Short Magnetic Mount Scanner Antenna

[NUGEN]

Saw these on eBay, I tried one out and they work pretty good. It doubled the reception on the RS PRO 106 scanner. It's a magnetic base so it sticks to anything metal and harnesses the metal object as an antenna.


eBay: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=161245384693

 

[Opfor2]

Might work ok for UHF and 800 Mhz BUT not for VHF frequencies.

 

[br0adband]

Those are basically useless for most intents and purposes, they're the same lame antennas that get included with the "cheap USB TV tuners" a lot of us are using for SDR duties nowadays, and just because someone attached a BNC connector to the cheap coax doesn't mean it's going to be any more useful overall with a scanner.

Hell, you can buy an RTL stick (and do more with it) plus the same antenna (with an MCX connector) for less than the cost of that antenna as listed.

It's crap and not worth 1/10th the cost that seller is trying to get. You'd probably get better signals sticking an unfolded straightened paperclip into the antenna connector - and I'm being completely and totally serious.

Would it be a stretch of the imagination and a complete coincidence that the poster above and the seller on eBay are both in Philadelphia? I wonder...

 

[bfperez]

When I'm not using my cell phone amplifier, I've connected this to my scanner with good results on 800:
Amazon.com: Wilson Electronics Dual Band - 800-1900 MHz Mini Magnet Mount Antenna with SMA Male Connector and 10-Foot RG174 Coax Cable: Cell Phones & Accessories

Most of the benefit probably comes from being outside the car.

They make another version with different characteristics:
Amazon.com: Wilson Electronics Dual Band - 800-1900 MHz Magnet Mount Antenna with SMA Male Connector and 10-Foot RG174 Coax Cable: Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[mainetrunk]

$20.00? I'd think twice. You get what you pay for. If you add an extension, you lose a bit of signal. I'd go to the radio techs that provide for your area and get what they got.. I did, never a regret. You can customize your cable length, and KNOW it IS the best on the road. Im SURE theres a radio shop somewhere in Philly. $$ gets the job done. Best of luck. Remember, if you get a pro grade 1, you may buy a 2nd 1 cause its so good..

 

[davenlr]

They make another version with different characteristics:
Amazon.com: Wilson Electronics Dual Band - 800-1900 MHz Magnet Mount Antenna with SMA Male Connector and 10-Foot RG174 Coax Cable: Cell Phones & Accessories

I use one of these on rooftop of a Sprinter van. I drive all over the state. The 800 MHz performance of this antenna is excellent, bringing in sites from our statewide P25 system from 40 miles away. VHF performance for some reason, is also excellent. I can pull in some of the fire repeaters 60 miles away. Just so-so on UHF band. Pick up the county repeater out to about 40 miles before "tree chop" makes it pretty much all noise, and hard to hear.

For the price, its a fantastic mobile antenna tho. I doubt once 3x more expensive would work any better.

 

[br0adband]

$20.00? I'd think twice. You get what you pay for. If you add an extension, you lose a bit of signal. I'd go to the radio techs that provide for your area and get what they got.. I did, never a regret. You can customize your cable length, and KNOW it IS the best on the road. Im SURE theres a radio shop somewhere in Philly. $$ gets the job done. Best of luck. Remember, if you get a pro grade 1, you may buy a 2nd 1 cause its so good..

My meaning - which I'm sure you got, right? - was that the poster above could potentially be the eBay seller trying to stir up interest in the sale which would of course be... well, anybody can see the issue there, right?

 

[mainetrunk]

Right. I hate to see anyone make the $$ mistakes I did.. ( quick example ) That radio shack through the glass antenna-- Did ok, went through woods, antenna caught minor branch, and POP. Off it came to be thrown out later. $ 20 gone, 65$ later, I'm thrilled.. Best to ya
http://www.radio-accessories.com/GMB8.aspx

 

[w2xq]

Wirelessly posted (Moto Droid Bionic: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.1.2; en-us; DROID BIONIC Build/9.8.2O-72_VZW-22) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30)

I never tossed the A/S mag mount cell phone antenna that I purchased way back when with my first cell phone -- a MOTO bag phone. Early-to-mid 1990s? Works very well with the -106 scanner. Maybe scout garage sales or pawn shops?

 

[w2xq]

Wirelessly posted (Moto Droid Bionic: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.1.2; en-us; DROID BIONIC Build/9.8.2O-72_VZW-22) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30)

The A/S mag mount cell antenna was impossible to destroy or blow off the car at 70 mph.

 

[LIScanner101]

They still pop up on eBay with surprising regularity. And yes, GREAT antenna,

 

[Ensnared]

Micro Coax

I once bought a mobile scanner antenna that had very thin coax. I cannot recall who made this antenna, but it was great for routing through doors, but there was a distinct difference in the sound of the scanner. It sounded a bit pinched. It worked fairly well on 800 mhz. I cannot recall how well it worked on VHF. But, I had a hard time getting someone to install a BNC on the end once it gave way. I don't know what size coax this was, but this antenna seems to have such.

 

[LIScanner101]

Was it Comtelco MicroLoss?

 

[Ensnared]

Unsure

Was it Comtelco MicroLoss?

That does sound familiar. I recall the coax being about half the size of the usual 58.

 

[mainetrunk]

I got the thin Beldon coax, 8 feet of it. Runs through the door jam no problem, and my set-up has passed the 75 mph wind test. It also has excellant reception. I slap an 800 mhz on there, Mass trunk is there--nearest tower is at least 40 miles as the seagull flies, and over a tree line. Personally, I have fun when people are staring at the multi set-up, get out and change the antenna from vhf to uhf. keeps the tourists asking, you listenning to XM? Well, all I can say is--get a STRONG magnet.