Scanner case as ground plane?

[car2back]

I'm fooling around with one of my Pro-2021s; They have a metal case an I have a mag-mount scanner antenna... okay or bad idea?

 

[k9rzz]

I don't see how it would hurt the radio.

Go for it.

 

[Don_Burke]

You might want to try something bigger as a test. It may help at the lower frequencies.

Several people are using their fridge as a groundplane.

At 800 MHz, on the other hand, the radio case is just about the right size.

If we were talking about something with a hard drive in it, the answer would be different.

 

[car2back]

thanks guys; I lost the OEM screw in antenna, and just had the mag mount laying around. I can see a major difference with the antenna on the case vs. nothing at all. I'll come up with a more permanent fix later

 

[K4DHR]

I used to do this with my Pro-2066 way back when. It worked fine when I didn't have any other way of grounding the antenna for monitoring the local county trunk system.

 

[Secret_Squirrel]

It's generally not a good idea to use magnets in close proximity to electronic devices. If you want to use a mag mount antenna, get a cookie sheet or something and stick the antenna onto that. Then, locate it at a higher elevation and as far away as possible from the radio.

 

[k9gunner]

It's generally not a good idea to use magnets in close proximity to electronic devices. If you want to use a mag mount antenna, get a cookie sheet or something and stick the antenna onto that. Then, locate it at a higher elevation and as far away as possible from the radio.

Correct, I think the magnet can mess with the LCD screen, as well as the internal electronics. I have runied a scanner by having it too close to a magnet.

 

[Raven95150]

I used my BC350A with a mag mount stuck to the top of the case for several years. The reception was great and there were never any ill effects. I dont use it too much anymore, but it still works great, just like the day I bought it 10 years ago.

 

[car2back]

It's generally not a good idea to use magnets in close proximity to electronic devices. If you want to use a mag mount antenna, get a cookie sheet or something and stick the antenna onto that. Then, locate it at a higher elevation and as far away as possible from the radio.

I actually picked up a cheap cookie sheet today at Dollar General; I picked up that trick from a friend one night outside the Delta Cafe.......

 

[K4DHR]

Truthfully, there's not much in a scanner that a magnet could have an adverse effect on, apart from the speaker.

 

[Secret_Squirrel]

Truthfully, there's not much in a scanner that a magnet could have an adverse effect on, apart from the speaker.

Uh huh. Kind of hard to LISTEN to a scanner without a speaker isn't it?