Scanner in Car

[ScannerSky]

Hey everyone!

So, I just got a Jeep and am a big scanner buff as well as an EMT. I like to know what's going on. I have a Pro-106 portable trunking scanner and wanted to know if I could use this to listen in my car - I know it's possible to just take it and put it in my car since it's portable, but what I want to have is a good antenna that doesn't bolt into my car. I want to be able to switch between car and home listening with my scanner - so if I go in the car, I would just take my scanner with me and hook it up to the antenna on my car, and when I am home I just take it and put the regular antenna on it.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[fineshot1]

but what I want to have is a good antenna that doesn't bolt into my car. I want to be able to switch between car and home listening with my scanner - so if I go in the car, I would just take my scanner with me and hook it up to the antenna on my car, and when I am home I just take it and put the regular antenna on it.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

OK - now please clarify - you want an antenna in your Jeep but you do not want to attach it
to the Jeep? Comon now just resolve yourself to drill the proper holes and "just do it right"
unless you want something floppin around your Jeep when you make a turn.

 

[ScannerSky]

I just want to have good reception in my car - no drilling lol

 

[SCPD]

Get a mag mount??

 

[ScannerSky]

What kind of antenna would I get (what's the best one) for a car and I don't want to pay a fortune. Also, how would I connect it to my portable scanner? Thanks so much!

 

[Highpockets]

What kind of antenna would I get (what's the best one) for a car and I don't want to pay a fortune. Also, how would I connect it to my portable scanner? Thanks so much!

Look here and see if anything tickles your fancy:

Mobile Antennas

 

[ScannerSky]

Thanks so much!!

 

[freqs]

I have a pro 106 with a Rad Shack 800 mhz antenna on the radio works just fine I have no outside antenna .just use the one on it

 

[Swipesy]

The kicker here is the statement that you don't want to spend much money for a antenna. Take Freq advice and buy the RS 800 antenna for $20.00 and be perfectly happy. Mag mount solutions to get a decent antenna, such as a Antennex phantom (by Laird), will cost you $75.00 by the time you are done.

 

[RadioDaze]

Anyone ever tried one of these?
Duckie Window Mount with BNC

 

[davidmc36]

Anyone ever tried one of these?
Duckie Window Mount with BNC

I have a couple of those. The coax is pretty horrible but not unusable once I shortened them a bit. I find reception a bit spotty depending on which way you are facing since the antenna ends up below your roof a bit. I use them more if I want to have a second scanner for some reason and the signal is close and strong. Mag mounts are better, and I would settle for no less than a hard mounted for best performance.

 

[DaveNF2G]

In a high rf environment (just about any city), an external mobile antenna might actually reduce the amount of traffic you can hear on a scanner. My mobile scanner performs much better on its own duckie standing upright in a window than it does when I connect it to a rooftop antenna.

 

[RadioDaze]

Dave, you must be using a GRE or RS, am I right?

I haven't tried the window mount myself. My thought was that it would be better than having the antenna inside the metal of the vehicle, but any gain could be wiped out by coax losses. If it's supplied with poor coax, then that's probably the case.

+1 on a magmount for the OP

I REALLY REALLY want to drill for an NMO on the roof of my RX300, but I'm afraid the headliner will be a nightmare. It was such a piece of cake with my old Pathfinder.

 

[freqs]

The window antenna's that hang on the window are junk the cell look alike antenna's are about the same .save your money use the stock antenna.I have only had luck with a out side the vehicle antenna was on my 350 c it worked great even picked up skip good I used a 3ft tiger fiberglass antenna and that will mount like a CB antenna to your spare tire mount my son has it on his 91 yj with a mirror mount . Now iam not sure but you might get overload on that handheld you have with a outside antenna.Use the stock or get the 800 mhz radio shack ducky antenna thats all I use and works great in a car

 

[zz0468]

I just want to have good reception in my car - no drilling lol

Good reception.

No drilling.

Pick one.

 

[whiskeytango]

get the radio shack one for 14.97 i think, on clearance, all bands come in pretty well, just attaches to the scanner itself, 8 inch rubber ducky

 

[ScannerSky]

I appreciate all of the help! I don't know whether I should just stay with my one portable scanner and bring it with me in the car and then when I am home bring it inside - would it be easier to just get a regular base scanner for my car?

 

[al95]

I appreciate all of the help! I don't know whether I should just stay with my one portable scanner and bring it with me in the car and then when I am home bring it inside - would it be easier to just get a regular base scanner for my car?

Once I installed a mobile scanner in my car but it was stolen within one month I didn't have any car alarm. Since then I have never install mobile scanner in my car and yes I did intsall a car alarm to all my cars. I would stay with the portable scanner.

 

[cfr301]

I bought the Diamond Antenna (Portable) for my 106, use it in the house and the truck, works great, there is no way I'd put an external Antenna on my truck unless it was a glass mount, which I do have on another truck I own. It works pretty good too. I was picking up VHF stations last night with the Diamond on my 106 that were two counties away from where I was, if that gives you any idea.

My 106 was sitting in the console cup holder of my 2006 F-150.

There are so many MARC's towers around here that picking them up was great as well, I was listening to Findlay OSP in St Marys Ohio, on Marcs.

Happy Thanksgiving

Rick

Heres the truck, I own a plowing business, 3 trucks.. and a fuzzy shot of my 106

 

[ScannerSky]

That is exactly the way I feel! I don't want to put an antenna on my Jeep - if I want to listen to it, I will just take my Pro-106 and place it in the cup holder. Thanks!