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by AstroJetson 3888 days ago
More or less, it really helps if it's the right length (as posted near here). An easy way to make one is to calculate 246/Frequency for a 1/4 wave antenna. So around the two meter / 144 Mhz ham band: 246/144=1.5 feet. The example in the video he's at ~440 Mhz so : 246 / 440 = 0.6 feet ~6 1/2 inches. You can make a "ground plane antenna" with a connector and coat hanger wire that will improve both the reception and transmission. At 50 Mhz where lots of doorbell items are it would be 246/50: ~5 feet of wire. In which case you can go for 1/8 wave length, about 2' 7'.

Somewhere in the posts is a suggestion to build a lowpass filter and that will work. But the Pi puts off some pretty messy spectrum splatter, so before you build a good antenna take a few mins and build a narrow passband filter. It cuts the splatter below (like a lowpass) and above (like a highpass) your chosen frequency.

Better yet, go to QRZ.com and look up a ham in your area to help you out. We have parts in our vast inventory of supplies (aka junk box) to help you out.