Radio Shack Magnet Mount???

[ILbandit]

Has anyone ever tried one of these... http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=20-032
Just curoius if it would be worth the money to stick one on the trunk of my car.

 

[safetyobc]

http://shop.waltel.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/10_48 I bought the chrome one of the antennex. I heard lots of people saying the rs mag mount antenna was junk and that it fell apart going down the road and all kinds of stuff so I went with the one in the link above plus got the magmount with it. If you have never ordered from them you get a $10 discount on your first order. I ordered it on a Friday and got it on Tuesday. Works GREAT!

 

[FPO703]

I currently own 3 of these antennas. 1 is in my car, 1 in my trunk (for 2nd scanner) and 3rd is on my porch awning. They work great.

 

[unitcharlie]

some of our mobile units have those.... i have had two completely disintegrate on the road.... they were correctly assembled but the bottom hex screw doesn't have enough throw in the tap to hold the bottom shaft in place... it falls apart at the top of the bottom insulator.... i sent rat shack some pix of a modification i did and have heard nothing since.... it is a pretty good antenna for receiving the hi-vhf thru 800 meg systems we monitor.... going down the road, by the way, it will oscillate itself off the car's roof....

i finally ended up at the universal radio website and bought two PMM3B antennas---everything including tax and shipping $28.85..... when the antennas arrived i was shocked that they were so small.... little more than a foot tall and they look like cell fone antennas.... i have been listening for about a month and have heard things i haven't heard in a long time in the car.... doesn't hear below 100 megs, but i don't monitor any systems that low so it was cool....

here is the link:
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanants/1190.html

 

[jbstahr]

Has anyone ever tried one of these... http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=20-032
Just curoius if it would be worth the money to stick one on the trunk of my car.

I have used it and it has marginal reception at best. I thought it was pretty good until I bought a pair of commercial quality antennas tuned to the specific bands I monitor, one for 800 Mhz and one for VHF. I am now hearing things that I could never hear except for on the discone at home. I suggest avoiding the RS mag mount as it is a multi-band antenna and a poor one at that. I have heard Larsen makes a great multi-band NMO antenna and it is frequently recommended in the forums. Stick with a commercial antenna with the best coax you can afford. You will not be disappointed.

 

[ILbandit]

Thanks for the tips, I run a dual band on my semi. It works decent, not real good on the 800's though. I am wanting to get a good tri-band for my car, then if it works well, get another for the truck. (Would like to get the 800 trunk systems well out on the road.)

 

[edN]

You might check out this comparison between the RS antenna, and a couple others.
http://www.strongsignals.net/access...ype=rev&class=ant&num=004#PERFORMANCE

I was using the RS, but decided to go with a Niljon. I'm satisfied.

 

[jbstahr]

You might check out this comparison between the RS antenna, and a couple others.
http://www.strongsignals.net/access...ype=rev&class=ant&num=004#PERFORMANCE

I was using the RS, but decided to go with a Niljon. I'm satisfied.

The following picture shows why I am against any mag mounts:

You can clearly see the scratches left behind. As far as performance goes, I am quite sure it'll beat the RS Mag Mount.

 

[ILbandit]

jbstahr,
I know what you mean, you should see my trunk! LOL I'm not too worried about scratches, It is just an old beater work car I'm putting it on.
(my wife wouldn't allow a scanner in our family car- :roll: )

What is the antenna on the right in your picture? Is that a tri-band scanner antenna?

Sounds like I might steer away from the RS's. Looks like a ton of different ones to choose from though! I do like the reports on that Niljon.
Thanks for all the links!

 

[jbstahr]

jbstahr,
I know what you mean, you should see my trunk! LOL I'm not too worried about scratches, It is just an old beater work car I'm putting it on.
(my wife wouldn't allow a scanner in our family car- :roll: )

Sounds like I might steer away from the RS's. Looks like a ton of different ones to choose from though!
Thanks for all the links!

I am currently using a couple trunk mounts from http://www.comtelcoantennas.com/index.htm . I have the 800 Mhz and the VHF. I am thoroughly impressed so far. I can't believe how much I was missing with the RS Mag Mount. I used to swear by it. :shock:

 

[ILbandit]

I've thought about gettting a couple "specific band" antennas and trying that also. From what I'm reading, I would get alot more "gain" doing it that way.

