Radioshack Mobile Antenna?

[85chevy4x4]

I was wondering if anyone has any first hand experience with the $30 Radioshack mobile antenna? Is it any good? It says its for 25-1300 mhz and I will mainly use it to scan an 800 mhz digital system. The next county over uses regular frequncies in the 150.xxx to 160.xxx range, I'd like to hear them as well.

Thanks

Magnet-mount mobile scanner antenna - RadioShack.com Antenna
Summit County Regional 800 Radio Trunking System, Various, Ohio - Scanner Frequencies 800mhz system I listen to

 

[ka3jjz]

I know a fair amount of folks that have it - it's a very basic antenna, and it works - but you might do better with the Larsen 150/400/800 mhz antenna, which is very close to your requirements.

You have to buy your own mount for it, but that's not all that hard - it gives you a little flexibility as to how and where you mount it. As high as you can is always best. Places like HRO Radio Outlet sells both the antenna and various mounts, but do some shopping

It's a bit of a compromise at VHF lo, but most mobile antennas are, frankly.

best regards..Mike

 

[NYRHKY94]

Hello:

I have the RS mobile mag mount antenna you are asking about. I found it to be a "decent" antenna on VHF & UHF, but not that great on the 800 band. I also wasn't a fan of the size of this antenna, so I switched to a Larsen Tri-Band. I couldn't be happier with the overall performance of the Larsen on all 3 bands and the 16" size was much more to my liking. It was well worth the money in my case to upgrade to the Larsen. The RS mag mount has been relegated to occasional use indoors on a metal filing cabinet (ground plane).

Just my 2-cents!

Thanks - Mike

 

[K2KOH]

I'm gonna be honest...the best mobile antenna I have seen so far is the Austin Spectra. Sitting on my Ford Escape, and it does a hell of a job across the board. Proved itself to me when I drove out west and down to North Carolina.

Austin Antenna Spectra Multiband Mobile/Base Scanner Antenna

 

[85chevy4x4]

Ok thanks I think i'm going to look into the Larsen antenna. Now as far as mounts go, will the brand of the mount make any difference as to how well the antenna will work? Also are the threads or how ever the antenna hooks up to the mount, are universal for the most part? say I want to start using a different antenna, do I have to get another mount also?

Ham Radio Outlet | LARSEN NMO150/450/800 | 150/450/800MHZ NMO ANT I assume thats the Larsen antenna?

 

[Dewey]

Ok thanks I think i'm going to look into the Larsen antenna. Now as far as mounts go, will the brand of the mount make any difference as to how well the antenna will work? Also are the threads or how ever the antenna hooks up to the mount, are universal for the most part? say I want to start using a different antenna, do I have to get another mount also?

Ham Radio Outlet | LARSEN NMO150/450/800 | 150/450/800MHZ NMO ANT I assume thats the Larsen antenna?

They are generally universal to the type of mount that they use. For the antenna that you are looking at (Larsen), the key word is "NMO". Any NMO mount antenna will work with the mount that you use with the Larsen. Most NMO mounts require a 1/4" hole (hole mounts, not the magnetic or trunk lip type). There are some out there that use a 1/8" hole (my favorite), but those usually have to be mounted from the inside instead of being fed through from the outside.

Dewey

 

[krokus]

I have owned a couple of these antennas. They work as advertised, but are not the best antenna you will find.

I had no complaints about them, for what that's worth.

 

[lowerrollin]

I think there fine for 800. For 30 bucks, its a throw it on the roof and go. I monitor a 800 system 30 miles away. And in east Tennessee, thats good. The larson is gonna be better, but can you really go wrong with 30 bucks, mount and coax included? Read the reviews at Magnet-mount mobile scanner antenna - RadioShack.com A true 800 antenna would be a option if you wanted to listen to just 800 exclusively, but you would struggle some for the next county. Something like the DPD 800 antenna DPD Productions - Scanner / Radio Antennas for Commercial & Hobbyist Applications (scroll down for the mobile antennas) pricey, but has mount and coax included.

 

[reconrider8]

Larsen NMO150/450/800 Tri-Band NMO Antenna if you go with the larsen i recommend buying from this guy he is straight up cool and the support is unreal with him

 

[W4EMS]

NMO mounts are varied. For one you drill a hole, others are lip mounted which helps with vehicle re-sale value. If you decide to drill be sure you know where all the wires and gadgets are and that you don't get in the path of the sun roof if you have one.

I have used the RS mag mount. Ok antenna. Larsen triband scanner antenna ok too.
For my purposes I use the RS 800 MHz rubber duck onb my Pro 106. No external antenna and reception is pretty good. Real good on 800, oko on VHF and UHF not so good on VHF lo.

 

[timkilbride]

NMO mounts are varied. For one you drill a hole, others are lip mounted which helps with vehicle re-sale value. If you decide to drill be sure you know where all the wires and gadgets are and that you don't get in the path of the sun roof if you have one.

I have used the RS mag mount. Ok antenna. Larsen triband scanner antenna ok too.
For my purposes I use the RS 800 MHz rubber duck onb my Pro 106. No external antenna and reception is pretty good. Real good on 800, oko on VHF and UHF not so good on VHF lo.

I have never had a car salesman complaint about my holes from antennas when trading in my cars. In fact, I always leave the mount in place and cut cut the coax somewhere inside the car.

Tim K.

 

[ksphotoguy]

I have a couple of the RS mag mounts that worked ok but the magnets are not very strong and the antenna can get blown off at higher speeds. Haven't used them for a couple years now. I now go by the philosophy of buy something good once instead of junk 3 times and in the long run you're better off

 

[85chevy4x4]

I would like to go with a magnet mount NMO, just for ease of installation. I could care less about resale value of my $2400 S-10(that I got $3000 from when I was T-boned) I wouldnt mind putting a hole in the roof if theres any other benefits to that. I have the radio shack 800mhz portable antenna which works awsome on the 800mhz band(not very good on the 150.xxx channels though) but when its laying on my seat while im driving it dosent work as well, which is why I want a different antenna for my truck. Now im assuming that the Larsen just snaps onto the mount like how my little antenna snaps onto my scanner? If thats the case do they make NMO CB antennas that I can switch out if I want to use a CB (unhook the Larsen and but a CB antenna on the mount).?

 

[Dewey]

...
If thats the case do they make NMO CB antennas that I can switch out if I want to use a CB (unhook the Larsen and but a CB antenna on the mount).?

Google "Laird C27". There are some others also.

Dewey