How far should my 800Mhz scanner reach?

How far should my 800Mhz scanner reach?
I just got a uniden bearcat handheld BC80XLT scanner and I bought it so I could listen to a certain police dept. I live 1 hr. and 15 minutes away and it’s not picking up that department ( I have the right code and it’s in the frequency range). Also, if it is not supposed to reach that far, is there anything I can do or buy to get it in? Also, if a directional antenna is needed, about how much does one cost? Thanks.

Best answer:

If you’re just using an antenna connected to the back of the scanner, get an outside antenna on your roof or as high as you can get it. You will need 50 ohm coax to connect the external antenna to the scanner. The best thing to do is check with a radio shop. They should be able to help with the antenna and the install. The link below may be of some help.

Tags: 800Mhz, reach, Scanner, should

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