How do you run 2 different ones?
Do you have them ran thru a 2 way switch?
Or just change the coax when your wanting to switch bands?

Thanks for the link, I'll add it to the many others I have saved to my favorites from this forum. I have alot of stuff to look at now. :shock:

 

[jbstahr]

I've thought about gettting a couple "specific band" antennas and trying that also. From what I'm reading, I would get alot more "gain" doing it that way.

How do you run 2 different ones?
Do you have them ran thru a 2 way switch?
Or just change the coax when your wanting to switch bands?

Thanks for the link, I'll add it to the many others I have saved to my favorites from this forum. I have alot of stuff to look at now. :shock:

I have one radio dedicated to the PAL 800 TRS/Charlotte TRS and a second radio dedicated to our county VHF conventional freqs.

 

[ILbandit]

I think it would be more cost efficient to just have 1scanner, and 2 antennas! LOL

Could a person hook up a 2-way switch between the antennas, and just switch back and forth? Or would there be some loss in doing that?

QUOTE: I think it would be more cost efficient to just have 1scanner, and 2 antennas! LOL
If I keep hanging around on this forum, I know I'll probably end up with one of the new digital scanners!!! $$$$$ :shock:

 

[N_Jay]

I think it would be more cost efficient to just have 1scanner, and 2 antennas! LOL

Could a person hook up a 2-way switch between the antennas, and just switch back and forth? Or would there be some loss in doing that?

QUOTE: I think it would be more cost efficient to just have 1scanner, and 2 antennas! LOL
If I keep hanging around on this forum, I know I'll probably end up with one of the new digital scanners!!! $$$$$ :shock:

'

There would be very little loss if you used a good Ant switch, and a lot of loss if you used a bad one.

Of course, you have to decide what you want to scan first.

Hmm, when are these scanners going to start coming with a separate antenna connector for each band? :wink:

 

[ILbandit]

The multiple antenna jacks would be great! Hard to believe they haven't thought of that.

I was thinking of using 1-dual band UHF/VHF, and 1-800mHZ. So when I'm in Chicago, I could switch over to the 800 for listening to trunk systems.

 

[jbstahr]

I think it would be more cost efficient to just have 1scanner, and 2 antennas! LOL

Could a person hook up a 2-way switch between the antennas, and just switch back and forth? Or would there be some loss in doing that?

QUOTE: I think it would be more cost efficient to just have 1scanner, and 2 antennas! LOL
If I keep hanging around on this forum, I know I'll probably end up with one of the new digital scanners!!! $$$$$ :shock:

I don't think there is such a thing as cost effective in this hobby... :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[ILbandit]

I don't think there is such a thing as cost effective in this hobby...
_________________

I'm starting to realize that, I may have to sell of a few of my export radios, and amps to get all the new scanner "playtoys" !! :lol:

 

[MaizeBlueFlyover]

The radio shack mag mount scanner antenna is the biggest piece of junk they sell in the whole store. (Like just about everything else they sell)

I bought one in a pinch because I was going on a trip and decided at the last minute to take my scanner along. Those screws that hold the antenna together strip out so easily. I ended up taking 2 different ones back because of this problem. They work "OK" on VHF. Forget listening to anything on 800Mhz with it.

Diskmonger

 

[K5MAR]

(my wife wouldn't allow a scanner in our family car- :roll: )

Can you say DIVORCE! :wink:

I was dating a girl that objected to the antennas on my car (only two then, NINE now on my truck), I quit dating her.

Mark S.

 

[ILbandit]

Can you say DIVORCE!

I was dating a girl that objected to the antennas on my car (only two then, NINE now on my truck), I quit dating her.

Mark S.

LOL, I can do anything I want on my car,CB antennas, amps, sometimes the passenger seat is filled up with equipment/wires.
But she doesn't want any electronics in hers. I do good to slip my Roady II - XM Radio in there on trips!

diskmonger,
I am definately going to stay away from the RS mag mount.

Thanks for the info.