VHF Antenna for Pro-106

[Unlimited]

I was looking on Scanner Master website for a better antenna then the one I got.

I want to use it on my Pro-106 digital scanner.

Would this: https://www.scannermaster.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=14-540714
Be a good antenna to buy, or: https://www.scannermaster.com/Austin_Condor_All_Band_Portable_BNC_Antenna_p/04-540709.htm

I am listening to the South Dakota State Radio System: South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, South Dakota - Scanner Frequencies

(PS: I use the antenna when I go out to watch trains or something so I can hear track warrents, so I don't want a too big antenna. A foot would be kinda tall, but hopefully not bad.)

Thanks

 

[Avery93]

The South Dakota system appears to be a VHF system and railroad traffic is also VHF, so that 800MHz antenna would be pretty terrible for receiving either (works absolutely great for 7/8/900 MHz though!). I have never used the Condor antenna, so I can't really comment on its performance, but it appears like it would just be too large for portable use, and I would be worried about breaking the BNC connector on your Pro-106 with it. It would theoretically perform a lot better than the 800 MHz antenna though.

If you only listen to VHF in the 150 to 162 MHz range, then I would recommend this antenna: https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=98891&eventPage=1
It is a professional grade Laird antenna, very similar to the standard helical antenna Motorola uses for their VHF radios, and would probably be best for your situation. It's only 6" tall and is tuned to the frequencies you indicated you want to receive. It will probably not work well at all if you also monitor any UHF, 800 MHZ, or civilian or military aircraft.

If you do monitor other bands I can recommend this antenna: https://www.scannermaster.com/W_801_Regular_Gainer_BNC_Portable_Antenna_p/28-541172.htm
I use it on my Uniden 346XT and it works great for VHF and UHF, and is pretty small at 8". It is probably overall the best multi-band antenna I have used.

Hope this helps!

 

[Unlimited]

Antenna Help

Thank you, I bought and recived the tessco antenna. Do you say it will give me a huge diffrence from the rubber duck antenna or about the same?

Also, how do I know if it is the antenna issue or the SQ that the transmissions cut out every now and then?

Thanks

 

[Avery93]

Thank you, I bought and recived the tessco antenna. Do you say it will give me a huge diffrence from the rubber duck antenna or about the same?

It likely won't be a massive difference, but you should definitely notice an improvement over the stock antenna.

Also, how do I know if it is the antenna issue or the SQ that the transmissions cut out every now and then?

I'm afraid you will have to expand on that a bit. Are you having trouble with the digital trunk system, or conventional, Or ??

 

[Unlimited]

I'm afraid you will have to expand on that a bit. Are you having trouble with the digital trunk system, or conventional, Or ??

Digital Trunk System

My bars for signal are setup like 60, 175, 350, 550, 750.

And when I listen to the talkgroups most the time they will come in clear. But sometimes when I listen to them you can hear a noise that isn't normal that replaces the talking. I want to say it is squelch but not too sure. Also, would having the tables set-up have affect? (I know it is off topic)

 

[Avery93]

Although the database isn't showing encryption for any talkgroups on that system, would the sound you are hearing happen to sound like this? If so, that is AES, DES or ADP encryption and cannot be monitored.

Changing the RSSI values shouldn't effect reception, but could give inaccurate signal strength values. Yours are set a little lower than what I have in my PSR-500 (GRE equivalent of Pro-106), and could make the signal strength indicator show that you have a good signal when in fact you don't.

For reference, here is what I have in my PSR-500 (I believe these are the default settings):
470
540
610
680
750

 

[Unlimited]

Ok I set the values to that.

That is the noise I hear on the channel, the thing is it happens on the channel sometimes, other time it comes in clear. So I am not what could be causing that.

This is sorta off-topic sorry about that. However, does the settings on the images look correct compared to the South Dakota State system?

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, South Dakota - Scanner Frequencies

Also, when I added the new values for the signal, is two solid and the third flashing a good indication of good connection ?

 

[Avery93]

For the most part, users with encryption capable radios can enable and disable it at will (that's what the "O / Ø" switch on Moto P25 portables does); so they may just be encrypting when necessary and clear the rest of the time.

