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Uniden BC3000xlt Antenna Tips
I have tried a couple different antenna setups on my 3000.
None have *drastically* improved my
performance.
I have swapped my stock rubber duck with a Smiley Thin Stick which is an 18" telescoping
metal antenna. This has improved gain some, but not a lot.
I also tried the old UHF/VHF TV antenna on
the roof. I haven't spent a lot of time tinkering with this, but what I have experienced
is not much different reception than with the stock rubber duck.
How about sharing you experiences - whether or not what you tried worked?
Fill out the form below.
I'll post the responses I get here, so look for them.
Responses
From: Roger Mundy - Commerce Township, MI
Scanner: BC3000xlt
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I have tried every manner of antenna on my bc3000xlt with various results, but by far the best antenna I have tried was the grove antenna 8. Its a 46" telescopic antenna and in the extended mode its picks up everything from cb & portable phones to cellular phones up above 1ghz. You can adjust the antenna to get better results on the 200 & 400 mhz bands. No one antenna will perform best at all the frequency coverage the bc3000xlt provides, but the Antenna 8 by Grove enterprises in North Carolina is the best I have seen.
Grove enterprises publishes Monitoring Times and is the only place I have found that sell this particular antenna. Radio shack has a telescopic antenna, but it does not perform as well. Once you try the Antenna 8 (I think thats what they call it) they may have changed the name, you wont use any other antenna. Ask for the telescopic antenna that extends to 46 inches and they will know which one you want. They have an 800 number but I dont know what it is offhand.
73's
Roger (KQ8C)
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From: John Kotras - Fort Wayne, IN
Scanner: BC3000XLT
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I bought the 3000XLT a couple of months ago. Overall I am happy with it. I switched from using the stock rubber duck to a Radio Shack 20-006 whip. I believe this has improved my reception somewhat. The transmissions from the local airport tower are coming in a bit louder and stronger while using this whip. However, I may eventually go with a non-portable antenna for home use.
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From: Jim - Cranberry Township, PA
Scanner: BC-3000XLT
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I changed the stock 6" antenna with the 11" optional rubber flex antenna and I found that the reception on low band (30-50 Mhz) is better. Try it for your self and you decide. Happy Holidays to ALL
Jim also has a scanner for sale on the Buy/Sell page!
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From: Bill Farr - Blue Ridge, TX
Scanner: None yet
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I used a friends scanner for a couple of years. Don't know the make or model, but the double coil Radio Shack mag mount antenna made a big differance. I also hooked it up to the outside TV antenna. This made it very directional & I could also pick up Dallas PD 15 miles north of Mckinney.
I have spent the last 4 hours on the net looking for scanner prices & info. The consences is the 3000xlt is the best. Know what I am ascking for for XMas.
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From: Kc7vho - Sandpoint, ID
Scanner: BC210
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I have found that with any scanner that most outdoor OMNI directional antennas improve the receiption very well.... I have use most of them and a good DISCONE will out beat
the old ground plane or any other type of cheap scanner trick. Most important is LINELOSS in the cable you use...
BELDEN 9913 cable is the best for any scanner and cost about $.70 (70 cents) a foot but will improve the signal coming
in because there is a better signal with less loss due to cheap RG-58 which is not good for a scanner unless you listen to
0-30 MHZ....The Rule is that the higher you go in MHZ's
the worst the loss gets so get the best cable and this will improve your scanner about 2000% .....really no joke I bought the best wire I could find and its true with a scanner... Another get as high as you can go with the antenna because the way radios work and the curve of the earth it works
if you can get you antenna high enough you can hear the next county...I do and I hear the cops in the state next to me (about 100 miles) and my antenna is only about 60 feet up.
