Mobile Antenna for BCT8 question...

[Firescoob]

I have recently acquired a BCT8 for my 02 Subaru WRX. I am a volunteer firefighter who loves to "buff" calls and take photos. I am looking to purchase an antenna for my mobile setup.

Most of the local volly departments use low band and the paid depts have mostly switched to high band. I am looking for decent antenna for both low and high band. Heres what I am looking for...

-Something "low profile"
-Decent reception for low (30-35) and high band (150-155)(looking for something with a good local
range say less than 20miles)
-non-permanent mount

Would a "rubber duck" style work for what I am looking for? Or should I use an AM/FM coupler to use with my existing antenna (I don't listen FM radio much)? Or should I just stay with a whip style antenna?

I have a thule rack and was thinking about mounting the antenna to one of the cross bars or going with a trunk mount.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Firescoob]

Ok, nobody has any input? I was told this is a helpful forum.

 

[ipfd320]

your antenna usage

I have recently acquired a BCT8 for my 02 Subaru WRX. I am a volunteer firefighter who loves to "buff" calls and take photos. I am looking to purchase an antenna for my mobile setup.

Most of the local volly departments use low band and the paid depts have mostly switched to high band. I am looking for decent antenna for both low and high band. Heres what I am looking for...

-Something "low profile"
-Decent reception for low (30-35) and high band (150-155)(looking for something with a good local
range say less than 20miles)
-non-permanent mount

Would a "rubber duck" style work for what I am looking for? Or should I use an AM/FM coupler to use with my existing antenna (I don't listen FM radio much)? Or should I just stay with a whip style antenna?

I have a thule rack and was thinking about mounting the antenna to one of the cross bars or going with a trunk mount.

Thanks in advance!

i would suggest the scantenna its has all the features your looking for plus the db gain on recieve is great,,,,,i9 have a few friends who has them and no complaints

 

[blueangel-eric]

i would suggest the scantenna its has all the features your looking for plus the db gain on recieve is great,,,,,i9 have a few friends who has them and no complaints

A scantenna is a base antenna. He is asking about a mobile antenna.

Eric burris

 

[oregontreehugger]

Low Profile:
Diamond RH77CA hooked to a Valor BNC suction cup mount (Radio Shack used to carry something similar).

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantht/2368.html

http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/scanants/3069.html

Buy some cheap suction cup hooks in the Christmas lighting aisle and secure the end of the RH77CA antenna with that. Then you can mount the whole thing inside your car against the side of the front windshield, or a back window, etc. Only catch is going to be the Valor suction cup mount only comes with 7 feet of cable attached. If you needed more just get an extension.

Another idea: Uniden's OEM suction cup antenna (AT002). Basically just a thin wire connected to a piece of cable and BNC connector.
http://www.westcoastmall.net/at002-mobile-suction-cup-mount-scanner-antenna-p-116.html

 

[digitalanalog]

UHF/VHF antenna.

Not very popular with most but works Great for me on UHF/VHF
but it's not "Low Profile"
Radio Shack Model 2o-032
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...mmary=summary&techSpecs=techSpecs&tab=summary

There are other low profile Mobile antenna's listed here
That maybe of interest to you.
http://www.scannerantennasource.com/Mobile_Antenna_s.html

Good luck with your hunt and let us know what you go with.

 

[digitalanalog]

Ok, nobody has any input? I was told this is a helpful forum.

This is the BEST forum for many radio related topics, but people have other things on there plates and
some times replies are not instant.

Welcome to the site (being a new user and all)

 

[mjthomas59]

You all crack me up. First off why would you hook a portable antenna to a mobile scanner?? 2ndly why would you waste time with some lossy am/fm coupler or buy anything else involving suction cups for that matter?

All sarcasm and absurdity aside, you can't have "low-profile" and get "20 mile range" and "receive in the 30-35mhz range". It just isn't going to happen. Unless of course the radio systems you are monitoring are on repeaters. However i've never personally heard a system that is on a repeater that operates in the 30-35mhz range. The reason for operating in that range is so they can talk longer distances without the use of very many towers and definetely without the use of repeaters.

So what are your options?? You can try the Diamond RH77ca antenna. Its the best portable antenna i've ever used... but you will need something like the valor adapter to hook it up effectively to your scanner. Something similar to an Austin Spectra might do the trick for a mobile antenna along with either the trunk mount or rack mount.

There aren't any mobile antennas that i'm aware of that are designed to cover both of those ranges so you have to figure out which frequencies you need to hear more of. If the 150mhz frequencies are a lot stronger than the 30mhz frequencies then you should try and get by with an antenna that is designed for 30mhz.

Also some free advice, good luck with monitoring the lowband (30-50mhz) with your BCT-8. Lowband is the most prone to interference and without being able to put in CTCSS/DPL tones your scanner is going to be sitting on those lowband channels quite often and you will be hearing nothing but static. If the systems you monitor use ctcss/dpl(pl-tones) then do yourself a favor and buy a scanner that you can put them in. It will save you a lot of frustration, believe me!

Without knowing the specifics of the systems you are monitoring its hard to give you a better answer. You could probably get away with running a 5/8wave VHF-HI antenna, like the Larsen NMO150, but you will still sacrifice in the 30-35mhz range, and it isn't very low-profile at approximately 50inches tall.

You can't have everything in life! Good luck! And there is a reason why you see so many public safety vehicles with multiple antennas and many of them that are 5ft or more in length. It certainly isn't because we think they look cool, its what is required to do the job.

I don't want you to think i've completely ignored your point about being low-profilej, but if the radio system you are trying to monitor is in simplex mode then you will probably hear the dispatcher with almost any antenna setup and struggle to hear the trucks on scene with almost any antenna setup. You may just have to try several different options, like the Austin Spectra, or the Maxrad BMAXSCAN1000, or just a simple 1/4 wave VHF antenna. Do yourself a favor and put a trunk-lip mount or rack-mount on your car and get a decent mobile antenna. If you do this for a living, whether volunteer or full-time, you don't want to short change yourself and not hear what is going on in the middle of a chaotic scene.

 

[oregontreehugger]

You all crack me up. First off why would you hook a portable antenna to a mobile scanner?? 2ndly why would you waste time with some lossy am/fm coupler or buy anything else involving suction cups for that matter?

Not all of us have the ability (or want) to drill holes in every vehicle we use. The OP wants something low profile -- that doesn't leave too many choices. I've personally used the RH77 and the Valor suction cup mount with good results, especially above 150 MHz.

 

[mjthomas59]

Not all of us have the ability (or want) to drill holes in every vehicle we use. The OP wants something low profile -- that doesn't leave too many choices. I've personally used the RH77 and the Valor suction cup mount with good results, especially above 150 MHz.

I think I covered all my bases pretty well in my reply. First off it is impossible to know what kind of antenna setup he could "get by with" without knowing the exact systems and then someone who lives in that particular area chiming in with what works for them. 2ndly I never said drill holes. Buy a trunk-lip mount or rack-mount which are non-permanent and won't be noticed after they are removed. 3rdly there is low-profile and there is low-profile. The reality is there is no such thing as low-profile when it comes to getting good performance and monitoring lowband frequencies. A 1/4 wave antenna at 30mhz is how tall?? Without doing the math its way over 7ft. 4thly I still don't understand why you would have a mobile scanner installed in your car and then run a portable antenna on it. Just get a portable scanner(like a pro-82 which can be had for about $35 on ebay) and then buy the RH77ca. If you don't get good reception you can atleast move the scanner around or hold it out the window.

Good luck!