NMO vs Trunk Lip and Single Antenna vs Multiple

[KSoucie62]

I have been listening to scanners for years but I am far from an expert. I am on the road all day for work so enjoy listening wherever I go.

My 1st question. Is a hole mount that much better than a trunk lip mount (which I currently use)?

My 2nd question. Can a good single multi-band antenna work just as good compared to having multiple scanners each scanning different bands with a matching antenna for those bands? (one on VHF, one on UHF and another for my 800 systems for example)

 

[Firekite]

It’s waaaay simpler and waaaay cheaper to start with a single antenna, and you’ll almost certainly be pleased with the results.

You don’t say what kinds of frequencies you want to listen to, but generally speaking the Larsen NMO150/450/758 is an excellent choice for a scanner antenna.

You don’t say what vehicle you’re driving, but generally speaking your best bet is an NMO mount directly in the center of the roof (or at least the center metal area of the roof if you have a sunroof—check clearances). Keeps it high and provides an optimal ground plane.

 

[mmckenna]

Mobile antennas work best when they have a proper ground plane underneath them. Mounting the antenna off to one side like a trunk mount, L bracket, etc. can lead to less than ideal results, directionality, etc. Mounting it in the center of the trunk lip can often put it below the roof line, too close to tinted or defroster wired glass, which will also impact performance.
Will it work? Yes. Is it an ideal solution? Well, not really, but it depends on a couple of things:
-Do you -want- to install the antenna properly or are you willing to take a bit of a performance hit for the sake of an easy install?
-Are you willing to drill the hole, or pay someone else to do it?

Ideally you do want the antenna mounted dead center in the car roof. That will give it a near perfect ground plane on most frequencies that scanner listeners are interested in. Second choice would be dead center in the trunk lid.

Doing a proper permanent install will give you better performance, and in my opinion, looks a thousand times better than a compromise installation with magnets, trunk lip mounts or brackets.

As for the multiple antenna thing...
If you have them each plugged into their own scanners, then single band antennas give you the option of picking the type antenna that will work best for your application.
For most users, the multiband antennas work well and give you a lot of flexibility.

Also,
If this is a mobile scanner, don't overlook your power feed. Power the scanner directly off the vehicle battery to provide it with nice clean power. Ground the radio chassis to vehicle ground as close as you can.

It's the little things like proper antenna install and power feeds that can make a difference.