Seeker 800 VS RS 800

[mrhowes]

I need some thoughts from everyone out there. What is your opinion of the Seeker 800 MHz handheld antenna vs the Radio Shack 800 handheld antenna. In particular, how well does each work with APCO 25 800MHZ digital systems??? Which in your honest opinion is better?? Any other 800 MHz handheld antennas that you think are better than the 2 above????

My interrest in mainly 800 MHz. Almost all of what I am listening to is going to APCO 25 800 MHz digital. VHF/UHF are becoming much less of a concern to me.


Thanks in advance.

Michael....

 

[John_M]

http://myweb.accessus.net/~090/antenna.html

In this review the Seeker beats out the RS 800mhz antenna. The cost of the Seeker is over twice the amount for the RS 800mhz model. I don't own the seeker but I can tell you the RS model beats the proffessional 800mhz antenna offered by ScannerMaster.


There is also a good review of handheld antennas at StrongSignals:
http://www.strongsignals.net/access/reviews/reviews.cgi?type=display&rtype=rev&class=ant&num=003

 

[Navycop]

Walmart has some mobile CB/Cellphone antennas. Are these good for scanners??

 

[AZScanner]

Walmart has some mobile CB/Cellphone antennas. Are these good for scanners??

Well believe it or not, I used one way back in the day (it was the RS CB cellular look alike) and the results were actually not too bad. But I'd personally use a mobile cellular antenna before I used a CB antenna for P25 800Mhz.

-AZ

 

[Al42]

In particular, how well does each work with APCO 25 800MHZ digital systems???

The antenna has nothing to so with the type of system - it has only to do with the frequency. An antenna that does well on 800 MHz will do well on 800 MHz APCO 25 systems, 800 MHz Edacs systems and 800 MHz conventional systems. (And 800 MHz cellular systems too, although you probably can't get a cellular "scanner" to connect it to.)

 

[Old4rd]

I have both of my PRO 96's using SEEKER 800s. I have carefully compared signal level of various APCO 25 control channels with the CONDOR, unity gain cell duckies, 3db gain cell duckies, stock PRO 96 duckie, and telescoping. I tried Comtelco's 800 gain antenna (wouldn't recommend them because the center conducter BNC pin pulled out on the original & its' replacement). The SEEKER is rather pricey and I could find only one source. It is my first choice for 800 performance, even though it is rather stiff. My second choice is one of my (old) gain cell duckies that have the knuckle allowing up to 90 degree bend & swivel. Third choice is a unity gain duckie like the one R.S. sells. Fourth choice is the Condor, which has unity gain on 800 and decent performance on UHF & VHF, but it is rather bulky. Fifth choice is the stock antenna. A friend of mine has the R.S. 800 unity gain antenna, and it seems to be a decent performer, I've just never sat down to do comparisons with it. GRE also sells an 800 duckie, fyi.

 

[W4KRR]

I need some thoughts from everyone out there. What is your opinion of the Seeker 800 MHz handheld antenna vs the Radio Shack 800 handheld antenna. In particular, how well does each work with APCO 25 800MHZ digital systems??? Which in your honest opinion is better?? Any other 800 MHz handheld antennas that you think are better than the 2 above????

My interrest in mainly 800 MHz. Almost all of what I am listening to is going to APCO 25 800 MHz digital. VHF/UHF are becoming much less of a concern to me.


Thanks in advance.

Michael....

I have both the Radio Shack 800 antenna and the Seeker 800. The performance of both antennas is very close, but under some conditions, the Seeker does a little better than the Radio Shack 800 antenna. But as others have pointed out, the Seeker is larger, stiffer, and twice the cost of the Radio Shack 800 antenna.

 

[nosoup4u]

The Seeker also works better on VHF & UHF than the RS800. I've had mine for about 4 years and wouldn't switch to anything else.