Recommendations/ideas on antenna

[crater22]

Looking for a good outdoor antenna for my TRX. I do have a old tower antenna for the regular TV'S and a unused Direct TV dish already entering into the house, if there was a way to make one. Appreciate any info. Thanks in advance.

 

[Wackyracer]

This is probably the most asked question "What Antenna?"...more info is needed. It is complex. What radio, what area, what systems, whats the topography. How far away are you from the system, etc.

 

[n5ims]

The other very important question is what frequency range or ranges do you listen to (please note I'm not asking what ranges your scanner covers since that's not important to your answer because 1: that information is public and 2: if you only listen to band x the antenna performance on band y and z are of no importance)? This is a very important piece of information to properly answer your question since the #1 factor in an antenna design is what frequency or frequencies it is designed to operate. Also note that it doesn't really matter if those frequencies are digital or analog (or to some extent TV, although most TV antennas are horizontally polarized while scanner antennas are vertically polarized and using the wrong polarity will reduce your signal strength by quite a bit).

An antenna may be designed to work very well on just a very small frequency range. Another antenna may be designed to work quite well on a select few frequency ranges. A third antenna may be designed to work over a very wide range of frequencies, but not really that well on any of them.

 

[crater22]

Thanks guys. Sorry for repeating a often asked question. But I am at a complete loss with this stuff. The scanner is a Whistler TRX-2. I sent it away to have only 3 counties to be scanned. They being Franklin county Indiana, Hamilton and Butler Ohio. The problem I am having is the communication is breaking up and there is a lot of static at times. I do not know what frequency they are, and I do not know where the nearest station is and do not know how to find out. There is a tower about 2 miles down the road, but I believe that is for cable TV. I only want to listen to police, fire and emt dispatches. All the counties I mentioned are on trunking service. (If that is the correct wording) Once again, I apologize for seeming stupid, but I ARE.....

Thanks again guy's.

 

[Wackyracer]

Thanks guys. Sorry for repeating a often asked question. But I am at a complete loss with this stuff. The scanner is a Whistler TRX-2. I sent it away to have only 3 counties to be scanned. They being Franklin county Indiana, Hamilton and Butler Ohio. The problem I am having is the communication is breaking up and there is a lot of static at times. I do not know what frequency they are, and I do not know where the nearest station is and do not know how to find out. There is a tower about 2 miles down the road, but I believe that is for cable TV. I only want to listen to police, fire and emt dispatches. All the counties I mentioned are on trunking service. (If that is the correct wording) Once again, I apologize for seeming stupid, but I ARE.....

Thanks again guy's.

You have bought a very sophisticated piece of equipment and it sounds like it is way beyond your capabilities. These scanners are not the simplistic ones from the 60's where you pop some crystals in, turn it on, set the squelch and your good to go, The scanners have gotten more sophisticated because the radios and systems they monitor have gotten more sophisticated. You will either need to use google to educate your self or befriend someone in your area that also owns a TRx-2 and will do all the work for you.

That being said, go into the State forums of this website and start asking questions to see who will want to dial the scanner in for you.

If I lived in your area I would help, but to do it from here with you having little more knowledge then how to turn the scanner on will be very time consuming with lots of trial and error.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[KR7CQ]

I agree, the state forum is the best place to start. You have much to learn, but this isn't rocket science. Just be patient and learn a little every day. Local people will be able to give great advice.