RadioShack Antenna advice

[HvyMetal_59]

Hello. I'm in need of some information on choosing an antenna for my Radio Shack PRO-71. I just acquired a PRO-649. I've been searching for the Radio Shack Center-Loaded telescopic antenna. I do live in a remote area of NW Montana. I have mountains around the area I'm in. Thanks.

 

[trentbob]

Hello. I'm in need of some information on choosing an antenna for my Radio Shack PRO-71. I just acquired a PRO-649. I've been searching for the Radio Shack Center-Loaded telescopic antenna. I do live in a remote area of NW Montana. I have mountains around the area I'm in. Thanks.

Forget trying to find an old Radio Shack antenna just because the radio is from Radio Shack, you can use any antenna you want.

That old Center load telescoping back at the set Radio Shack antenna from the 60s that used to have the mot pin and then was replaced with BNC wasn't such a hot antenna anyway.

Go to antenna farm.Com, there are all kinds of antennas to pick from for the back of the set. If you are able to put one on the roof, like a ground plane or a discone that would be best... just make sure you use good low loss coax and not something like RG58. Lmr-400 is a good choice.

Comet makes some popular antennas on this site that people report work great. Go by what you're planning on listening to.

Forget that telescoping Center loaded Radio Shack antenna, I used that on my first police monitor, the realistic Pro 1 slide rule dial tunable radio made by GRE for RadioShack. That was in 1967 LOL.

 

[HvyMetal_59]

Forget trying to find an old Radio Shack antenna just because the radio is from Radio Shack, you can use any antenna you want.

That old Center load telescoping back at the set Radio Shack antenna from the 60s that used to have the mot pin and then was replaced with BNC wasn't such a hot antenna anyway.

Go to antenna farm.Com, there are all kinds of antennas to pick from for the back of the set. If you are able to put one on the roof, like a ground plane or a discone that would be best... just make sure you use good low loss coax and not something like RG58. Lmr-400 is a good choice.

Comet makes some popular antennas on this site that people report work great. Go by what you're planning on listening to.

Forget that telescoping Center loaded Radio Shack antenna, I used that on my first police monitor, the realistic Pro 1 slide rule dial tunable radio. That was a 1967 LOL.

Thanks for the information. Mounting an antenna on the roof is not an option. At least in the wintertime here in Montana. Lots of snow on the roof. When the snow comes off. It would destroy the antenna. I'll check out antenna farm.com. Or is it antennafarm.com? Thanks.

 

[doctordialtone]

Or is it antennafarm.com?

The Antenna Farm, Your two way radio source

The Antenna Farm: VHF & UHF Mobile Radios Radio Accessories VHF & UHF Hand Held Radios Antennas Mobile Antenna Mounts SWR/Power Meters Adapters Coaxial Cable Two Way Accessories Antenna Accessories DC Power Supplies Coax Cable Accessories Connectors Aviation Radios Repeater Systems Towers &...

www.theantennafarm.com

 

[trentbob]

Thanks for the information. Mounting an antenna on the roof is not an option. At least in the wintertime here in Montana. Lots of snow on the roof. When the snow comes off. It would destroy the antenna. I'll check out antenna farm.com. Or is it antennafarm.com? Thanks.

It's... theantennafarm.com

 

[trentbob]

Whoops I just saw your post doc. I was interrupted in the middle of writing the text.

 

[HvyMetal_59]

Whoops I just saw your post doc. I was interrupted in the middle of writing the text.

NP. Thanks.

 

[krokus]

Hello. I'm in need of some information on choosing an antenna for my Radio Shack PRO-71. I just acquired a PRO-649. I've been searching for the Radio Shack Center-Loaded telescopic antenna. I do live in a remote area of NW Montana. I have mountains around the area I'm in. Thanks.

What are you wanting to listen to? Different antennas are better for certain things.

 

[HvyMetal_59]

What are you wanting to listen to? Different antennas are better for certain things.

Mainly Police and Fire in my area. I'm in a remote area of NW Montana. Surround by mountains. Mounting an antenna on the roof is not an option.
The Sherriff's office from my location is about 50 miles. From what I understand, they use repeaters. Due to the mountains in the area. Sanders County. Thanks

 

[JoshuaHufford]

Mainly Police and Fire in my area. I'm in a remote area of NW Montana. Surround by mountains. Mounting an antenna on the roof is not an option.
The Sherriff's office from my location is about 50 miles. From what I understand, they use repeaters. Due to the mountains in the area. Sanders County. Thanks

Why is it not an option?

Trust me, if you really want to get into scanning you wont be happy until you have a good antenna mounted outdoors as high as you can get it. I started out with the stock rubber antenna on a hand held, upgraded that antenna, then bought a mag mount for the car and also would put it outside the house on a cookie sheet and ran the coax through a window when I was at home. Made a semi permanent antenna install in the attic, had a temporary setup on my chimney outside with a base antenna, then finally worked my way up to a base antenna 30 feet up in the air at a remote site at higher elevation than my home and stream via Broadcastify.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I'd say, "save yourself the trouble and just do it right in the first place".

