Whistler Scanner Antennas

[Lazer9]

It's affecting production worldwide; temporarily closing a factory doesn't just affect the product the factory makes, it affects everything that uses that product in other products. So if a Chinese wire factory shuts down, that backlogs every other factory that uses its products, unless an alternate supplier can be found that isn't shut down as well. It's affecting the production and availibility of the Uniden SDS100 and many other products, and the longer the pandemic goes on, the more widespread the supply disruption will become. So yeah, do your research, and in the meantime dial the snark back just a tad.

I don't need a lecture on this. If you wanna be forum bullies scroll up a little in the thread. Try following the conversation and realize it wasn't simply a frustration of them being out of stock on an item. I'll tell you what. Let's all of us just throw the pandemic in anyone's face as an excuse when there is a total misrepresentation of a product no matter what it is. After all, who the hell needs a radio, antenna, or related part during a pandemic?

Nevermind....

 

[Machria]

Who has the brainless idea to tell anyone their indoor antenna (as advertised in this post we are on) works better than an outdoor antenna that matches the frequency being scanned or transceived on? Such stupidity!

Who has the brainless idea to add operative words to a statement to change it's entire meaning and use that as a baseless argument?

So now ONLY the outdoor antenna "matches the frequency being scanned or transcieved on? ohhhhh, no wonder "Outdoor antenna's" outperform indoor antenna's!!! They all match the frequency, while indoor antenna's do not. ooohhhhhh, stupid me!

You guys are really funny, what lengths you will go to try and dig yourself out of a hole, and even worse, team up and defend each other all the while knowing your wrong in reality. Pretty sad.

Lets present a scenario:
You have two antenna's, they are the same length, they are designed for the same frequency (lets say VHF 156.8Mhtz, marine emergency channel #16), and use the same cable at the same 10' length. One is made out of Stainless steel and is marketed as an "Outdoor antenna". The other is made out of nickel coated steel and is marketed as an "Indoor antenna". Which one will perform better?

 

[CycleSycho]

Lets present a scenario:
You have two antenna's, they are the same length, they are designed for the same frequency (lets say VHF 156.8Mhtz, marine emergency channel #16), and use the same cable at the same 10' length. One is made out of Stainless steel and is marketed as an "Outdoor antenna". The other is made out of nickel coated steel and is marketed as an "Indoor antenna". Which one will perform better?

Totally depends whether or not you bought stock in one of the companies represented, and the price. Personally, I would buy the cheapest one IF it was that important to me and I didn't want to waste a lot of monies on impressing the "jones's". Way too many ppl spend way too much money based on the posts about reception problems, the 'sway' of supposed experts, and the inability to receive signals on todays equipment due to designs/EMI/RFI in this saturated world. It really isn't simple so your scenario is just that, simplistic. Each person MUST make their own best guess (even the 'experts' argue over results and suggestions). Final note, I have found the spending of large amounts of money on solutions to reception problems (which can be for any problem/solution) is one of two or three basic explanations. One is the advice was wrong, one was it worked (even if it didn't because who wants to admit wasting money), and finally one that it worked beyond expectations (convinced the advice they followed was the 'bomb'). Said it before and will say it again, I get a HUGE kick out of this topic! Keep it up, being cooped up in this CoVid19 self induced bored cave dweller status, I need the laugh!


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[vagrant]

Everyone's location and RF environment is different. An antenna outdoor will typically receive intended signals better. It may also receive unintended signals better to a degree that it eliminates the gain of being outdoors. (Hello filters, or specifically tuned or directional antenna)

Everyone is right as well as being wrong to some degree. I have used enough portable, mobile and handheld radios to know if something isn't working, move a couple of feet and it may work beautifully. Yep, you could be a step away from zero to 100% whether RX, TX or both.

I have always found the "fun" part of this hobby is experimenting. Build it or buy it then try it. When I was seven years old, a wire hanger inserted into my broken walkie-talkie antenna worked better than without. Seriously, there is absolutely no scenario where the RF environment is exactly the same. For example, the same antenna, using the same coax, on the same mast, will and has performed differently when I moved it around 10 meters from the previous location.

 

[krokus]

Lets present a scenario:
You have two antenna's, they are the same length, they are designed for the same frequency (lets say VHF 156.8Mhtz, marine emergency channel #16), and use the same cable at the same 10' length. One is made out of Stainless steel and is marketed as an "Outdoor antenna". The other is made out of nickel coated steel and is marketed as an "Indoor antenna". Which one will perform better?

Using what as criteria? (Weather resistance? Corrosion? Lightning survivability? Aestheticly pleasing? Etc...)

 

[Machria]

Using what as criteria? (Weather resistance? Corrosion? Lightning survivability? Aestheticly pleasing? Etc...)

How about the regular method of measuring ones scanner antenna strength or weakness, RECEPTION. LOL

 

[Machria]

Everyone's location and RF environment is different. An antenna outdoor will typically receive intended signals better. It may also receive unintended signals better to a degree that it eliminates the gain of being outdoors. (Hello filters, or specifically tuned or directional antenna)

Everyone is right as well as being wrong to some degree. I have used enough portable, mobile and handheld radios to know if something isn't working, move a couple of feet and it may work beautifully. Yep, you could be a step away from zero to 100% whether RX, TX or both.

I have always found the "fun" part of this hobby is experimenting. Build it or buy it then try it. When I was seven years old, a wire hanger inserted into my broken walkie-talkie antenna worked better than without. Seriously, there is absolutely no scenario where the RF environment is exactly the same. For example, the same antenna, using the same coax, on the same mast, will and has performed differently when I moved it around 10 meters from the previous location.