On my PSR-500 with the RSSI values I posted; my radio usually stops decoding the control channel of a nearby 700 MHz P25 system at 2 bars, so 2 to 3 bars isn't the greatest. Is this with your new Laird antenna?

I don't know anything about the South Dakota system beyond what is in the database, but everything you have programmed looks correct. The only thing I might suggest is turning off "Super Track": This setting caused me some troubles with a nearby conventional P25 system by slightly increasing the amount of time it took to decode the audio. Your mileage may vary.

It looks as if the Sioux Falls site is a 3 site simulcast, so you may be getting some of the infamous simulcast distortion common with scanners. However, every time I experienced this on my PSR-500 the signal strength indicator was maxed out (and the whole thing kind of flashing at odd intervals).

 

[Unlimited]

Yes I get about two to three bars witht the new antenna. Right now as I am writing this post it is sitting at 1 bar.

When sometimes they talk I will get maybe 4 bars, but when it just scans I get about 1-3 or so. Third is always on and off however.

EDIT: It seems when I move around the room with the new antenna, it gets near 4 to 5 bars. But it is not like that everywhere in the room. Can the siding of the house an affect on it? This house has metal siding.

What I am trying to say is when it is scanning, it just has maybe 2 or 3 bars. Then when it picks something up, it goes to about 3-5 bars. Is this normal?

 

[reconrider8]

try setting it up as high as you can around different windows and see what that does

 

[Unlimited]

Ok now I am confused, I was messing around with the scanner, and when I hold it up it gets a little better bars, however when I put some pressure on the antenna pushing it back a little but not too much, I get full five bars. Anyone know what might is causing this?

 

[Rt169Radio]

Ok now I am confused, I was messing around with the scanner, and when I hold it up it gets a little better bars, however when I put some pressure on the antenna pushing it back a little but not too much, I get full five bars. Anyone know what might is causing this?

Might be that it's a loose antenna connection on the scanner,or your acting as a antenna for the scanner.

 

[Unlimited]

Is there really a way to tell if which one it is?

Like I said, when I put pressure on the new antenna, it goes to about four to five bars. The rubber duck antenna does not.

But when I pull up on the antenna near the BNC base, it jumps to four-five bars. It is out of warrenty however.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Is there really a way to tell if which one it is?

Like I said, when I put pressure on the new antenna, it goes to about four to five bars. The rubber duck antenna does not.

But when I pull up on the antenna near the BNC base, it jumps to four-five bars. It is out of warrenty however.

How are the bars when you use the rubber duck antenna and you play around with it? It only does it with the new antenna?

Like I said it sounds like either you are acting as a bigger antenna for the scanner or the antenna connection on it is loose.

 

[jim202]

Ok now I am confused, I was messing around with the scanner, and when I hold it up it gets a little better bars, however when I put some pressure on the antenna pushing it back a little but not too much, I get full five bars. Anyone know what might is causing this?

Have you pulled the antenna off and looked inside the connector? The BNC connector is well know to move around and grind off tinny metal powder. This coats the inside of both the radio connector and the antenna connector with a sort of dark gray coating. You can try cleaning this up and see if it fixes some of your problem.

If you take a Q tip and some alcohol, you can remove this coating and return the connectors to their normal clean condition. This power coating acts as a conductor and can really reduce the effectiveness of your antenna system. On portable radios, it also causes poor transmissions.

 

[Unlimited]

Updated Info

Have you pulled the antenna off and looked inside the connector? The BNC connector is well know to move around and grind off tinny metal powder. This coats the inside of both the radio connector and the antenna connector with a sort of dark gray coating. You can try cleaning this up and see if it fixes some of your problem.

If you take a Q tip and some alcohol, you can remove this coating and return the connectors to their normal clean condition. This power coating acts as a conductor and can really reduce the effectiveness of your antenna system. On portable radios, it also causes poor transmissions.

Yes I have looked inside the connection and wiped it out, still about the same.

How are the bars when you use the rubber duck antenna and you play around with it? It only does it with the new antenna?

