Broke RS Mag Mount Antenna

[click23]

I purchased a second RS 20-032 mag mount a few weeks ago because I had broke the base of my first one and was going to turn it into something I could use inside. Well, After a few days I noticed that top rod was bent down at about a 30 degree angle. I took a look at it and the top connector was broke so I replaced it with the one off of my old antenna. I took the old connector apart and the solid core in the center was broke. Then about 2 weeks after that the bottom one did the same thing, but I'm not sure if that wasn't my fault because I ran over it with my truck. But when I took it apart it looked just like the first one. But, when I compared it to the connectors off the old antenna it was about 1/8-1/4 lager in diameter. Just want to know if anyone else has had this problem.

Robert

 

[twolf816]

ive had mine for a year and a half with no problems. thats really wierd though. but mine is fine.

 

[MaizeBlueFlyover]

I purchased a second RS 20-032 mag mount a few weeks ago because I had broke the base of my first one and was going to turn it into something I could use inside. Well, After a few days I noticed that top rod was bent down at about a 30 degree angle. I took a look at it and the top connector was broke so I replaced it with the one off of my old antenna. I took the old connector apart and the solid core in the center was broke. Then about 2 weeks after that the bottom one did the same thing, but I'm not sure if that wasn't my fault because I ran over it with my truck. But when I took it apart it looked just like the first one. But, when I compared it to the connectors off the old antenna it was about 1/8-1/4 lager in diameter. Just want to know if anyone else has had this problem.

Robert

Robert,

You will find a lot of different opinions on these forums about the RS magmount scanner antenna. Let me give you mine. It is a total peice of JUNK.

I have owned 2 of them and returned each one because of parts breaking. They are cheaply made, over priced, and don't perform all that well to begin with. They do "OK" in the VHF band, but that is it. Forget using it for 800Mhz.

I have been pretty happy with a line of antennas called "Antennex". Check them out on http://www.waltel.com/

They have a mobile scanner antenna along with some other antennas that have worked well for me so far.

 

[crayon]

It is a total peice of JUNK.

I agree. The magnet in the base of mine keeps getting loosen'd up somehow.

The only good that came of it was that it pushed me to *finally* install some NMO antennas. Why-O-why I waited so long I'll never know ..

btw, I'm tempeted to run over mine on purpose just to see if that will fix my problem. lol.

 

[click23]

Well I didn't do that on purpose. My first one lasted about 2 years. And I really liked it. Some days I could even pick up the Chattanooga-Hamilton county TRS which is about 50 mines away.

 

[MaizeBlueFlyover]

Well I didn't do that on purpose. My first one lasted about 2 years. And I really liked it. Some days I could even pick up the Chattanooga-Hamilton county TRS which is about 50 mines away.

Give some other antennas a try. You might be surprised

 

[twolf816]

i dont know what you ppl have been doing to yours, but ive put mine through hell. 2 years, and it works great. picks up 800mhz awesome so i dunno whats wrong with your scanner. if you dont take care of it and clean it every now and then, it will come apart and the reception will decrease. i bet thats what you ppl havnt been doing.

 

[N8DRC]

I have bought 2 of these in the last year and they have both fallen apart, they work great when they hold together, but seems like they don't make them strong like they did years ago, I had one about 6 years ago and it lasted a long time, I agree the newer ones are junk, the allen screws strip out and the bases don't stay tight..

 

[MaizeBlueFlyover]

i dont know what you ppl have been doing to yours, but ive put mine through hell. 2 years, and it works great. picks up 800mhz awesome so i dunno whats wrong with your scanner. if you dont take care of it and clean it every now and then, it will come apart and the reception will decrease. i bet thats what you ppl havnt been doing.

Well, I suppose if your within 10 miles or so of the 800Mhz tower that is transmitting it does great.

They shouldn't even advertise this antenna as one that receives 800Mhz, because it performs very poorly in that band.

 

[MaizeBlueFlyover]

I have bought 2 of these in the last year and they have both fallen apart, they work great when they hold together, but seems like they don't make them strong like they did years ago, I had one about 6 years ago and it lasted a long time, I agree the newer ones are junk, the allen screws strip out and the bases don't stay tight..

Dan, I had the exact same problem with the 2 I had bought. JUNK! JUNK!

 

[twolf816]

Well, I suppose if your within 10 miles or so of the 800Mhz tower that is transmitting it does great.

nope, i can pick up 800mhz 20miles away. i just dont see or have the problems that you guys are having. maybe because i take care of it.

 

[Grog]

nope, i can pick up 800mhz 20miles away. i just dont see or have the problems that you guys are having. maybe because i take care of it.

How do you "take care" of an antenna that is supposed to be exposed to the elements?

I have a old, beat-up 2mtr/44o antenna that picks up a 800 system fourty miles away. It does not mean that there are better antennas out there.

 

[W8OSP]

yup another vote for junk of the rs mag mount, all my antennas are now nmo mount and dont fall off. :lol: :lol:

 

[N8DRC]

yup another vote for junk of the rs mag mount, all my antennas are now nmo mount and dont fall off. :lol: :lol:

Same here, I have also switched to NMO mounts, like them much better..

 

[gg750]

The bottom loading coil on my RS mag mount snapped in half. Not sure what to do with the thing now. You can't buy just a replacement coil (although I think you should be able too), and I'm not gonna spend another 30 bucks for a new one that's just going to break again.

I've since invested in an Austin Spectra with an NMO mag mount...GREAT ANTENNA!!!

G

 

[rescue161]

I purchased a second RS 20-032 mag mount a few weeks ago because I had broke the base of my first one and was going to turn it into something I could use inside. Well, After a few days I noticed that top rod was bent down at about a 30 degree angle. I took a look at it and the top connector was broke so I replaced it with the one off of my old antenna. I took the old connector apart and the solid core in the center was broke. Then about 2 weeks after that the bottom one did the same thing, but I'm not sure if that wasn't my fault because I ran over it with my truck. But when I took it apart it looked just like the first one. But, when I compared it to the connectors off the old antenna it was about 1/8-1/4 lager in diameter. Just want to know if anyone else has had this problem.

Robert

Did I read that right? You ran over the antenna with your truck? I guess any antenna would fail under those circumstances. Antennas are not designed to be driven over with heavy vehicles.

If I'm wrong or off-base, then disregard my post.

Good luck.

BTW, I never had a problem with my RS antenna. I had it for years. I just don't like magnetic antennas, so I got rid of it.

 

[click23]

The fisrt connector broke BEFORE I ran over it. I really just wanted to know if any has had the same problem or if anyone had noticed the different connectors. The base was what was ran over, stupid tree limb. The second connector, which was not ran over as far as I can tell, broke in the same place as the first one did. The material in the center of the connector broke at the top near where the coil was soldered to it.

 

[buttons]

To get back to your original question, I think the upper and lower coils might be of different sizes.

 

[twolf816]

its the pole size; the bottom coil has a bigger hole where the bottom section connects than the top one.

 

[click23]

They were the same per antenna, but the two from the new one are larger than the ones from the old one. They do have different sized openings for the different sized rods.