I bought Radio Shack's 20-032 a few days ago & realize it's the best money I spent for scanners in recent years. It costs $35 locally, but it took 2 stores to find it.
One thing to consider, others have posted that they have quality issues with it, so if this going to be used on a vehicle you might reconsider.
I live in a walk out basement, & reception was good but not perfect with the scanner even when I bought when I moved in several years ago. In the last year or so, the stock antenna was showing it's age, and even local base station transmissions were scratchy at times.
I use it as an inside antenna and placed upside down on ductwork. (I experimented with signal strength by placing the scanner on a weak NOAA weather radio station with squelch opened wide. I then walked around the room with the antenna in hand until I found good reception.)
Like you, on that scanner most of what I listen to is in the VHF range (150mhz).
I found I could listen to the state police repeaters for areas 60 miles to my east and 80 miles to my southeast, both in the I-95 corridor.
One transmission was from a suburban Richmond fair, or about 100 miles away. I heard transmissions Saturday from at least 60 miles away.
I can now hear FD transmissions (from the trucks and portables) within about 6 miles (before it was only a mile). (The FD is not repeated here.)
On a low band inter police frequency, I have heard base transmissions from a county 60 miles away & from a cruiser 25 miles away.
On the 900 band, I had perfect reception on the 1 local frequency I use it for.
On the Air band, well now it's like being at an airport. On Friday evening the chatter in that band was nearly non stop at times!
Two things that kill reception are tin roofs & fluorescent lighting. I lived in apartment building with a tin roof for a decade. Despite living on a hill downtown, my reception was limited to local base stations, any thing within a mile, and a FD base station 30 miles away at 300 watts.
On fluorescent lighting, I used to take my scanner to work with me, which had that kind of lighting. The reception was even worse that under a tin roof! I was reminded of that Saturday. The antenna I had just bought was placed near the laundry room. The light there is also fluorescent, and while it was on, my reception dropped back to local traffic only. Once it was turned off, I listening to the north part of my state again.
Steve
