Through the Glass Antenna for Home

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ZachSmith

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So I've recently upgraded my "through the glass" antenna on my vehicle to a Maxrad with a lip mount, with some increased performance (and a sexier look). As I've got this through the glass antenna, I'm wondering if anyone has ever used them for a window in the house. I rent a very new house and cannot mount anything on the roof or run anything through the windows.

Otherwise, my other idea was to try to build extensions for my antenna and just mount them to something and sit it in the window (inside) to get better reception, and not have antennas everywhere on the backs of my scanners. As I have a solid curtain on the window it would cover the antennas up and give me a cleaner appearance.

Thanks for any advice.
 

ramal121

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As you experienced, a glass mount antenna is just not as good as a hard wired antenna. In your case a whip on a trunk lip mount.

Glass mount antennas are capacitively coupled and the spacing between the the inside box and the outside whip is critical. Auto glass is made to standard specs. The windows in your house are different which may affect performance, usually worst. If you have double pane windows, forget it.

Rig up an antenna mount with 15 or 20 feet of coax. Try moving it around the room and see if there is a sweet spot that gives good reception.
 

SCPD

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Mag mount

or get a good mag mount and use something metal in the house like a filing cabinet to place it on.

I agree. I think a mag mount antenna on something metal, like what Mike says, and near the window, is going to play much better than a thru-the-glass antenna. If you got a dresser or table in front of the window, put the antenna on a cookie sheet, or even a metal license plate (I've done this with good results), on top of the furniture in front of the window.
 
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