[Scanner] Stoopid antenna questions

[Phil Atchley]

Hi.
I'm new to this list but not new to radio (mostly HF) having 40+ years of RF
experience.

Anyway, I've never been a big one on listening to anything much over 30MHz
though I've played around with a few old scanners and 2mtr rigs.

HOWEVER, all that is about to change.  A friend just shipped a New Yaesu
VR-5000 wideband receiver (100KHz to 2.6GHz) to me.  Yes, from what I've
read it isn't the 'best' DC-daylight set around, but it is a gift!  Now I
need to augment my antenna farm consisting of a 65 foot sloper, Hustler 6BTV
vertical AND a homebrewed active probe for VLF/Longwave beacons.  My primary
listening interest are NDB's (longwave beacons) at the present time.

Most of my career I was in various RF fields.  I.E. Point to Point
Microwave, HF, Satellite etc and I know how important good matching, low
loss cable etc is at these higher frequencies.  HOWEVER, my retirement
budget is severely limited, ruling out hardline, expensive antenna systems
etc.

With this point in mind I'm considering obtaining one of the various
discones on the market, hopefully used. This will be mounted above the
mobile home roof at a height where a 20 foot coax cable (already on hand)
will reach it, putting it some 13-14 feet above the roof.  (An Isopole
antenna in the same location gave me about a 35-45 mile range to mobiles on
2 meters).

Antenna Questions.

1.  Most of these discones operate about 100-1200MHz (some claim down to
30).

2.  Is the upper limit a sharp cutoff or does it roll off gradually?

3.  As the receiver goes to 2.6GHz can I expect any response from one of
these antennas up there.

4.  The receiver uses a SO-239 connector (UHF connector ??) as do some of
the discones.  Can I 'really' expect to push 1300-2600 MHz through these
things?  (Some folks change the receiver connector to BNC)

5.  The Coax I have on the antenna in that present location is a 20 foot run
of good quality RG-8X.  It 'seemed" to work well on the 800 MHz sheriffs
department frequencies when I had my 2mmeter "Isopole" up there.  YES, I'd
like to eventually get some better coax, but anybody have any idea of how
much loss I might expect on this "hunk" with the two PL-259 plugs and how
high in frequency I might be able to get away with on it???

6.  And lastly, what antennas do most of you use to listen in the
1200-2600MHz range?  I don't see much out there and I know they are probably
pretty exotic in price.  Or do you just make a smaller discone or something?

73 de Phil  KO6BB

********************************************************
*  Chasing NDB's (Non-Directional Beacons)with ...     *
*  RECEIVER: Homebrew Longwave "Hybrid" CW receiver.   *
*  30dB Gain Low Noise Tunable Preamp as needed.       *
*  ANTENNAS:                                           *
*    Coil Loaded 18.5 Meter Long Sloper.               *
*    30 Inch long Active Whip, 7 Meters high at base.  *
*  LOCATION: Merced, Central California.               *
*  COORDINATES: 37.18N  120.29W  CM97sh.               *
********************************************************


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