Couldn't agree more. But your exaggerating, the fact is moving an antenna or the person standing next to it just one centimeter can have a huge affect, it doesn't have to be "10 meters". ;-)

 

[BC2001]

Hey guys. A while back I bought two of the new whistler antennas. The one for 79.99 (WMM-860) and the one of 34.99 that isn't listed anymore for some reason (the one with four different antennas on it). In my experience, the $34.99 antenna works better. In fact, it picks up a lot more than my other antennas. It works particularly well for my state police post in Kentucky on UHF.

Long story short, I really like Whistler's middle-priced new antenna.

 

[wizardofid]

Hey guys. A while back I bought two of the new whistler antennas. The one for 79.99 (WMM-860) and the one of 34.99 that isn't listed anymore for some reason (the one with four different antennas on it). In my experience, the $34.99 antenna works better. In fact, it picks up a lot more than my other antennas. It works particularly well for my state police post in Kentucky on UHF.

Long story short, I really like Whistler's middle-priced new antenna.

Have you tried removing the "extra hardware" from the WMM-860 antenna to see if it works similar to, or better than, the lesser expansive antenna?

 

[BC2001]

Have you tried removing the "extra hardware" from the WMM-860 antenna to see if it works similar to, or better than, the lesser expansive antenna?

Actually, no. I already sent it back. What part of the antenna is extra hardware though?

 

[markjrenna]

I bought this a while ago Mobile/Desktop Radio Scanner Antenna - Multi Band

Works great for me and my situation. Suppose that is all that matters.

 

[CycleSycho]

I bought this a while ago Mobile/Desktop Radio Scanner Antenna - Multi Band

Works great for me and my situation. Suppose that is all that matters.

To coin a phrase 'And that's the way it is'... It is all about what is good for you (and you, you, and you).


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[Machria]

Hey guys. A while back I bought two of the new whistler antennas. The one for 79.99 (WMM-860) and the one of 34.99 that isn't listed anymore for some reason (the one with four different antennas on it). In my experience, the $34.99 antenna works better. In fact, it picks up a lot more than my other antennas. It works particularly well for my state police post in Kentucky on UHF.

Long story short, I really like Whistler's middle-priced new antenna.

Which is exactly what my source, an antenna design engineer and well known expert in the industry told me would be the case, as I posted early on in this thread. Interesting...

 

[wizardofid]

Actually, no. I already sent it back. What part of the antenna is extra hardware though?

The eight aluminum elements that form the discone and the four black rubber duckie type antennas making the "ground plane" (???). With those pieces removed this antenna should be quite similar to the other antenna Whistler was selling for about $35.00 ?

 

[Zamson25]

I don't want to ruffle any feathers, the WMM-460, Mobile/Desktop Radio Scanner Antenna - Multi Band, is great when put on the roof of a vehicle. Although the design is not new, and maybe a copy of other designs, it works and works well. I hate to see our community of scanner enthusiasts arguing over simple opinions about anything, especially antennas. Let's all hope that everyone is safe and enjoying scanning.

 

[Machria]

I don't want to ruffle any feathers, the WMM-460, Mobile/Desktop Radio Scanner Antenna - Multi Band, is great when put on the roof of a vehicle. Although the design is not new, and maybe a copy of other designs, it works and works well. I hate to see our community of scanner enthusiasts arguing over simple opinions about anything, especially antennas. Let's all hope that everyone is safe and enjoying scanning.

Thumbs up! It’s working FANTASTIC sitting on my desk as well. What I’m noticing Is, every band gets better reception AND gets cleaned up. By “cleaned up” I mean the audio sounds much cleaner and clearer. Obviously because it’s getting much better reception than all the rubber ducky’s I have, but I think it is worth mentioning to other “newbies...” who may not understand what it will do for them. I often listen to my scanner while watching the tube in the evenings, and lately my wife says “can you hook up the other antenna?” Referring to the Whistler antenna over the rubber ducky I had on it. Surprised, I asked her why and she said “it is not so distracting because there is much less noise coming out of it“. True story...

I’m sure the other brands of these basically same antenna’s that have been around a while as previously mentioned, likely are just as good if not better. I’m surprised these aren’t utilized more often in the hobby. I for one wish I knew about them a long time ago. I’ve never tried a “multi-element” antenna like this before. I’ve tried discones, big antenna, small ones, non-multiband antenna’s... but this by far is working better than anything I’ve ever tried.

I have a TRAM multiband scanner/HAM antenna I recently bought on Amazon ready to be mounted up on my roof, it’s a regular discone style... I’m contemplating trying to find something similar to this whistler multi-element antenna instead to put up on my roof. I’d use this one, but I want something larger up there. Any suggestions?

 

[Ubbe]

I’m contemplating trying to find something similar to this whistler multi-element antenna instead to put up on my roof.

That would probably be the ST-2 type of antenna that Skywards antennas are working on and perhaps the Omni-X. There are all multiband antennas, one element of the antenna are tuned to its own frequency and then all elements are combined. If the elements frequency happens to correspond to the frequencies where you have the most problems with weak signals, then it will work great.

Using antennas like the discone will receive FM broadcast and NOAA and 150MHz pager transmitters maybe too good and could de-sense a scanner without you realising it, especially with a portable scanner that often can't handle big roof antennas without some sort of filtering and perhaps even a little attenuation are needed.

/Ubbe

 

[iMONITOR]

I just checked Whistler's website and both of their antennas being discussed are zero stock and not even one review good or bad.

 

[RRR]

I thought there was supposed to be this awesome antenna about to hit the market any time.

Something about "Based off an old favorite" Haven't heard anything else of it?

 

[vagrant]

So, how are things under the bridge and the riddles working out for you?