The Main thing to remember is a Scanner is NOT a Communication Receiver ...why a scanner only has to meet scanner specs
by our government and a C/reciever has better sensitivity ratio and can clean up the noise better .... but if you have
a few thousand to buy a C/R then you can buy the best military discone for about $600 but if you are like me and own a BC210 or better and have only a few bucks then buy the best cable
and get a good discone from either Grove Enterprise or Radioshack. Check http://www.radiolink.net/connected to find Grove's homepage listed there and remember that LINELOSS is a scanners nightmare and is the ONLY FLAW in wide range recievers and if your a HAM like me then RG-58 is good for the HF Band 0-30 MHZ and we all
know that a mobile scanner antenna with RG-58 is a joke because
the loss at 800 mhz is so bad that I can't believe you even hear anything. check the ARRL antenna handbook to find all the facts on how radiowaves work and this too can be found at http://www.radiolink.net/connected.....Any antenna will work even a coat hanger but the loss in the line feeding the unit is where you loose your signal and even in amatuer radio we all know a cheezie radio wired to a trash can can talk all around the world and why? its in the wire that connects them together....with a scanner any antenna will do good with Belden 9913 wire but get
a good omni directional (discone the best) antenna up high enough not to pick up the manmade noise (powerlines, cars, trains or
any electical appliance in the neighborhood , 60 feet or higher is what someone told me to escape the noise pollution that drifts along the earth (GROUNDWAVES)....Just check with the ARRL
ANTENNA HANDBOOK for all the info on how it all works and don't really listen to me , I am a HAM operator who tried it all and all the books I read to become one and all the theory to design a antenna system to fit the radio I use is alot of fun but its not a scanner I talk on so hmmmmm.... but a radiowave is nothing
more than a radiowave like all the others and to hear them is all part of the picture , the other part is to talk on them but this is where I am but I had to learn to hear before I could speak... Thanks kc7vho operator jeff
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From: Jim Christensen - Duluth, MN
Scanner: RS 2042,2006,2030,60
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antennas have to be tried and tried again to find the combo that works for you.. I live in a high RF area, 1 mile to the antenna farm !
dual comversion, and triple conversion radios act differently on the same antenna
as a result, unless all parameters are known, I can believe anything I read here !
Example: my pro-60 is a triple comversion. At the local airport, I find it works just great using the rubber duck inside the car. If I hook it to a motorola trunk
lip antenna, with a 1/4 wave at 144 mhz. the thing goes nuts !
Intermod. garbage, really useless.. pop back on the duck and its business as usual. BTW I use 2 bnc 90 degree connectors to hook up the duck. This allows you
to get any angle on the antenna. works good when you want it on the dashboard and
the windshield gets in the way.. Happy scanning ! jim
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From: Stu Morrison - Colorado Springs, CO
Scanner: BC-3000XLT
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Radio Shack's mobile mag-mounts have always been good performers, but their current one (with the two coils) is the best yet. Good on 800 MHz, it sticks to the deck better than it's predecessor and seems equally sensitive across the scanner's range.
I also regularly use the auto-window clip-over BNC mount with Radio Shack's BNC-whip. The scanner's in a cup holder at my right hand and the cable's buried in the headliner to the pas- senger door behind me. In my old Camry, there's enough cable to open the passenger door without disturbing the scanner.
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From: Larry Wahoski - Rockford, MI
Scanner: FRG-9600
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I was having many problems receiving and not having an outdoor ant. this receiver is very fussy and I highly recommend and outdoor ant. With luck I tried using my dual band "J" pole that I have and the results were great,very simple ant.to make and good results are
to be had......good luck
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From: Adam - Logan, UT
Scanner: BC3000XLT
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I just recently purchased the best scanner yet! The Uniden BC3000XLT Scanner. It blows away the competition as well as the other Uniden Hand-held scanners. I'm not lyin' either. I have owned two other Uniden scanners and they don't even comnpare to the 3000.
I also purchased the double duck antenna and it SEEMS to be doing great!
If you have had any doubts on what scanner to buy, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU!!!!
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From: Anonymous
Scanner: ubc3000xlt
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I've had best experience indoors with Opto's TA100S-telescope. So far i haven't tried any non-portable antennas.
Opto's DB32 is great if you have to fit the whole scanner in a pocket or bag. Otherwise it's performance is even worse than the rubber duck that comes with the 3KXLT.
