If you want an all-in-one antenna....then your best bet would be a telescoping type.
There is a formula that tells you how long the antenna needs to be for the frequency you are trying to receive. Here is the formula for adjusting a telescoping antenna to a 1/4 of a given frequency's wave.....1/4 wave.
2843/Freq in mHz = Antenna Length in inches, so if you wanted to tune your telescoping antenna to listen to let say 155 mhz...then
2843/155 mhz = 18.43 inches, thus you'd need to adjust your telescoping antenna 18.43 inches.
(Hint: To make a longer antenna shorter....you coil sections of it...think pig tail covered in plastic).
Now, some people will state that you need this level of detail only when transmitting, but I will bet my own $1.00 that it does make a difference on receive also. Why do you think they make so many darn rubber ducky antennas! This is my analogy (maybe someone can correct me if I'm way off) - A wave is just that....a wave. Electromagnetic emissions from a transmitter travel through space in a wave pattern.....think ocean wave. It has a peak, and a trough. You want an antenna that can catch this wave (- a 1/4, 1/2, 5/8 or full will work also). Let's take an 800 mhz emission. It's full wave is 14.3" tall.
So you want an antenna that is 14.3" tall to catch this wave. If you take let's say a 73.2" antenna instead, thinking longer/bigger is better.....think again. A 73" antenna will be optimized to catch a 155 mhz wave. So guess what! That 800 mhz signal your trying to catch will be drowned out by any 155 mhz wave (plus any other wave down) or there abouts being transmitted. You say there aren't any??? Think again. The space around you...although it may visual seem empty is loaded with all sorts of emissions awaiting to stick themselves onto some antenna. So there you are....you've got a 73.2" antenna hooked up to your scanner, and you've just dialed in 802 mhz. Now your wondering why what your getting sounds so faint? It's because that 73.2" antenna is catching all the 155 mhz (+ everything else inbetween) transmissions like a fly paper is to your fingers.
It works the other way around too. Let's now take a pare of nippers, and trim off just enough to bring that 73.2" antenna down to 14.3".....and switch the scanner to 155 mhz. Whoa! What happened. I still can't hear s***. That's because you can't catch a 73.2" electromagnetic wave with a 14.3" antenna, silly.
Well, I hope I confused you more.
The cons of the telescoping antenna is durability. They are more prone to breaking. It takes only the weight of your hand held to bend the tip of a $35.00 Comet Telescoping antenna. In addition, after extended use they tend to slip at the sections. Watson, Diamond, Comet, Radio Shack, Antennex...etc...all make one. The more expensive ones have little adjustment guides printed right near the bottom.
You can also try to make your own. All you need is a soldering gun, a BNC/SMA connector that will allow you to solder on a whip. Cut the whip using the formula above, and solder onto the connector. Walla! Now you got the receipe to make hundreds of your own antennas...Each one less then $10 to make (including labor and materials).
As an example, I have the following:
1. Comet HT-55: Wideband received but tuned for 155mhz/450mhz...8.75 inches long and flexible
2. Comet SMA-503: Wideband receive but tuned for 144mhz/420mhz...8.5 inches long and flexible
3. Radio Shack 2000-06 Telescoping: Wideband recieve - adjustable using formula above
4. Radio Shack 800 mhz: For Apco25/Mot/Edacs/Trunking...etc systems
5. 800mhz Cellphone Antenna: Uses N to BNC adapter; Old antenna from 1980's; 5 db; works great, but cheaply made and is held together with
electrical tape. Found it at a now defunct electronics parts store (the real kind....not like Rat Shack).
6. Comet MH-255: For monitoring at events (Sports Games, Race Track, Air Shows, Boat Shows, Expos....etc).
7. SMA-501 and CH32: For VX5r HT
8. RH77CA: For VX5r HT
9. VX5r Stock Antenna: Provides 6m for Vx5r
10. Piece of TV antenna cable with an SMA: Known as a J-pole; VX5r use
I just picked up a Comet/Maldol AL-500 (SMA) that is specifically tuned for Air bands. It's flexible, but somewhat fragile. 20" long, so it's not real portable.
I like antenna's and for me it's one of my primary interests in this hobby. All that stuff above fits into a backpack that I carry with me. I'll post some pics when I get a chance under "Pictures Of Your Shack/Mobile Setup" forum.
Finally, I have two scanners that I use often...BC246T (VHF/UHF monitoring) and a BCD396T (Trunk Tracking Monitoring). I usually have both on at the same time. I have 3 more, but I bought them out of curiosity if anything else. Don't use them much...two are in a state of repair, and the last one needs a pc to run.
