Good and cheap scanner for a firefighter in a rural area where reception is bad?

[kerrjon]

As for the antenna itself, do you think you'd mount it outside, or in the attic? There are as many antenna selections as there are scanners, so that answer could help provide us some direction as well.

I'm in a trailer so it's have to be outside my window.

On the Scanner World site, look up the BCT15X Scanner and the Spider Antenna. That combination will do everything you need and in your price range....... Good Luck.

Actually that's just outside my price range =\

Thx for all the help guys.

[CaptOldTimer]

I'm in a trailer so it's have to be outside my window.



Actually that's just outside my price range =\

Thx for all the help guys.

I would give you a good one, if you were close by.

[EGregory]

I've looked at that website before. Thing is each one of their radios have different features and cover different frequency ranges... and I don't know which one I *need*

*edit as far as building that antenna which tree mentioned. I haven't got a way to solder it. Or else I would give it a try.

Buy a cheap propane torch
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?...llow&cId=PDIO1

Then click here http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+solder+copper+pipe

Also if your radio has a removable antenna get a matching connector and you can connect your radio to the antenna you build. The only caveat there is if you use that antenna to transmit you will be running afoul of FCC regs but as long as you only listen to it you're in line with the law. You can probably spend less than 50 bucks for everything you need to improve your reception but if you really want to get the scanner there's nothing wrong with that option.

[N2DFire]

First off let me say that I would always defer to the radio experts who have already weighed in here because they've forgotten more than I'll ever learn on the subject; however it seems to me that
1) You're on a limited budget
2) As said - it's the antenna not the receiver that makes the difference
3) You already have 2 receivers (Radio & Pager)

Wouldn't it make better economic sense to simply invest in a good antenna and then connect that to a charging base w/ the external antenna hook up - for either the pager or the radio (they do still make those right or am i showing my age)?

Anyhow - just a passing thought. Carry On Gents.

[tree68]

N2D - I haven't forgotten a thing!

Now, what was I going to say????

For using the existing radio/pager - Even a "passive" repeater, with an outside antenna (and the J Pole will come in under $25, IIRC) and 18" of exposed center conductor (per my post about a really cheap solution) next to the radio will probably help.

The ideal solution is to have the antenna directly connected to the radio/scanner, of course.

A trailer is just a big tin box - just like they use to block radio signals. With a marginal signal in the first place, being inside that tin box pretty well wipes you out.

Another thought - that's tornado alley - a scanner will allow one to tune in to the local NWS transmitter when the weather threatens.

[kerrjon]

My pager is a Minitor V. It has some kind of connector on the very bottom. but the problem there is that it would be impossible to connect anything to it while it's on the charger.

Second. I did think about connecting an antenna to my radio, but I'm not sure what kind of connector it uses. The male end which is on the antenna itself looks like the male end of an analog TV connector. (The part that's on the TV itself.)

[CaptOldTimer]

My pager is a Minitor V. It has some kind of connector on the very bottom. but the problem there is that it would be impossible to connect anything to it while it's on the charger.

Second. I did think about connecting an antenna to my radio, but I'm not sure what kind of connector it uses. The male end which is on the antenna itself looks like the male end of an analog TV connector. (The part that's on the TV itself.)

You need an rf to an bnc connector.

[kuh shise]

Kerrjon: Hwoods has given some excellent advice. Two of the scanner specs that are most improtant in your situation are the SENSITIVITY and the SIGNAL to NOISE RATIO. Looking at your suggestion of BC350C I pulled up the manual and checked for the specifications. This scanner does not list the sensitivity nor the signal to noise ratio. In fact it doesn't list a whole lot of useful specs at all. The fore-runner to this model (BC350A) is a POS as far as specs are concerned. Considering the current state-of-the-art for scanners you should not consider a radio with a sensitivity of more than 0.3 micro-volts and a Signal to Noise ratio of at least 20 db SINAD. As for an antenna, it is possible to construct a 1/4 wave in the following manner: For the 159.18 mhz used by your dispatch... Strip the outer covering (insulation) off the end of your co-ax for 18 inches. Slide the braid back from the end causing the braid to loosen. Work the bulge down to the end of the dtripped area, and taking a small screwdriver, work the insulated center conductor out through the braid. Take 3 feet of 1/2 inch plastic water line and drill a hole in the side at the mid point. Work the braid toward one end and the center conductor toward the other end. Seal all three openings with RTV rubber (bathtub calk) Tape the "antenna" to a 4' wood stick and attach the stick to a good support or the side of your trailer. 159.18 is supposed to be a repeater frequency so it should have a fairly good signal, even as far as 30 miles from the transmitter. The F.D. operating frequency in your area is in the 154 mhz range and the suggested antenna should work fine to receive those signals. Do not use this sort of an antenna to transmit, since there is a significant mismatch at the point where the shield and center conductor go in opposite directions. It will have a high Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) and if the coax is the right length, will destroy the output transistors on a transmitter.