Need help finding Vehicle Antenna

[Kbrock]

I need help finding a vehicle antenna. I am installing a Radio Shack Pro-163 scanner into my 2006 Xterra.

I'm a volunteer EMT and Fire Fighter so I don't need the ability to talk on the radio, only to listen. When I'm responding from my house to a 911 call or to the station to get the rig it's always helpful to listen to the dispatchers on the drive in - it better prepares you for the situation you are about to enter.

I am not comfortable drilling through my Xterra under any reason. I need help finding an alternative solution. Years ago I had a jeep wrangler and Radio Shack sold me an antenna that went through the window and it worked fine - Radio Shack doesn't carry it anymore or even stock anything similar to it.

Can anyone help??

 

[popnokick]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B206 Safari/7534.48.3)

If you can't drill, you're left with three options. In order of best to worst, they are:
- Magnetic mount, cable thru trunk lip or door seal
- Thru the glass mounting (antenna on glass, coupler/cable inside). Tram 1170 avail via Amazon is what I have.
- AM/FM radio antenna splitter/coupler

 

[n5ims]

How about this Mobile Cellular Look-Alike Glass-Mount Scanner Antenna : Scanner Antennas | RadioShack.com

Or perhaps this Magnet-mount mobile scanner antenna : Mobile Scanner Antennas | RadioShack.com

 

[Rt169Radio]

How about a antenna window mount with a Diamond Diamond RH77CA?

MFJ-310 Window Antenna Mount BNC, mfj310

Diamond RH77CA SRH77CA Antenna

 

[Kbrock]

How about a antenna window mount with a Diamond Diamond RH77CA?

MFJ-310 Window Antenna Mount BNC, mfj310

Diamond RH77CA SRH77CA Antenna

This looks like a pretty good idea.

I looked into the through glass ones and a lot of the reviews warn that tinted windows block signal and also the antenna could cause your tint to come off - which I don't want to risk. I put a lot of effort into my Xterra so I'm really careful what I do to it.

That RH77CA just goes over the window and stays there. I wonder if it blocks closing the window though? How goods the reception of if it plus that antenna you linked to?

Out in here in VA where I'm at it's a city and there's no worries, but I run EMS in rural PA and it covered with a large EDACS system out there. The EMA office is at least 7-10 miles from my station and run area. Would that work of out there?

 

[N8IAA]

Out in here in VA where I'm at it's a city and there's no worries, but I run EMS in rural PA and it covered with a large EDACS system out there. The EMA office is at least 7-10 miles from my station and run area. Would that work of out there?

Quite a haul from Hampton, VA to PA. Why not give us more info My suggestion is the Larsen tri-band antenna on a magmount. Covers VHF/UHF/800MHz.
Larry

 

[Kbrock]

It's only a 5 hour car ride, easy stuff

I visit the area of Harrisburg once a month and I make an effort to run EMS then. I've been with the same EMS company since age 16. Very loyal to that station.

I'll look into that one too, thanks.

 

[K9DAK]

Try This

I use this on my VW Beetle: Diamond® Antenna ~ K400C Trunk/Hatchback Mount

Screw the aforementioned Larsen VHF/UHF/800 antenna onto it and you should be good to go!

BTW, this mount has been on my car for 12 years . . . I recently repainted it with Krylon semi-gloss and it looks like new!

 

[Kbrock]

I use this on my VW Beetle: Diamond® Antenna ~ K400C Trunk/Hatchback Mount

Screw the aforementioned Larsen VHF/UHF/800 antenna onto it and you should be good to go!

BTW, this mount has been on my car for 12 years . . . I recently repainted it with Krylon semi-gloss and it looks like new!

See the only issue is that I wont drill into the car lol.

I already have a Pro-164 handheld in it right now but it just gets poor reception (and it's kinda stashed in a cup holder). Good scanner that one, been in a few fires with me, fits right into my bunker gear pocket on the right chest side

That's why I upgraded to the pro-163 so that I could run some sort of line to a bigger antenna. The 163 fits right into the center console box, I have an external speaker wired to the fuse box that'll take care of sound. As for power I've got a crude plan that'll probably work out lol. The Antenna was my only real concern at this stage of the game.

I'm thinking that I'm going to try the window mount listed above with one of the antennas suggested. Possibly the Larson or the diamond (whichever one is stronger?). I'll have to research.

Appreciation to all of you for sharing your expertise in this with me

 

[K9DAK]

See the only issue is that I wont drill into the car lol.

Right, no drilling required with that Diamond mount . . . just four set screws on the inside of the trunk/hatch.

 

[Rt169Radio]

This looks like a pretty good idea.

I looked into the through glass ones and a lot of the reviews warn that tinted windows block signal and also the antenna could cause your tint to come off - which I don't want to risk. I put a lot of effort into my Xterra so I'm really careful what I do to it.

That RH77CA just goes over the window and stays there. I wonder if it blocks closing the window though? How goods the reception of if it plus that antenna you linked to?

Out in here in VA where I'm at it's a city and there's no worries, but I run EMS in rural PA and it covered with a large EDACS system out there. The EMA office is at least 7-10 miles from my station and run area. Would that work of out there?

That mount lets you close (roll up the window) all the way,and with a RH77CA it receives pretty good.The only thing is I wouldn't leave up all the time,am not sure how it handles the weather (rain,snow) because I have the mount myself but I never have used it in the rain or the snow.

 

[scottyhetzel]

Hi, I love my austin spectra, However you will need to buy a trunk lip mount for it. I have a antennex that is single band and it work great. For all band I would use the austin...