Would raising antenna help?

[ridgescan]

I have another Pre Amp that i used before i got this one, It only has 1 outlet on it and 15 db of gain. I tried putting it out on the mast and it didnt make my signal any better and the wife had a fit about the extension cord, So i did it this way and it works. Just need shorter jumpers into the radio to give it a cleaner look.

ah yes- we must not forget to add 'wife-approved' to the equation lol-when my gal sees something she thinks falls beyond the 'not tacky' realm she will let me know in a heartbeat apparently my shack passes muster.

 

[zz0468]

right I saw you floating around RR and was hoping you'd pop in here your answer helps because i get that hissing, depending on conditions, in uhf with the desired agencies south of me past 15 miles. However, knowing that my bc785d is overload-prone, is why I pressed Gkolo for more on this amp. Thanks zz

Happy to help.

One thing you might do is see about some external filters to install before any preamps. A lot of the overload conditions people get are caused by cell sites operating in the 870-896 range, and also in in the 1.9 GHz range. Even though those frequencies might be outside the range of a preamp or your receiver, the active device in the preamps 'sees' those signals, and can bias it into a non-linear condition that creates intermod.

I run a multicoupler at home for UHF and below, and I ended up putting in a low pass filter to cut off everything above 520 MHz, and it settled things right down.

 

[ridgescan]

Happy to help.

One thing you might do is see about some external filters to install before any preamps. A lot of the overload conditions people get are caused by cell sites operating in the 870-896 range, and also in in the 1.9 GHz range. Even though those frequencies might be outside the range of a preamp or your receiver, the active device in the preamps 'sees' those signals, and can bias it into a non-linear condition that creates intermod.

I run a multicoupler at home for UHF and below, and I ended up putting in a low pass filter to cut off everything above 520 MHz, and it settled things right down.

Most excellant info zz-thank you! HRO carries those feedline filters so time to make an HRO run

 

[prcguy]

Raising a VHF/UHF antenna is about the simplest and best improvement you can make and the higher the better unless your already on a hilltop with an unobstructed view.
prcguy

 

[tbharper]

I have a Scantenna 25 ft up in the air. I am using 30 ft RG6 Quad Shield Coax cable into a two way splitter that have both 15 ft runs to each scanner Grecom Psr 300 & 400. I live in Lafayette Tennessee the county is Macon .

My problem is I am trying to listen to Red Boling Springs ,TN which is also in Macon county about 15 miles away and i get a lot of static. I hear Lafayette great and the county freqs great but them way to much static. I can hear all other surrounding Counties and Cities in them great also with out static Sumner Co,Trousdale Co and Allen Co Kentucky.

My Question is Would raising the antenna another 5 to 10 ft help ? Maybe some of you have better suggestions to help .

I am sorry when I said splitter I meant booster like the one in this link. 4 PORT CABLE TV DIGITAL SIGNAL BOOSTER & SPLITTER HDTV | eBay

 

[popnokick]

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As a cable TV amplifier ("booster"), it's not designed for use with a radio scanner and there is at least one other thread here on RR discussing the fact that using CATV boosters and splitters with your scanners can actually end up hurting rather than helping. Take it out of the line and either add a 2nd antenna ( previously suggested) or get a splitter designed for radio use.

 

[tbharper]

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As a cable TV amplifier ("booster"), it's not designed for use with a radio scanner and there is at least one other thread here on RR discussing the fact that using CATV boosters and splitters with your scanners can actually end up hurting rather than helping. Take it out of the line and either add a 2nd antenna ( previously suggested) or get a splitter designed for radio use.

If I remove the booster it hurts it even more.Without it I lose Red Boiling all together and parts of Sumner County and Allen County become more statically.

 

[GKolo]

Take the 2 leads that screw into the antenna and reverse them, See if that helps.

 

[tbharper]

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Diiferent approach: the Scantenna is an omnidirectional antenna and you write that you have it split between two scanners. Can you add a small directional antenna to your mast, such as a yagi, and point it toward Red Boling Springs? Install a new coax line from that antenna to one of the scanners. Leave the Scantenna on the other scanner, but take the splitter off and connect directly to Scantenna. End result is that you'll improve reception on both scanners without needing a splitter or preamp.

Do you know where i could get a yagi antenna at a resonable price?

 

[popnokick]

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Depends on the freqs you want to hear in Boling Springs. However, since you have a Scantenna, why not consider the Grove Scanner Beam? $69.95 not bad for a broad spectrum beam. If your primary interest is a smaller freq range, get a beam antenna cut for only that range, which might end up even fewer $$$.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Of course giving a antenna more height will let you listen to more things,or at least give you a clearer signal with the stuff your already listening to.But if your on a hill with a nice unobstructed view or the antenna is already really high,it really won't do much of a difference.

 

[tbharper]

Of course giving a antenna more height will let you listen to more things,or at least give you a clearer signal with the stuff your already listening to.But if your on a hill with a nice unobstructed view or the antenna is already really high,it really won't do much of a difference.

Think I will go up another 10ft and see what that does. If not better may try the Grove Scanner Beam. Looking for the cheapest route for now and going up is cheaper since I have the stuff to do it with.