Antenna for my car

[chcfirefighter44]

I'm looking for a low profile antenna for my mobile setup in my car. I mainly listen to the 800mhz apco 25 found here in Delaware. The car is a corvette and cant see putting a huge antenna on it. Please help

 

[trap5858]

If you are using a handheld, the rubber duck antenna should do quite well for the systems you want to listen to without putting an external antenna on the car.

 

[Metrofire31]

Low Profile Antenna

If you want an installed antenna (NMO), I would recommend the Laird Phantom series. You could start out with the 800 MHz version and it comes in either black or white. They are excellent antennas and are used a great deal by public safety agencies. They also have a UHF and a VHF version. The UHF and the 800 are similar in size. The VHF model is about the size of a softball.

 

[code3cowboy]

For your system you can use a quarter wave whip, and it will be just fine. QWB800 should not cost you more than $10. Put it on the center of your trunk or you can do a lip mount.

 

[N_Jay]

I assume Corvettes are still fiberglass.

Your antenna will need a ground plane. Metal screen or tape on the underside of the mount will work.

A 1/4 wave whip is almost as good ans anything else, and you may even find a nice place to put it where it does not show (Maybe in the rear deck)

 

[SCPD]

I use a small magnet mounty marine radio antenna and i have a range of about 50 60 miles in each direction i use a pro 95 scanner in the car i like it since it is a very low profile antenna i bought it a year ago on ebay for around $25

 

[prcguy]

I think the first response was the right idea considering a fiberglass car. An antenna on the handheld scanner will probably work better at 800MHz than a remote mounted one with feedline loss.
prcguy

 

[Luis_R]

I assume Corvettes are still fiberglass.

Your antenna will need a ground plane. Metal screen or tape on the underside of the mount will work.

A 1/4 wave whip is almost as good ans anything else, and you may even find a nice place to put it where it does not show (Maybe in the rear deck)

True, or could use a non ground plane coax kit as well. I've soldered a ground wire to the mount instead of metal tape or screen and have noticed better results ( less loss & less reflection ).

 

[Luis_R]

An antenna on the handheld scanner will probably work better at 800MHz than a remote mounted one with feedline loss.
prcguy

Not really, the loss is more dedtrimental on TX.