Fiberglass antenna for scanner?

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mmckenna

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Only issue I've ever had with some of those low end fiberglass mobile antennas is that the element is often a very thin/fragile wire wound around the fiberglass core. It's then covered. Every one of those I've ever used, mostly back a long time ago with CB, have failed due to that thin wire fracturing somewhere when the antenna flexes.

Could be I was using cheap antennas, who knows?

I stopped using those and went to base loaded whip antennas, specifically Larsen NMO-27 coils with the stainless whip. Never had a failure again.

Seems to me, at least in my case, these designs failed due to too much flexing, so maybe not a good choice off road, or somewhere where it will strike tree branches.

Just my own opinion. I'm likely wrong, at least that's what the wife says...
 

jassing

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I stopped using those and went to base loaded whip antennas, specifically Larsen NMO-27 coils with the stainless whip. Never had a failure again.

I have had great luck with them, but I've not used cheap ones.. But here, I was interested in it as a scanner antenna -since it could be easily mounted on a coil so it could flex away...

I ordered a spectrumforce (scannermasters) antenna.. Whips are usually very durable, but I worry about a short run of it w/o any sort of base-flex.. I guess we'll find out!

thanks
-j
 

SCPD

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i tried one cheapy fiberglass, did not work, then found a firestik scanner antenna, 4 footer just like the cb version, have had it 6+ years, on my old dodge, ball mount with big spring, works great, recieves weather bands, low band is awesome, and can pick up sacramento 800 mhz at about 50 miles, have been beating and bashing around hunting and 4 wheeling and never given any issues
 

jassing

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Hmm. Is there any "real" difference between their cb and scanner antennas? I have a firestik 4... but it is for cb -- I guess I never considered firestik for scanner.. thanks.
If the scanmaster antenna doesn't hold up ; Ill try that.
-josh
 

SCPD

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oh yeah there's a difference, as you can see the windings under the coating, the firestik scanner antenna has a single run of pretty thick copper, and it is wound at certain lentghs on the shaft for certain bands, not like the cb where it is wound all the way up from spaced to tight pattern, and the scanner version has no swr thunb screw in the top of the shaft
 

jassing

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Thanks.. I have it on my short list for "next antenna to try"if the one I bought doesn't work out.
 

Rt169Radio

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oh yeah there's a difference, as you can see the windings under the coating, the firestik scanner antenna has a single run of pretty thick copper, and it is wound at certain lentghs on the shaft for certain bands, not like the cb where it is wound all the way up from spaced to tight pattern, and the scanner version has no swr thunb screw in the top of the shaft

Do you have a link where you could look at it and buy it?
 

SCPD

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i found mine on ebay, there were three and four footers, dont know if there still made, dont see them on firestiks web site
 

FireGuy0723

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i tried one cheapy fiberglass, did not work, then found a firestik scanner antenna, 4 footer just like the cb version, have had it 6+ years, on my old dodge, ball mount with big spring, works great, recieves weather bands, low band is awesome, and can pick up sacramento 800 mhz at about 50 miles, have been beating and bashing around hunting and 4 wheeling and never given any issues

I would love to find out why yours is working perfectly and mine is not. I have the same antenna with a Uniden Bearcat BC355N and the 4 foot Firestik scanner antenna. It doesn't receive weatherband and barely receives anything from the local fire departments unless I'm 10 feet away from the department.

I have mine mounted to the side of my Jeep using a pretty basic L bracket. It didn't even begin to receive anything until I actually grounded it to the chassis and even still it barely picks up anything. Still no weatherband.
 
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