Maybe you will get lucky and there is a repeater on a mountain right next door.

 

[tvengr]

Here is the link to the information for Sanders County:

Sanders County, Montana (MT) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Sanders County, Montana (MT)

www.radioreference.com

 

[trentbob]

Mainly Police and Fire in my area. I'm in a remote area of NW Montana. Surround by mountains. Mounting an antenna on the roof is not an option.
The Sherriff's office from my location is about 50 miles. From what I understand, they use repeaters. Due to the mountains in the area. Sanders County. Thanks

So my post number 2 paragraph 3 still stands as your best bet, especially as I hear more information. Don't know how many stories tall your house is but you can put a mast or a combination of 10 ft metal poles that are attached together up on the side of your house and as long as you have 5 feet or so above the roof of your house using a ground plane or discone you will get very good results. Many people don't have that advantage of mounting onto a house snow or not. People use attics or Mount antennas on hat racks.

I guess people will look up your frequencies for the area that you live in I think you left a location and I'll take a look too. You should learn to use the database for the frequencies near you.

Pick a day it's not snowing and mount the antenna on the side of your house using 30 to 50 feet of mast in 10 foot increments that you assemble yourself So the antenna is secured to the side of your house but above the highest point on your roof.

Again don't use any coax that comes with the antenna use lmr400 or at least RG6. You'll be really happy with the results and as long as your antenna is securely attached to the side of your house you shouldn't lose it in the weather. Sounds like that's going to be your best bet considering the distances you are inferring.

 

[wtp]

high but not outside...how about an antenna in the attic ?
due to high winds and hurricanes that helps here.

 

[HvyMetal_59]

Why is it not an option?

Trust me, if you really want to get into scanning you wont be happy until you have a good antenna mounted outdoors as high as you can get it. I started out with the stock rubber antenna on a hand held, upgraded that antenna, then bought a mag mount for the car and also would put it outside the house on a cookie sheet and ran the coax through a window when I was at home. Made a semi permanent antenna install in the attic, had a temporary setup on my chimney outside with a base antenna, then finally worked my way up to a base antenna 30 feet up in the air at a remote site at higher elevation than my home and stream via Broadcastify.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I'd say, "save yourself the trouble and just do it right in the first place".

Maybe you will get lucky and there is a repeater on a mountain right next door.

Well, Montana gets lots of snow. At times I've had up to 4 feet of snow. So, When the snow melts. It would destroy the antenna regardless of where and how it's mounted. The only REAL option would buy a 300-foot tower and mount it in the back yard. That option is not feasible due to cost.

 

[HvyMetal_59]

high but not outside...how about an antenna in the attic ?
due to high winds and hurricanes that helps here.

Something I did consicer. Mybe summer time.

 

[HvyMetal_59]

Here is the link to the information for Sanders County:

Sanders County, Montana (MT) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Sanders County, Montana (MT)

www.radioreference.com

Thanks. I already have that information.

 

[trentbob]

Yep in Florida I can see a lot of rooftops coming down every few years.

So to the o p it's a shame you can't put up an outdoor antenna on the side of your house so it's anchored.

Again don't know how many stories high your house is or what kind of roof you have Etc but if you ever do put up an outdoor antenna perhaps in the summer there are some tricks you can use. Depending on how high your house is you can use 5 foot sections of mast, whatever it takes.

I only emphasize this because of your environment of the mountains and the distance you are, sounds like you're in a very rural area.

One advantage you have is it looks like everything including the state police are on VHF high band so a small ground plane with 16 in elements would work great... That's low profile and doesn't cause much wind drag and doesn't weigh anything. A trick you can use is assembling it with Loctite, like when attaching the radials. It really holds the antenna together well.

An antenna in your attic is also a good idea if you have an attic.

Don't know that much about your area but you could be lucky and have a repeater tower right near you. It is interesting that everything is on VHF High

Let us know what you end up doing.

 

[JoshuaHufford]

Well, Montana gets lots of snow. At times I've had up to 4 feet of snow. So, When the snow melts. It would destroy the antenna regardless of where and how it's mounted. The only REAL option would buy a 300-foot tower and mount it in the back yard. That option is not feasible due to cost.

If your only option to receive anything is a 300 foot tower, then a small antenna directly on the radio sure isn't going to do anything for you.

Any antenna outside your home regardless of height above the ground will almost certainly receive better than one inside. I understand the potential problems with snow, but there are a lot of really smart people on here who do this stuff for a living, surely they will have some solutions for you, some have already been mentioned. I certainly would not give up having an antenna outside just because of snow, there has to be a solution.

 

[K5MPH]

Maybe you have a repeater tower on top of one of the mountains ......

 

[trentbob]

Maybe you have a repeater tower on top of one of the mountains ......

You know I wouldn't be surprised, good thinking, hopefully there's a repeater tower somewhere nearby.