RTL-SDR Outdoor antenna preference? Home made or buy?

[Patriot2120]

What is the best antenna for outdoor use? Anyone make one? How? Is buying one better? Thanks in advance!

 

[spongella]

Plenty of antennas out there depending on what you want to listen to. The RTL-SDR coverage is generally from 25 MHz - 1700 MHz which is a wide range. I use an outdoor discone mounted on the roof which is a decent wide range antenna. Go to https://www.rtl-sdr.com/ and read through the postings about antennas. Whether to build or buy is up to you, depending on your skills. Outside antennas outperform indoor ones in most cases. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Patriot2120]

Plenty of antennas out there depending on what you want to listen to. The RTL-SDR coverage is generally from 25 MHz - 1700 MHz which is a wide range. I use an outdoor discone mounted on the roof which is a decent wide range antenna. Go to https://www.rtl-sdr.com/ and read through the postings about antennas. Whether to build or buy is up to you, depending on your skills. Outside antennas outperform indoor ones in most cases. Good luck and have fun.

Thanks Spongella, appreciate that.

 

[NC1]

The antenna will depend on what it is that you want to listen to. I have the RSP1A and for HF I will either hook it to the Cushcraft 5 band vertical, or my 84' long wire. For VHF and UHF I will connect it to my Tram 1481 or the scanner discone.

At minimum I would go with one for everything below 30MHz, and one for VHF/UHF.