RS GLASS MOUNTS?

[BIONIC_TEXAN88]

how do the radio shack glass mount antennas work? i have a rs pro 90 that i have and i mainly track local police in the 150 mhz range and do some 800mhz trunking but not much trunking around my parts. thanks

 

[mstarn]

I have not had good luck with a glass mount. Tried several different vendors. They seem to work about like the "rubber ducky" antenna. I would not advise trying them. Maybe other folks have had better success with them?

Mark

 

[BIONIC_TEXAN88]

thanks for the reply, any other opinions would be appreciated.

 

[TeRayCodA]

I used a Radio Shack "on glass mount" for about a month,then I found an old Antenna Specialist MON-52 on ebay,and what a difference!

I for one do not like them.

 

[ScanDaBands]

I found an old Antenna Specialist MON-52 on ebay,and what a difference!

I've got THREE of those unopened , I had forgot about those until I saw this post...are they valuable?

as far as the Rad Shack glass mount , I had one on my wagon at one time and to be quite honest it wasn't half bad for the frequencies in the 150's , but I picked up a Diamond SG7900 and tried that and WOW ... Tidbit , if you go with anything besides the glass mount , if possible put it in the center of your roof with a magnet mount if you can , I'm only speaking for my experience but there is a big difference on the RX.

 

[mark99]

A poor performer

I was very disappointed with it. Like mstarn said, its compareable to a duck.

 

[TeRayCodA]

Scandabands:
I really like the MON-52,No,I don't think they are a collector item,as I only gave 10.00 for mine.

 

[SCPD]

I've used both the Larsen and the Radio Shack glass mount antennas. they were both worthless. The Larsen caused the R.F. finals in my amateur radio to go up in smoke. The outside coupling device, that the the whip is attached to, had a problem with developing water condensation inside of it and caused high S.W.R. They both had a problem with picking up external noise easily.

 

[astrodanco]

I've found that they're better than just the duckie inside the car, particularly on the civil air band. Other than that I can't say much for them.

 

[OTTER]

I use a larsen kluglass multi band on the glass. This antenna cost about 100.00 on sale, usaully 150.00. Pricey but I pick up chicago fire dept from 90 miles away on good days. Thats on my truck. I use this with my Icom 2100h 2 meter it works fantastic. Better than any on the glass I've read about. The moral is I guess there really is a good on the glass antenna.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantm/larsenkg.html

 

[911scanner]

Not being a smartaleck, but I have to ask...

I clicked on the last link. It looks like a standard "cellular" type antenna. Obviously it's tuned to a specific band, and it's obviously a 3dB gain antenna. This unit also includes RG-58.

So, my point is, what exactly makes this a $100-$150 antenna. It's low grade coax, looks like a standard inexpensive 3dB gain cell ant, which usually goes for $30-$35.

What's so special about it, other than it's made by a company that specializes in antennas & radio stuff?

If you want high-gain, why not get a basic 5dB (2 coil) on glass cell antenna for $35?

Mark

 

[911scanner]

BUMP

I really do want to know.....

 

[fourwd1]

Not being a smartaleck, but I have to ask...

I clicked on the last link. It looks like a standard "cellular" type antenna. Obviously it's tuned to a specific band, and it's obviously a 3dB gain antenna. This unit also includes RG-58.

So, my point is, what exactly makes this a $100-$150 antenna. It's low grade coax, looks like a standard inexpensive 3dB gain cell ant, which usually goes for $30-$35.

What's so special about it, other than it's made by a company that specializes in antennas & radio stuff?

If you want high-gain, why not get a basic 5dB (2 coil) on glass cell antenna for $35?

Mark

It only "looks" like a standard cellular antenna to the untrained eye.

The lengths of the vertical sections above and below the phasing coil and the coil itself are different than a cell antenna. It is designed to reasonate on the amateur radio 2m or 2m/70cm bands for transmitting, and has broader coverage for reception.

The Larsen antennas are typically of a higher quality than the Radio Shack and others, and you are paying some for the name (same as when you buy an ANtenna Specialists antenna).

If you ONLY want to receive in the 800MHz band, a cell band antenna IS a better way to go. But if you want wider coverage, a multi-band ham antenna or wide-band scanner antenna is best.

Glass mount antennas are not going to give fantastic results, the design is a compromise, to provide a convienient mounting method (no holes, no magnets to scratch paint, etc.) and a low profile look.

They're better than a duckie inside a car, but nowhere near the performance of a longer wavelength antenna mounted on the roof or trunk.

 

[911scanner]

Good answer. Thanks.

Mark

 

[fmon]

Today, I got 1 mile more range on the RS through glass (with Pro-2096) then (with Pro-96) and stock ducky inside the car. The system was a 400 Mot Smartzone.

 

[K2KOH]

You have to remember, the inside and outside pieces have to be perfectly aligned for the through the glass coupling to work. Also, if you have certain types of tinting on your glass, forget it, this ain't going to work!

 

[911scanner]

You have to remember, the inside and outside pieces have to be perfectly aligned for the through the glass coupling to work. Also, if you have certain types of tinting on your glass, forget it, this ain't going to work!

The tinting to be concerned about is any "Lead" based tint, which I believe is out of production.

Don't forget that the glass also must be perfectly cleaned, dried, then use the alcohol wipe in the pack, then let it dry, then line up each sticky piece. If you don't, the sticky mount will be compromised.

Mark