scanner antenna question

[bluestallion]

I have a 2011 jeep patriot. I'm looking at carrying a scanner with me. Would putting a glass mount on one of the back tinted windows or buying a kit that makes your am/fm antenna into a scanner antenna be better. Dont want to drill holes in it at this time. Didnt know if the tint would cause the glass mount to not work as good? Thanks for any help

 

[popnokick]

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I've had both types of antennas. Between the two the glass mount is not only better for receive sensitivity, it also doesn't mess up your AM-FM radio reception.

 

[Tracker]

Is it factory tint.....? Is your scanner portable?
I'd go magnet mount, followed by glass mount n lastly the stock antenna thing, (although I personally wouldn't do the stock antenna thing)..
Am sure others with more experience will chime in soon........

 

[bluestallion]

yes it has the factory tint on the windows. And my scanner is a handheld model. Id prefer the cleaness of using a glass mount over magmount, but if it wont work as well,then ill got with a magmount. I have a extra nmo spot for antenna on my buick. But not drilling any holes in the jeep at this time.

 

[kb2vxa]

I'd go with the mag mount, glass mounts exhibit considerable loss in the coupling transformer that feeds signal through the glass. Then there is a bit of trouble finding the "sweet spot", an exact overlap isn't always it. Then there's metallic tint (you never really know what you have) that really upsets the apple cart. Yeah, go with the mag mount.

 

[popnokick]

Original question was glass mount vs. AM/FM radio coupler. Throw a magnet mount mobile antenna into the options and that changes the entire picture. The mag mount provides better reception than either of the choices posed in the original question. The problem I've had with my Jeep Liberty is that there is not a good place to run the coax into the vehicle once you put the antenna on the roof or hood. The rear liftgate is a very tight closure, and pretty well crushes the coax. And forget running it between the liftglass and body... unless you like water inside. Slamming it into rubber seal of a rear passenger door might work, I guess. But do you really want passengers to have to deal with the coax getting in/out of the vehicle? If you have no passengers most of the time I guess that would work....

 

[CWR]

I had a Jeep , and I used an Amateur Radio Hatch-Back Mount , made by Comet I think , and it had just enough of the tiny coax to get past the rubber seal. Worked GREAT , NO HOLES !

 

[bluestallion]

i have one of those mounts for my dual band antenna on my jeep. they do work great

 

[mikedaly]

I have a 2008 chevy truck. Were i live we have 1 800 trunked system and fire and CDF is on high band VHF. They are all repeated. I didn't want to drill any holes in my truck also. I bought a ANTENNA ANT SPLITTER Y AUX ADAPTOR 2 MALE 1 FEMALE found on E-*** . It is used all the time for car stereo to combine highend off air Digital and Analog 88-108 FM. You will get some people saying that it will cause this and that. the best thing to do is to spend $10 and try it. If your systems are not repeated then you will loose some signal. Were i live it work for me and i am able to here simplex radios just fine. there are so many factors that go with scanners and radio siginals. Also police departments use disguise antennas all the time. You are just recieving NOT transmitting. So it is not going to matter. Hope this helps. Email me if you have any questions. I can send you pictures of what i have done for my car. Sometime the TINT can have or make problems for receiving a signal.