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From: Dave Smith - Arlington, TX
Scanner: 230 and 3000
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Diamond 77CA rocks for carry-around, but the SCANTENNA from Grove makes BIG differences at home.
I propped it up on my apartment balcony and can pick up MUCH more than before.
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From: Keith Schmidt - Milwaukee, WI
Scanner: bc2500xlt
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I just recently tried the Double Duck antenna. It improved my reception on all bands. With the Double Duck I am able
to pick up broadcasts from suburban police depts and the better reception on all airport frequencies.
FOLLOW-UP
I picked up the 9" inch model. It really isn't to cumbersome. I use my scanner alot for listening to railroads. It did seem to improve my reception of the railroad frequencies. It also did improve my reception of the airport frequencies.
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From: Dayton, OH
Scanner: 3000xlt
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I use a high-gain 2 meter rubber duck to listen to the aviation frequencies when on flying USAir. I also have a ringo on my roof which seem to work real good. The best I've found so far that is portable though is a extandable (whip) for 2 meters. I can pick up 46mHz phone from 1-2 miles.
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From: Lee Phillips - Jackson, MS
Scanner: BC3000
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Just received my BC3000, and have to admit it is the best handheld scanner I have owned. It beats the Pro43 by a long shot.
I live in Intermod alley in Jackson, MS. this scanner is tops on fighting intermod, with signal purity excellent. Just wish it
had unrestricted 800? all though can pick some up in 1GHZ band.
I thought about getting one these condor antennae from Grove. anybody
had any experience with this rubber duck. The 3000 is just like other handhelds, when it comes to the 30-50 mghz due to antenna length.
any suggestions toward low band appreciated. thanks, k.lee@teclink.net
FOLLOW-UP
I have had my 3000 about two weeks, and it works great, I tried several ham dual band antenna's, but only improved very slightly. Just wondering if anybody has tried the condor rubber duck? Any suggestions on a
rubber duck, or other ant. thanks k.lee@teclink.net
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From: SAM NEGLIA - NJ
Scanner: BC3000XLT
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Radio Shack sells a 3vdc pwr (2 aa cels) small active tv broadcast band antenna - it has two collapsable six element sections that can be user oriented - i.e. adjust hight for optimal band reception and orientation/polarization for directionality according to some specs I read a while back this is a high gain antenna though I dont recall the amount of db gain -- also it is best to cut off the mini plug and carefully replace it w/a soldered bnc connector - in the alternative radio shack sell adapters to go from a mini to a bnc - I've used this setup in a mobile setting as well as in the basement of an alluminum sided house w/very good results across the freq spectrum
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From: Ron Cain - Austin, TX
Scanner: BC3000xlt
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Hi, I had reception problems with my rubber ducky also. So, I hooked up my BC3000xlt to the Radio Shack discone in the attic. What a difference! Before, I got lots of static and hissy reception. Now, I can pick up just about anything I want as long as it is in line of sight.
We live in Austin in the middle of the Texas hill country. So
the hills DO get in the way sometimes.
Cheers, Ron Cain
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From: Loveland, CO
Scanner: Pro-62
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I personally have had excellent results with a Diamond
RH-77CA antenna which is available from Ham Radio Outlet stores across the US. They are located in larger cities, and you can also mail order from them. The mail order number for the NE part of the US is 1-800-644-4476. The number for the New England area
is 1-800-444-0047. The RH-77CA is a dual band antenna specifically tuned for 2M and 70cm bands, but it will receive to 900MHz. It
is approx 14.5" long and sells for $34.95. Ham Radio Outlet also sells a Tri-Band version for $52.95. The difference between the RH-77CA and the stock rubber duck is dramatic to say the least. The antenna is flexible and it is a bit more cumbersome than
the stock rubber duck, but its performance improvement is well worth the trouble.
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From: San Diego, CA
Scanner: BC 100
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When I lived in the country surounding in upstate NY, I had
my scanner connected to my color tv antena, with greatly
improved reception. I picked up police/mutual aide, and others from
miles and miles away.
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