Uniden Bearcat scanner for GMRS.

[WSCA810]

Long story short...

I'm trying to set up my elderly fathers base. He has limited income.

Bearcat Uniden scanner BC355 with RG58 coax, worked well with a cheap CB Antenna for monitoring police activity. Changed to an Ebay cheap GMRS antenna.(looking for a better one currently.) Radio is frequency programmed for GMRS. He is not receiving my 50 watt tx, no better than my HT distance. Obviously need a better antenna. What all do I need? Is RG58 coax OK to use?

What antenna is needed?

Is coax OK to use for receiving and possibly tx in the future?

Future plans a 50watt base.

Thanks for advice.

 

[SteveShannon]

4 hours ago, WSCA810 said:

Long story short...

I'm trying to set up my elderly fathers base. He has limited income.

Bearcat Uniden scanner BC355 with RF58 coax, worked well with a cheap CB Antenna for monitoring police activity. Changed to an Ebay cheap GMRS antenna.(looking for a better one currently.) Radio is frequency programmed for GMRS. He is not receiving my 50 watt tx, no better than my HT distance. Obviously need a better antenna. What all do I need? Is RF58 coax OK to use?

What antenna is needed?

Is coax OK to use for receiving and possibly tx in the future?

Future plans a 50watt base.

Thanks for advice.

 

I assume you mean RG58.  
It certainly might be the antenna, but I would consider the coax first.  RG58 attenuates nearly 12 db at 400 MHz.  Every 3 db is half of the signal or power, so 3 db loss is 1/2, 6 db is 3/4, 9 db is 7/8, and 12 db is 15/16 of the power lost.

Coax is fine, as long as it’s a type that’s compatible with the frequency used.