InterceptRadio.com Forums

Anyone use one of these?

http://www.wpsantennas.com/etrab8213-an ... rsity.aspx

I just picked one up the other day. It's pretty neat. Very small and compact. Performance suffers a bit when used in a local black hole. e.g. Factoria Mall in Bellevue.

Out in the open it works very well.

Price isn't too bad either.


-Nick

This works pretty good on 800. Can't beat the price either.

We use (sell) Laird (old Antenex) mobile products exclusively at our shop. Quality is usually excellent!

Most important thing to remember with antenna systems, and this is true the longer the coax (or heliax) is the more loss you will encounter.

For mobiles, we use 8x, proflex, (low loss) cables for 400 and up. The state patrol has standardized using 8x on everything in region 8.

Heres my standard on antenna design- Get the signal to and from the antenna in the first place. Then use hi gain antennas for receivers and low gain for transmitters. Right in the middle (no more than a 3dBd gain stick) for transceivers... You wouldn't believe how many troubled coverage areas we have fixed with this thinking.

Sorry I'm rambling... :mrgreen:

Your choice of a cellular antenna for commercial 800mHz receive only is a great choice, but would be bad for transmit (even if you see low reflected power) because the cellular antenna is better centered right on the commercial 800 band output frequencies.

Nice looking antenna too! :D

edit= should add that are area is full of valleys and cliff prone areas, not flat land! :D

_________________
"A well regulated breakfast, being necessary to the healthy start of the day, the right of the people to keep and eat food shall not be infringed."

"This works pretty good on 800. Can't beat the price either"

Hi Tim,

How long does it take to get stuff from them and is shipping really free?

I have been looking at some of their LED lights for a while. :idea: :D

Thanks, Jim

_________________
" SILENCE IS CONSENT "

Made to Government Specs:
1) Measured with a micrometer.
2) Marked with a chalk.
3) Cut with an axe.

Jim N7UAP - Bellingham, WA / InterceptRadio.com

Jim, it consistently takes 14 days, although my last order in March was only 12 days. I've never used the express shipping. It takes at least a day to process the order, a day to get to customs, a day in customs, and then it's essentially parcel post from there--a little over a week so I'd assume it's coming from the east coast. And yes, shipping is really free. They do add .01 for a tracking number or something.

Thank you Tim. Sounds good.

_________________
" SILENCE IS CONSENT "

Made to Government Specs:
1) Measured with a micrometer.
2) Marked with a chalk.
3) Cut with an axe.

Jim N7UAP - Bellingham, WA / InterceptRadio.com

you can also find that same antenna on ebay for around 5-7 shiped, thats what I use on all my cars/trucks and house, the house stuck it right on the end of the gutter so its about 40ft up, I can hit north seattle from south seattle :)

_________________
If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
_____
DE K7MHI

Best place I found to buy Antenex gear is American Communications Systems. Best prices I could find (ABSCANC), but it was drop shipped.

Hmm I like cheap, but I like sites that have "in-stock" status. I'm willing to pay a few bucks extra for that.

http://www.wpsantennas.com

Really good experiences with them. Get stuff via USPS in 2-days. I've purchased all of my antennas, connectors and mounts thru them.

I keep Antennax (Laird) in stock for all bands.

_________________
Spectrum Communications, Inc.
526 S Locust Lane
Moses Lake, WA 98837

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I just bought it, It look very smilier to this, http://www.rffun.com/catalog/scanants/1190.html
I own it and it works great on 800Mhz, And wow they have some neat stuff there at the web site that you are talking about. now I will spend a few hours there looking around.

Thanks
AT

OK I received this antenna today it looks nothing like the ad, it is a striate antenna with no coil in the middle as shown in the ad, I am about 35 miles North of Everett, I had my GRE-500 lock on to Everett Police With A RS-800 Antenna and got a decode rate of 47% to 61%, with this antenna I got a decode rate of about 7% as high as 12% not enough to scan Everett, with a a pro comm spider with LMR-400 I get about 22% decode rate so, the RS-800 would out preform the rest, right now as I recheck everything, but this one is at a 0% decode rate and the rs-800 is pulling in 50% to 75%. you get what you pay for,

73's

So it would be my belief that the RS-800 is money better spent on a antenna that is under $20.00, I mean come on spend $3.13 and wait 14 days on a antenna that works as good as the original equipment or less, get something that work's a lot better for just a few dollars more and get it now. I am sure that the antenna works great if you are within 20 miles or less of the transmit antenna and it looks cool to I have to admit, but I I am looking for long range performance.

The more I think about it this might be a great solution on the frontend overload to the newer GRE and RatShack scanners.

They switch suppliers sometimes, so the actual item can differ from the photo.