Struggling with RF Reception in New Office – Need Advice

[pb_lonny]

Hi everyone,

I recently moved into a new office, and I’ve hit an unexpected snag – the building seems to block most RF signals. As someone who’s heavily involved in monitoring the VHF and UHF bands, this is a real issue for me. I’ve noticed my usual setups for UHF band reception and other signals are barely picking up anything here. Our new office is only three blocks from our old office, so it should not be that different, from a RF environment point of view.

From what I can tell, the construction materials might include things like metal framing, tinted windows with metallic coatings, or even some kind of signal-blocking insulation. I don’t have access to the roof for external antennas, and while I could try something in the windows, they’re not very conveniently placed.

Has anyone faced a similar challenge? I’m looking for practical ideas on improving reception indoors or working around these kinds of limitations.

I’d love to hear about any solutions you’ve used successfully, even if they’re unconventional. Balancing this with the constraints of an office setting (like keeping things discreet and professional) is definitely a challenge.

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions!

 

[K4EET]

Hi @pb_lonny,

Have you tried various locations for the scanner in your new office? Move it about 12 inches at a time. It may improve the overall reception. If you are in a Faraday type cage of an office in the middle of your building with no windows, then you will be in a challenging situation.

Dave

 

[kb5udf]

I faced a similar challenge a few years ago (new office with poor reception due to very strong nearby signals blocking reception).
Solution: Connection remotely to hamshack computer with my receivers on it using Chrome Remote Desktop.
The app works on PC’s, Ipad’s and mobile devices.

On the host computer there is one of the default settings you have to change, which is change the default setting for audio, which is something like auto to ON, in the chrome remote desktop settings.

So for edits or grammar problems just waking up and tea hasn’t kicked in yet.

 

[kb5udf]

one other tip, the host pc audio must be stereo, Not some type of surround, otherwise remote connections will have audio that is totally garbled.

 

[Omega-TI]

When I was a kid I used the grounding hole of an electrical socket as an antenna. I'd never consider doing that now, but it worked out quite well. You did want unconventional too, right?

 

[pb_lonny]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a huge window right beside my desk and can see some of the TX sites. I have also moved around the office and tried a few spots, sake result.

At first I thought it was just a quiet time on the bands but I heard more in the 3 minutes when I went outside than an hour when I was inside.

 

[K4EET]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a huge window right beside my desk and can see some of the TX sites. <snip>

Some windows are tinted and can actually be a barrier to RF signals…

 

[mmckenna]

As the guy over telecom at work, My office was always down in the basement with the phone switching equipment. Even as radio guy on top of that, I was always relegated to the basement (no red swingline stapler involved).

An antenna inside the building would only get very local traffic, like TX sites within 1/4 mile. Everything else was dead air.

Only two solutions that worked:

1. 1/2" Heliax to the roof. Actually 3 of them. One for a GPS antenna that is used for one of the Network Time Protocol box, and the other two for my radio equipment.
-or-
2. Remote controlled receiver run over the data network.

No amount of antenna gain overcame the subterranean hole I was in.

Most of the glass is now an energy efficient design that blocks UV using some flavor of metallized film. That stuff can introduce a lot of attenuation. I've got a site where I can stand on the top floor of a building and see the cell site about 100 yards away, and little to no signal on the phone.
Steel reinforced concrete, metal wall studs, foil backed insulation, large florescent lamp fixtures, HVAC ducts, profuse IT cabling, drop ceilings with metal supports, it's all working against you. Unless you can get an antenna outside that metal skin, you're unlikely to ever see any good reception. That means coax going outside, or IP networking bringing the radio inside.

 

[pb_lonny]

Some windows are tinted and can actually be a barrier to RF signals…

I am thinking that is part of the issue, as I have tried a few spots in front of windows... When I am next in the office, I will try on another floor too.

 

[pb_lonny]

As the guy over telecom at work, My office was always down in the basement with the phone switching equipment. Even as radio guy on top of that, I was always relegated to the basement (no red swingline stapler involved).

An antenna inside the building would only get very local traffic, like TX sites within 1/4 mile. Everything else was dead air.

Only two solutions that worked:

1. 1/2" Heliax to the roof. Actually 3 of them. One for a GPS antenna that is used for one of the Network Time Protocol box, and the other two for my radio equipment.
-or-
2. Remote controlled receiver run over the data network.

No amount of antenna gain overcame the subterranean hole I was in.

Most of the glass is now an energy efficient design that blocks UV using some flavor of metallized film. That stuff can introduce a lot of attenuation. I've got a site where I can stand on the top floor of a building and see the cell site about 100 yards away, and little to no signal on the phone.
Steel reinforced concrete, metal wall studs, foil backed insulation, large florescent lamp fixtures, HVAC ducts, profuse IT cabling, drop ceilings with metal supports, it's all working against you. Unless you can get an antenna outside that metal skin, you're unlikely to ever see any good reception. That means coax going outside, or IP networking bringing the radio inside.

Thanks, those are all really good points. I am not in the office that much, so no a massive issue but it is still nice to be able to listen when I can. Our old office was about 550m away and was on level 3, I am also on level 3 so the height is basically the same and we don't have any tall buildings close by or TX sites. I really think it is the window film and steel in the building that is the issue...

 

[mmckenna]

You might try taking a piece of coaxial cable with one end connected to your scanner, and the other one stripped so you have some center conductor sticking out. Touch that to the window frame and see if it helps. Yeah, it's probably grounded, but might work well enough as an antenna. I remember as a kid doing that with the "50 in 1" kits with the crystal radio or diode detectors. The window frame made a good enough antenna to pick up local AM stations.

If it works, see if there is a screw you can connect it to, either directly or with an alligator clip.

If it doesn't, try different conductive items around the office. Maybe even conduit, water pipes, unused IT cable, etc.

 

[pb_lonny]

Thanks, I will give that a try next time I am in the office.

 

[pb_lonny]

So some staff have been complaining about poor mobile phone coverage in the building, talking to other businesses in the building, they are also having the same issues.... The main telco has a site 200m away, so signal from that should not be an issue.

 

[mmckenna]

So some staff have been complaining about poor mobile phone coverage in the building, talking to other businesses in the building, they are also having the same issues.... The main telco has a site 200m away, so signal from that should not be an issue.

There's a building I frequent that has a cell site about that far away. The cell site is on my site, so I know which carriers are on it, and that they are functioning.
The challenge is that the modern energy efficient construction results in using a lot of RF opaque materials. I can standing in that building and look at the tower and my cell phone shows no, or very low, signal.

Solution is to use WiFi calling.
If you've got enough people complaining, and it's one carrier, you can see if they'll consider adding a BDA or distributed antenna inside the building. But it usually requires a lot of paying customers to get them to do that.