Radio Shack 800 or Antenex 800????

[hulka]

I would like to get a 800 MHz antenna and I see everyone talking about the Radio Shack 800 rubber duckie. How about a HT antenna from Antenex that does 806 - 866 MHz. Here is the info n the Antenex one:

806 - 866 MHz 836 MHz 2.5dB 8" 1/2 Wave BNX $30.96

Part #- DEXE806BNX

I will pay the extra $$ for the better antenna. I will be listening to 800 mostly with the exception of the NOAA Weather channels.

I was thinking the Antenex antenna but would like any comments to other users.

 

[JohnWayne]

The Radio Shack is a decent antenna, but the your best bet is the Antenex, which is actually a Centurion. Centurion makes all of Antenex's portable antennas for them. The Centurion part number that you want is EXE-806-BNX, and you can get one here for $25.50. Keep in mind that the EXE-806-BNX is a fairly long and not as flexible as a regular 1/4 wave whip, but it's about the best handheld antenna for 800MHz listening performance-wise.

I have various other 800MHz handheld antennas as well. Check out the Handheld Antenna Selection Matrix. You need a type BN or BNX connector.

Let me know if you have any questions on anything.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[hulka]

I am not worried about the length. It looks about the same size as my VHF MTS antenna. I know some people rather have the smaller one but scanner sitts on my shelf omst of the time or it is hooked to the antenna in my car. Just looking to get the "most bang for the buck."

 

[JohnWayne]

If you want the most bang for your buck, then the EXE-806-BNX is definitely what you want. I've got them in stock and ready to go if you want to place an order at jttp://shop.waltel.com

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[cassidy1190]

With this antenna, how is the reception with uhf and vhf. I really need an 800 mhz antenna but i still wanna hear my other frequencies.

 

[JohnWayne]

The VHF and UHF peformance will probably be about what you would get with a stock rubber duck antenna. Longer 800MHz antennas can make acceptable VHF/UHF antennas.

Jeff

 

[cassidy1190]

Im probably just gonna get a discone since i have such a wide range of frequencies.

 

[bill_n]

Seeker 800 MHz Duckie Antenna??

Anyone have an opinion whether this model would give better performance for 800-900 MHz than others talked about in this thread?

I realize it's quite a bit longer, almost 12 inches.

Would using this lessen the reception on VHF, UHF?

It's here:

http://www.radio-ware.com/products/sek800.htm

Thanks,

bill n

 

[mstarn]

This one seems to work fine for me as an "all around" antenna.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanants/2368.html

$21.95

The Diamond RH77CA is an HT antenna for transmit on 2 meters and 440 MHz. It is a 1/4 wave on 2 meters and a 1/2 wave on 440. It can additionally receive these bands: 120, 150, 300, 450, 800 and 900 MHz. As a result of this exceptional coverage, we actually sell more of these antennas to scanner listeners than hams! It is a favorite model for scanner enthusiasts, and for those using the new breed of wideband handheld radios.

This thin, flexible, black antenna is 16 inches (40 cm) tall. Gain is a 2.15 dBi (440 MHz), provides up to six times the performance of regular antennas. This antenna terminates to a 50 ohm BNC connector.


Do some research on this one. It might suits your needs?

 

[mlevin]

I own both models in question. I personally prefer the 6db of gain on the RS model over the 2.5 db of gain on the Centurion model.

 

[viciouspossum]

greamerica.com, the GRE website has an 800mhz antenna that I've heard good things about, it's on sale for like $15.99 or so. The only thing is it doesn't seem to be designed for the 150-160 band, so I'm not sure about the performance there. This antenna is relatively new. Some complain about the 90-degree swivel not being sturdy enough, this feature allows it to be used on a desktop scanner without extra BNC swivels. Someone said it worked better than the handheld RadioShack 800mhz one, but I don't know if they meant on other than 800mhz bands though.[/quote]

 

[JohnWayne]

Mo: I can guarantee you that the RS 800MHz handheld antenna is NOT 6dB, or even close to it. I would say about 2dB at most, but I am going to guess it's pretty close to unity gain. For your reference, the "cellular style" 800MHz mobile antennas are only 3dB gain, and they are about 16" long.

Jeff