Window Antenna with Suction Cups

[jerneedog]

Hey all, how's it going? Good I hope?

I was wondering if anyone has used an antenna like any of these and possibly, which one would be the best to use:

Wire Window Antenna with Suction Cups (BNC)

Valor BNCSC Suction Cup Mount (BNC)

AT002 Mobile Suction Cup Mount Scanner Antenna

BNC Antenna Suction-Cup Mount 10th item down.

I thought one of these might be a better alternate than using the "Rubber Ducky" while I'm riding in somone else's vehicle.
Like my wife's car, she won't let me put an antenna on her car (she hates my mag mounted one on my truck).

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

Nothing beats getting the antenna outside the metal shell of the vehicle.

I find that I do better if I can get the antenna centered in a window. Reception will still be affected by the vehicle but it is better than when you hold the scanner in the center of the vehicle.

I recently took a train trip to Washington DC and used a mount similar to the Valor one with both the Radio Shack 800 MHz antenna and a longer rubber duck for lower frequencies. It worked reasonably well and I was able to pick up signals from a couple of miles away at least. It does not beat an external whip on my car. I sat on the inland side of the train so the antenna was "closer" to the desired direction.

73 Eric

 

[K5MAR]

Radio Shack had one of the mounts (like #2 or 4), I tried it years ago. How effective it will be depends on the strength of the signals you are trying to hear. I guess you could best describe it as a "modest" improvement over having the scanner w/antenna laying on the seat. I've also tried Uniden's wire antenna (like #1 or 3), but was not impressed. The one from SMC Electronics (#4) looks like the best choice, IMHO.

Mark S.