LiveATC Discussion Forums
Air Traffic Monitoring => Feed Setup Pictures => Topic started by: smark220 on January 08, 2015, 10:51:40 AM
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I have an old Regency ACT-T-720 scanner. Can someone familiar with it tell me what coax connector it needs for an external antenna?
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That is a Motorola Auto connector. Do a Google search and you should be able to find an
adapter to a BNC connector or just the Motorola connector to which you can solder a coax cable.
You can tell I'm an old timer since I recognized it right away! :-D :-D
Here's one on EBAY http://www.ebay.com/itm/UHF-SO-239-TO-MOTOROLA-ANTENNA-BASE-AND-MOBILE-ADAPTER-SCAN-15-/221655357233?pt=US_Radio_Comm_Scanners&hash=item339bb05731 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/UHF-SO-239-TO-MOTOROLA-ANTENNA-BASE-AND-MOBILE-ADAPTER-SCAN-15-/221655357233?pt=US_Radio_Comm_Scanners&hash=item339bb05731)
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Pat is right on...that was a good scanner in its day, with its LED readout and 1 uV sensitivity!
-Dave
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That is a Motorola Auto connector. Do a Google search and you should be able to find an
adapter to a BNC connector or just the Motorola connector to which you can solder a coax cable.
You can tell I'm an old timer since I recognized it right away! :-D :-D
Thank you! (I owned it since I bought it new in the late 70s.)
Any other suggestions as to cable, etc.?
Pat - thank you for the link!
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Depending on length, you could use RG/58, Mini-8, or LMR-240 cable.
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Almr240%20cable (http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Almr240%20cable)
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I found this one at Radio Shack
http://www.radioshack.com/bnc-to-motorola-adapter/2780160.html#.VK6tByvF9p8
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Depending on length, you could use RG/58, Mini-8, or LMR-240 cable.
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Almr240%20cable (http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Almr240%20cable)
Pat, the scanner specs I found indicate "Aerial Input : 50 ohms."
I assume that Mini-8 connecting the scanner to the Centerfire VHF Airband Base Station Scanner Antenna would be preferable? My limited understanding is that Mini-8 is considered higher performance than RG/58.
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Yes, mini-8 has less loss than RG58. How long is the cable run?
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Yes, mini-8 has less loss than RG58. How long is the cable run?
I haven't actually measured it yet, but the antenna will be in the attic more or less over my office where the scanner is. So I would think less than 50'.
Another perhaps dumb question - is it possible to share the scanner signal over the existing CATV coax that supplies my internet broadband feed into my office? For example, connect the antenna to a splitter in the attic to the existing CATV coax, then connect another splitter in the office for my internet and scanner connections?
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Mini-8 should work for you.
Do NOT connect to your CATV cable with a splitter. It will mess up your CATV and internet and probably degrade your scanner reception also. Best to run a dedicated coax for the scanner.
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Believe it or not I found one of those motorola adapters in stock at the local Radio Shack for my Regency scanner. You might get lucky and find it in stock if you don't want to wait for shipping.
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Believe it or not I found one of those motorola adapters in stock at the local Radio Shack for my Regency scanner. You might get lucky and find it in stock if you don't want to wait for shipping.
Yes, they have them in stock. Thank you.