Like I said it sounds like either you are acting as a bigger antenna for the scanner or the antenna connection on it is loose.

Ruber Duck: 3
New Antenna: 3

They are about the same, sometimes each one will have the fourth bar flash, and sometimes each will be full bars. I know before I edited the signal values that are on this thread, I got basiclly five bars all the time, but then my fifth bar was like around 680. Now it is 750 and bar 4 is 680. And bar 530 is the third bar and that is what it sits at most the time.

When I listen to the weather radio on the scanner, I get full five bars when outside. And when the scanner picks up a radio tranmission, it sometimes goes to about four or five bars on it. But when they are scanning they get the values listed above approxmentily.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Yes I have looked inside the connection and wiped it out, still about the same.



Ruber Duck: 3
New Antenna: 3

They are about the same, sometimes each one will have the fourth bar flash, and sometimes each will be full bars. I know before I edited the signal values that are on this thread, I got basiclly five bars all the time, but then my fifth bar was like around 680. Now it is 750 and bar 4 is 680. And bar 530 is the third bar and that is what it sits at most the time.

When I listen to the weather radio on the scanner, I get full five bars when outside. And when the scanner picks up a radio tranmission, it sometimes goes to about four or five bars on it. But when they are scanning they get the values listed above approxmentily.

Hmm,maybe you did something to the scanners settings? Or maybe the stuff in your area uses low power or your in not a so great area for scanning (the terrain)

 

[Avery93]

While I find the RSSI values I posted to be a pretty accurate representation of signal strength on my PSR-500, your Pro-106 may be different or something. If you have any analog repeaters in your area, try tuning to one of those and listening to how it actually sounds, and note the indicated signal strength. If it is very weak and you are getting around 1 bar, that would be good; however if it is near full quieting (no noise) and you are getting 3-4 bars, then the RSSI values are incorrect for your scanner.

Also, another test you can do that would probably be more helpful is listen to the control channel of the site you monitor. You can do this by manually selecting a talkgroup in the system, then press F2 (TSYS), then F3 (Analyz). Then listen for any static in the background of the control channel noise. If the control channel is indeed very weak, make sure you are listening to the nearest site of the system.

 

[Unlimited]

Alright, not sure what to listen for with that. I got three bars when it made noise on one channel.

Anyway

What is the diffrent between the two antennas posted?

https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=98891&eventPage=1

VS

https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=70917&eventPage=1

And is the one I got the best for my location or? When I listen to the scanner, sometimes i Lay it down on it's back and then I still get bars flashing and stuff, but the T disappears. I am only scanner Talkgroups with 1 conv. but that is it. It is still reciving transmission when they come if the T is not showing?

However, If i pull up a little on the tessco antenna, I get solid full five bars. The other antenna stock does not do that.

 

[Avery93]

Just listen to see if the control channel is coming in clear, as you can hear if the signal is weak or fading in and out like you can with a normal analog transmission. Ideally, you should hear something like this (just control channel noise with no static or fading). Now I suppose the sound of the control channel kind of sounds like static to start with, but I can easily tell the difference between the control channel noise and the static of a fading signal. This will help us figure out if you really are having reception issues or if it's just a problem with the RSSI on your scanner.

I guess the main question is are you actually having any problems receiving transmissions, or just concerned because you aren't getting enough "bars"? Do you ever get any broken or garbled P25 transmissions? Does the trunking "T" indicator ever go out, aside from when you lay the scanner down? Is the conventional channel you monitor analog, and if so do you hear a lot of static on it?

If the control channel does sound weak or is fading in and out, try programming in some other nearby sites and see if you can receive them any better.

And no, if the trunking indicator (the "T") is not on, the radio is not decoding the control channel and will not tune to the voice frequencies when a TG is active.

To answer you question about the two Laird antennas; the only difference between the EXB-150BN and EXB-150BNX is the BNX has the rubber "skirting" extended all the way to the end of the BNC connector, while the BN does not and leaves the connector exposed. They are otherwise identical and should perform the same, however the BNX looks better in my opinion.