Mag Mount Suggestion

I have a 2009 Ford Escape. I am currently using a glass-mounted scanner antenna and it is decent for local stuff, but I would like to pick up more. I am not into drilling (sorry). Can anyone recommend a good mag mount antenna for me? Thanks in advance.
If possible, include links to the retailers that sell them.

For what frequencies?

KC2GVX said:

I have a 2009 Ford Escape. I am currently using a glass-mounted scanner antenna and it is decent for local stuff, but I would like to pick up more. I am not into drilling (sorry). Can anyone recommend a good mag mount antenna for me? Thanks in advance.
If possible, include links to the retailers that sell them.

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Understood, but if you ever decide to drill, I wrote up a full description of it over on the BatLabs.com forums. Not hard to do, even with a sun roof.

Narrowing down the frequencies you want to listen to would help, but here's some ideas:

For a magnet mount base, look here: http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/mobile-antenna-mounts-264/magnetic-mounts-265/
Pick one with the connector you need on the end to match your radio. While an adapter doesn't really introduce enough loss to make a big difference, they do add additional strain to the weak antenna jacks on most scanners.
I really personally favor Larsen brand gear. Been using it for 25+ years without a failure, some of the stuff still going strong for over 2 decades.

As for the antennas:
Picking just the frequencies you need to listen to will usually give you better performance. A single band antenna will outperform a multiband antenna if you just need to listen to one band.
These guys get consistently good reviews: http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/larsen-nmo150-450-800-1050.html

These are similar: http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-abscanc-1048.html
http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/pctel-maxrad-bmaxscan1000-1051.html

Those are low profile enough and flexible enough that they'll clear most parking garages.

My wife's 2009 Escape has a VHF 1/4 wave on the roof, so about 18 inches tall. It does just tap the garage door when she pulls in, but after hundreds if not thousands of times it's never been an issue. I certainly wouldn't want something any taller, unless you really didn't mind removing the antenna all the time.

Only issue I can see for you will be getting the coax inside the vehicle without it getting damaged. I'm not personally a big fan of magnetic mount antennas, but I understand those that need them. I think you'll want to keep a close eye on it over time to make sure the coax doesn't get damaged. That alone is usually enough to convince/remind me why I do permanent mounts on all my installs. I won't deny, however, that I do have a mag mount that I use for testing.

I like the Larsen 150-450-800 NMO mount antenna mounted on a mag mount. I use it in conjunction with my BCD436HP and am very pleased with its reception. The antenna is low profile. Less than 18 inches. I have it mounted on the rear roof of my Subaru forester with the feed line through the rear hatch. No drilling for me either.

SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and SMA | Scanner Master

SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and BNC | Scanner Master

Narrow gauge cable withstands crimping by vehicle doors.

I am looking to monitor 154-960 MHz

I like my 5" Tram mag mount, it's an overkill for 150MHz+ antennae because typically they are small and light, but I'm listening to 42MHz and my antenna is 1.6m. I could have probably gotten away with a 3" magmount.

Here is the link for the Larsen antenna:

http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/larsen-nmo150-450-800-1050.html

Hood mount is also a possibility if you dont mind running the cable.
No height issues, the above mentioned antennas will also work, no worry about damaged paint from the magnet or damaged coax from running thru the door.

see this thread: http://forums.radioreference.com/ra...on-forum/338778-2011-escape-fender-mount.html

Universal advice to protect a vehicle's finish from the dreaded ravages of a mag mount:

Get yourself a piece of clear helicopter blade tape slightly larger than the footprint of the magnet. I prefer round or square with rounded corners so it won''t peel prematurely at the corners. Place the tape on a clean spot and work out the air bubbles. The tape takes all the scratching and can easily be removed when you go to sell the car.

This stuff is used to protect bicycle frames so you can find it at most any decent bicycle shop. It's also readily available on Ebay.

SteveC0625 said:

Universal advice to protect a vehicle's finish from the dreaded ravages of a mag mount:

Get yourself a piece of clear helicopter blade tape slightly larger than the footprint of the magnet. I prefer round or square with rounded corners so it won''t peel prematurely at the corners. Place the tape on a clean spot and work out the air bubbles. The tape takes all the scratching and can easily be removed when you go to sell the car.

This stuff is used to protect bicycle frames so you can find it at most any decent bicycle shop. It's also readily available on Ebay.

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Doesn't the rubber boot on the mag mount protect the paint? I know some mag mounts don't have a rubber boot, so to which are you referring to?

kandrey89 said:

Doesn't the rubber boot on the mag mount protect the paint? I know some mag mounts don't have a rubber boot, so to which are you referring to?

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I'm not going to get into a debate about which mag mount brands do and don't have a rubber boot. IMHO, they're all a compromise any way. Very few people even know what to look for or how to purchase a high end mag mount that might not damage a vehicle finish.

On most of them, the "rubber boot" is inadequate at best. For the rubber boot to be adequate, it would need to be thick. The further away the magnet is from the metal of the vehicle, the weaker the hold. So the rubber boots are thin and break down fairly quickly. If any moisture gets to the magnet, it begins to rust or break down and that accelerates the deterioration of the rubber boot from the inside.

The helicopter tape avoids the problem all together.

I see, I haven't experienced bootless mag mounts, I have the Tram 1267-R, it's rubber boot is sufficiently thick, very strong mounting because it's a 5" dia magnet.

FYI, first time I heard the phrase helicopter tape, polyurethane tape would be another more general name I guess.