Mobile vs. Handheld In Vehicle?

[emsflyer84]

Hey all, I currently have a small anytone transceiver in my car for GMRS and HAM radio use, but I also use it as a VHF public safety scanner. I don't do to much with the GMRS and HAM stuff in the car so I rarely use it to transmit. I'm playing with the idea of replacing it with a mobile scanner. Problem is all the scanners out there are too big to fit in the space my current radio is in, so I'd nee to do some more installation work. Look for opinions on if it's worth installing a mobile scanner, or just keeping my Anytone and grabbing a handheld scanner I can take with me. Either way I'd be plugging it into an external antenna on my car, so RX should be the same either way. I like the idea of the mobile scanner because it will always have power, vs. having to charge or plug in a handheld to power and the antenna every time I get in the car, etc. I guess if it stays in the car 90% of the time it's not a big deal... And the flexibility of a handheld is nice too. What do you guys do? Thanks!

 

[RichM]

You pretty much covered all the pros and cons. I’ll just add that with digital tower coverage these days an external antenna usually isn’t necessary unless your trying to monitor analog. Also a mobile will be easier to read and operate while driving.

I use a hand held with its rubber ducky antenna in my vehicle and it works great. I plug the headphone jack into my car stereo input so I can hear it through the car speakers and use a dc jack to save batteries. Pretty simple set up and still have the ability to carry the hand held and use it elsewhere.

If I spent a lot of time driving (traveling, truck driver etc.) I would install a mobile with a gps module but for my limited travel a hand held is more versatile. My base station (mobile unit) sits at home parked next to my recliner.

 

[emsflyer84]

You pretty much covered all the pros and cons. I’ll just add that with digital tower coverage these days an external antenna usually isn’t necessary unless your trying to monitor analog. Also a mobile will be easier to read and operate while driving.

I use a hand held with its rubber ducky antenna in my vehicle and it works great. I plug the headphone jack into my car stereo input so I can hear it through the car speakers and use a dc jack to save batteries. Pretty simple set up and still have the ability to carry the hand held and use it elsewhere.

If I spent a lot of time driving (traveling, truck driver etc.) I would install a mobile with a gps module but for my limited travel a hand held is more versatile. My base station (mobile unit) sits at home parked next to my recliner.

Thanks, I do actually monitor a lot of analog VHF, most the FD/EMS stuff around here is still analog. Lots of mountains / hills so I'm finding I really need an external antenna.

 

[ladn]

My perpetual gripe with mobile scanners is that none of them offer a "split mount" option like most ham or commercial radios. Most of today's vehicles don't have adequate room to mount a scanner, let alone a scanner and ham (or commercial) radio.

I use handheld scanners in both my vehicles, powered directly from the vehicle's 12v and connected to an outside antenna.

There are a variety of mounting options for handhelds to make them more secure in the vehicle.

 

[emsflyer84]

My perpetual gripe with mobile scanners is that none of them offer a "split mount" option like most ham or commercial radios. Most of today's vehicles don't have adequate room to mount a scanner, let alone a scanner and ham (or commercial) radio.

I use handheld scanners in both my vehicles, powered directly from the vehicle's 12v and connected to an outside antenna.

There are a variety of mounting options for handhelds to make them more secure in the vehicle.

This is the way I'm leaning as well. I agree, a scanner with removable face plate for remote mounting would be ideal...

 

[KevinC]

The Whistler TRX-2 has a remote head and it's a simple Cat 5 cable between it and the brick.

 

[mmckenna]

I like the idea of the mobile scanner because it will always have power, vs. having to charge or plug in a handheld to power and the antenna every time I get in the car, etc. I guess if it stays in the car 90% of the time it's not a big deal... And the flexibility of a handheld is nice too. What do you guys do? Thanks!

Two other benefits:
--Mobile radios usually have larger speakers than a hand held. Better/louder audio makes listening easier. Maybe not a big deal in a quiet sedan, but important in other vehicles, if you have the windows rolled down, or lots of road noise.

—fixed mounts put less strain on cable connectors, less stuff moving around, less risk of damage to coax.

 

[StoliRaz]

I prefer handhelds. Listen to it in the car, take it with you and keep listening out of the car. Don't have to worry about someone breaking into your car to steal it since it isn't there either. I keep a few crappy antennas like stock rubber ducks in my console in case I forget one. Power it with a usb cord to save power. Plug a stereo cord into the headphone jack and the other end into my auxiliary jack (yeah, my car has one of those) and listen on my car speakers. There's just way more upside to handhelds.

I keep my base units at home. They work great there

 

[mark40]

Hey all, I currently have a small anytone transceiver in my car for GMRS and HAM radio use, but I also use it as a VHF public safety scanner. I don't do to much with the GMRS and HAM stuff in the car so I rarely use it to transmit. I'm playing with the idea of replacing it with a mobile scanner.

This is exactly the same situation for me and my Anytone. Now and then I contemplate a mobile scanner. But the Anytone is a good performer in my mobile even with the stock rubber antenna and I'm only interested in scanning a handful of local stuff.