think it'll do the job?

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ridgescan

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My Sis gave me a glass-mount 800 MHZ centerload mobile antenna she got with her cellphone service back in the mid-90s she never used. You guys think it would make a good reciever for 800 MHZ trunking on my BC785D so I can go mobile? Just want to know--if you think it's viable then Im going to apply it to the truck with the other mobile app. I know I should take the unit down there and try it but I'd rather sit here on my butt and read some of your opinions on this.:D
 

Highpockets

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ridgescan said:
My Sis gave me a glass-mount 800 MHZ centerload mobile antenna she got with her cellphone service back in the mid-90s she never used. You guys think it would make a good reciever for 800 MHZ trunking on my BC785D so I can go mobile? Just want to know--if you think it's viable then Im going to apply it to the truck with the other mobile app. I know I should take the unit down there and try it but I'd rather sit here on my butt and read some of your opinions on this.:D

It might work better if you apply it to the back window. :)
 

viper21

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it'll work as long as your not far from the source you want to listen, the through the glass antennas aren't that good for long distance scanning.. they are also subject to interference from your car or other strong signals that can get in through the glass plane...
 

ridgescan

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Oh yeah I forgot to mention I can only mount it on the top of the front winshield 'cause I have a contoured shell and all 4 side windows are operational-either corner or center?
 

zz0468

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If you absolutely can't/won't drill a hole, you'd do better with a magmount.
 

af5rn

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It will work, and it will work pretty well. Avoid the tint strip if at all possible, as this will degrade the signal transmission.

It goes without saying that a hole-mount would work significantly better, and a mag mount would work a bit better. But hey, free is free. So long as you aren't living a long ways off from the systems you are monitoring, you'll be happy with the results.
 

ridgescan

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That's what I was thinking..plus it's a nice looking little black whip with a center coil..would hate to see it go to waste. You think the bluetint in my windshield would affect things? I didn't think it had metallic properties like some mirrortints do. Thanks for your help!
 

af5rn

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ridgescan said:
You think the bluetint in my windshield would affect things? I didn't think it had metallic properties like some mirrortints do.
That's what I would have thought too, had I not read otherwise somewhere. I don't recall where I read it, and that could be wrong, but I did read it somewhere, lol. I do know that the literature with most on-glass antennae specifically state that they are not for use on tinted glass, although they do not specify what types of tint that applies to.
 

ScanDaBands

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K4DHR said:
Its better than nothing, but a mag mount or trunk lip mount would work far better.

Very True Indeed - and a through the roof would be top dog !! :)
 

kb2vxa

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It'll work as well as any other glass mount antenna, you can see where this is going. It has about 3dB gain which might compensate for the loss in coupling through the glass but I'll put my 3dB trunk lip mount cell antenna up against it any day.
 

ridgescan

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Well I did the install after reading all your replies and I'm happy to report it works very well!! Reception of S.F. trunking bounces between 4-6 bars which is way better than I expected. Left San Francisco and held a signal down to two bars 8 miles out-I'm happy with this little antenna. I mounted it on the campershell's driver side glass which sort of removes it from the truck body..that might have helped. Very sensitive and lively little sucker too; when you put your hand near the whip it kills the signal..kinda shows it's doing its thru the glass thing well. Anyway thaks to all for your help on this! 73s ;)
 

ridgescan

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Hey forgot to tell you it gets UHF really well and highway patrol comes in about a third as well as the base...not bad! So--if anybody out there hates to drill and you don't have a trunk like Warren, this can be a way to go. Problem is you have to find one like mine that's tuned to the 800's (from the late 80's thru 90's) from back in the old cellphone days.
 

af5rn

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ridgescan said:
Yup-the 42s!!!!! The base is really weak but the mobiles are 2-3 bars out of 6 and I'm 8-9 miles from the 101 or 280 freeways.:)
Well, there ya go! Antenna talk is 90 percent theoretical. Results speak for themselves. If an antenna does what you want it to do -- especially for free -- then that's all that needs to be said! Nice score!
 

K4DHR

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ScanDaBands said:
Very True Indeed - and a through the roof would be top dog !! :)

I agree, but my wife gave me a funny look when I talked about doing that to our Mazda this weekend. On a positive note, she said to at least wait until the warranty on the car was up. :D
 

jfr

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I use a cellphone 3db mag-mount for Mass State Police and Worcester, Ma 800 trunked systems while in the car with great results. It works surprisingly well on other bands, as well.

-JR
 
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