 2004 scanner.
I can't get any homemade antenna to increase reception in the 900 Mhz band.
The reception of the antenna that came with the pro 2004 is as good as I can get it.
If someone has a pro 2004 would you share what kind of antenna you are using?
Can someone explain how I can increase my 900 Mhz reception?

Thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

You didn't say much about what 'homebrew' antennas you had tried, but my first thought would be crummy coax. You can't expect to use RG58U or 59U on 900 with any appreciable length and get anything out of it. The loss would be horrendous, even at 50 foot. It would be more like trying to use a leaky hose on a fire. Another possibility is a poor match between the antenna and feedline, but again, without knowing what antennas you've tried, these are nothing more than WAGs

The other thing would be that using a broad spectrum antenna - one that say, goes from 108 mhz - 1 Ghz (a discone, for example) with the same response is just not realistic, no matter what the plundits tell you. There will be places where the antenna - whatever design is used - won't work very well. My first bet if I were trying something this high would be a Yagi, which at this frequency range, is downright tiny. 73 Mike

 

[fineshot1]

I would appreciate any help with an homebrew antenna for my pro 2004 scanner.
I can't get any homemade antenna to increase reception in the 900 Mhz band.
The reception of the antenna that came with the pro 2004 is as good as I can get it.
If someone has a pro 2004 would you share what kind of antenna you are using?
Can someone explain how I can increase my 900 Mhz reception?

Thanks

I used to have a Pro2004 many years ago and later upgraded to the Pro2006.

Its not the antennas - the 2004 never had steller receiver performance in the 220Mhz and 900Mhz bands.

 

[ka3jjz]

The 2004 in general needed a kick in the front end to really shine - a good antenna, and a preamp makes all the difference in the world. I used a ScanTenna and a Grove preamp on the 220-400 mhz milcom area when I had one (the volume control eventually gave out) and it woke the scanner right up.

Still, though, a good start is the right antenna and coax, no matter if it's 220 or 900, before you even consider a preamp. 73 Mike

 

[kodiac]

Thanks, I apreciate all of your help.