With the new generation of vehicles comming equipped with the stubby blocks on the roof for ants,.. is it possible to rig a scanner ant in one of these?
Question about the new ant stuff on new vehicles....
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thumbtrap
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I've seen various low profile antennas in upper frequencies, starting about .5 ghz and up - that advertise vertically polarized, unity gain lowpros. I thought about it briefly until I realized that it while it may work lovely on a HMMV -with a flat roof, boxy lines, and a very tall silhouette - it was still quite large (4.5" dia" to go on the top of a low sitting passenger car.
It's difficult to disguise something suitable for picking up submarine ELF transmissions (not that you can, just taking it to the extreme.). When I installed my 800 mhz antenna on the car, it occured to me that it doesn't have a visible AM/FM antenna. I presume it's interwoven with the defroster lines in the glass on my car.
It's difficult to disguise something suitable for picking up submarine ELF transmissions (not that you can, just taking it to the extreme.). When I installed my 800 mhz antenna on the car, it occured to me that it doesn't have a visible AM/FM antenna. I presume it's interwoven with the defroster lines in the glass on my car.
Pro-95
Member
If you are refferring to the "on-star" antennas, they are matched for cellular freqs.... so for 800Mhz it *should* work. But I have no idea on the match.
If your refferring to the GPS antennas, those are for 1300+Mhz.
If your refferring to the GPS antennas, those are for 1300+Mhz.
Not sure what they are all for... but a LOT of your newer SUV's Trucks, and even newer cars have those nifty ant modules on the front roof now...... Some I have seen with what have to be AM/FM recieve ants... some are most assuredly cell phone,.. but the thing is we all know ants should be straight up and down for best performance,.. why are all the new ones slanted???? And yes a lot of the newer vehicles also incorporate the ants with the windshields.. my Pontiac Montanna is that way,... with all the extra space available on it up top and under the dash,.. its perfect for installation of anything and everything except permanent ants.... its just so much more suited for mag mounted stuff.... but my sister has a new 04 Silverado and its got those modules on its forehead,.. so you know me,.. ideas and visions of a stealth scanner ant came to mind...
thumbtrap
Member
I have seen low profiles in cellular, gps, and pcs bands. I thought I had seen a low profile disc in the 500 mhz region, but I can't seem to find it. None of the ones I've seen were multiband or extremely wide bandwidth, but might do if you principly want to monitor an 800 mhz system. Cost wise they are a little more, but if you shop around it's not a lot more (and less than if you dont shop around for your garden variety 3db gain cellular band by maxrad, radialllarsen, etc.)
Like I said - I didnt' do it because it's relatively large in diameter, and would still be quite noticeable on a car roof, vs the roof of a truck or SUV.
The major antenna manufacturer's cellular antennas are mostly all available in an 800-860 tuning and an 825-900 tuning. This came up recently, and most people just run the cellular (the lower tuning) antennas and live with it. I chose an 825-900 because it was available, didn't cost any more, and it fit the two systems I was interested in better.
As to orientation/polarization - yes it should be vertical, however I think that's a styling decision. It makes the car look more aerodynamic you know.
Like I said - I didnt' do it because it's relatively large in diameter, and would still be quite noticeable on a car roof, vs the roof of a truck or SUV.
The major antenna manufacturer's cellular antennas are mostly all available in an 800-860 tuning and an 825-900 tuning. This came up recently, and most people just run the cellular (the lower tuning) antennas and live with it. I chose an 825-900 because it was available, didn't cost any more, and it fit the two systems I was interested in better.
As to orientation/polarization - yes it should be vertical, however I think that's a styling decision. It makes the car look more aerodynamic you know.
Sounds like he is talking about satellite radio antennas, which I doubt could be used for anything scan worthy.
-Wayne
-Wayne
No I am not talking about the bubble/ball/disc for satcomms,.. I am refferrring to the ant modules for ant installations on almost all the newer SUV's, Trucks and a LOT of the newer model cars... take a look at most of the new stuff out there on the lots or on the road youll see what I mean,.. the single, double, and triple lil black modules that some have ants sticking out of,.. and some don't.. the ones put on the vehicles by the manufacturers specifically for ant installs........ I was wondering if anyone else had thought of maybe running an scanner feed to one of these modules and put an ant on it......but anyway.
Some of the newer vehicles out there have TWO antennas for the radio - one for AM and one for FM - both in the glass. Now add that the little roof antennas you see may not be all there is to the mix. According to industry publications I've read while sitting in a dealership waiting room, part of the "dipole" is in the glass and part is in the roof mount you can see. Naturally, the article didn't go into any details but it did say that the split antenna was done so as to accomplish broadband objectives to "meet the multi-band requirements of today's communications market." Go figure.
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nmfire10
Guest
We can make this really simple. They can be for any of the following:
1. AM/FM Broadcast radio
2. Cellular Phone / On-Star (Most likely on expensive GM Vehicles)
3. XM/Sirrius Sat radio
None of the above are going to make generally good scanner antennas.
And Milf, maybe 15 years ago, vertical antennas were the only way. But that is most certainly not the cast in the year 2004. Non-Vertical low profile antennas exist for every band of commercial radio and work as good if not better in some cases than a vertical whip.
1. AM/FM Broadcast radio
2. Cellular Phone / On-Star (Most likely on expensive GM Vehicles)
3. XM/Sirrius Sat radio
None of the above are going to make generally good scanner antennas.
And Milf, maybe 15 years ago, vertical antennas were the only way. But that is most certainly not the cast in the year 2004. Non-Vertical low profile antennas exist for every band of commercial radio and work as good if not better in some cases than a vertical whip.
unitcharlie
a Kentucky DB Admin...
with apologies....
i tried a number of years ago to be stealthy with a low profile antenna to receive on high-vhf.... the signal was much weaker than a full sized multi-band.... i haven't really tried since then... too frustrating... but i have used an external antenna inside the car--i mounted it to a metal plate on the overhead-- i could hear what was going on and not be too conspicuous.... but i guess the low-profile ears would hold better at 80 miles per hour....
i tried a number of years ago to be stealthy with a low profile antenna to receive on high-vhf.... the signal was much weaker than a full sized multi-band.... i haven't really tried since then... too frustrating... but i have used an external antenna inside the car--i mounted it to a metal plate on the overhead-- i could hear what was going on and not be too conspicuous.... but i guess the low-profile ears would hold better at 80 miles per hour....
sean-kd4adv
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Ford Taurus has a snap-in connector
Hey there.
Name here is Sean from Amelia, Virginia
I used to own a 1998 Ford Taurus.
The Radio's main unit is in the cargo compartment on the left-rear wheel well.
The connector is not compatible for scanner listening because of a snap-in type connector instead of the standard motorola pin connector.
My 98 Jeep has the Motorola type connector and I used a splitter so I can listen to Low-band VHF on the Jeep antenna and I am using a 3 connector BNC type connector for listening to VHF and UHF instead of the T-connector that allows 2 antennas.
ABEC Electronics (Rte 60, West of the Wal-Mart and Chesterfield Towne Center) sells the 3 input type BNC connector that allows 3 antennas so you can pull in more. If one antenna can only receive but that band the other 2 will compensate. I searched 30 to 50 MHz and heard comms not heard before.
It works good!
Especially for V-DOT and SIRS as well as 6-meters and some of the aeronautical sub-band where the NDBs transmit.
Hey there.
Name here is Sean from Amelia, Virginia
I used to own a 1998 Ford Taurus.
The Radio's main unit is in the cargo compartment on the left-rear wheel well.
The connector is not compatible for scanner listening because of a snap-in type connector instead of the standard motorola pin connector.
My 98 Jeep has the Motorola type connector and I used a splitter so I can listen to Low-band VHF on the Jeep antenna and I am using a 3 connector BNC type connector for listening to VHF and UHF instead of the T-connector that allows 2 antennas.
ABEC Electronics (Rte 60, West of the Wal-Mart and Chesterfield Towne Center) sells the 3 input type BNC connector that allows 3 antennas so you can pull in more. If one antenna can only receive but that band the other 2 will compensate. I searched 30 to 50 MHz and heard comms not heard before.
It works good!
Especially for V-DOT and SIRS as well as 6-meters and some of the aeronautical sub-band where the NDBs transmit.
N
N_Jay
Guest
http://www.kathrein-scala.com/
http://www.sti-co.com/
http://www.andrew.com
http://www.txrx.com/
http://www.maxrad.com/cgi/catalog.cgi
Most of these companies will send you a catalog if you ask.
The capalogs contain lots of technical information.
A few days spent reading these will give you much more knowlege than weeks of guessing.
As for the "lump" antennas, most probably On-Star or other GPS/Cellular systems. NAV has become very popular in ever vehicle over $30K
http://www.sti-co.com/
http://www.andrew.com
http://www.txrx.com/
http://www.maxrad.com/cgi/catalog.cgi
Most of these companies will send you a catalog if you ask.
The capalogs contain lots of technical information.
A few days spent reading these will give you much more knowlege than weeks of guessing.
As for the "lump" antennas, most probably On-Star or other GPS/Cellular systems. NAV has become very popular in ever vehicle over $30K
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