Upside down scanner antenna

[PrivatelyJeff]

Ok, so this is an odd question...

I drive a big rig hauling silage right now and I drive a company truck so I can’t make any modifications.

In the past I mounted my mobile scanner to the dash using a lot of mounting tape, then use a RG58 BNC extension cable to connect the scanner to the antenna, which I suction cupped upright to the windshield (near the center, where the two parts meet). This has worked fine for years.

Now I’m getting a new truck soon and can’t mount anything to the dash (going from a hard dash to a soft one), but there is a spot up to where the CB radio would go (it’s missing) and I was thinking of putting my scanner up inside there and doing something similar with the antenna, but instead of having the antenna pointing up, can it be upside down, with the connector on top and I can then easily use a jumper to connect it to the scanner?

 

[buddrousa]

Ok, so this is an odd question...

I drive a big rig hauling silage right now and I drive a company truck so I can’t make any modifications.

In the past I mounted my mobile scanner to the dash using a lot of mounting tape, then use a RG58 BNC extension cable to connect the scanner to the antenna, which I suction cupped upright to the windshield (near the center, where the two parts meet). This has worked fine for years.

Now I’m getting a new truck soon and can’t mount anything to the dash (going from a hard dash to a soft one), but there is a spot up to where the CB radio would go (it’s missing) and I was thinking of putting my scanner up inside there and doing something similar with the antenna, but instead of having the antenna pointing up, can it be upside down, with the connector on top and I can then easily use a jumper to connect it to the scanner?

Yes this will work if your scanner is the 996P2 or 536 you can invert the screen and mount the scanner upside down only the keys would be upside down to read them and it would cost you no money.

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

You all missed the point. The scanner isn’t the issue, nor is having an antenna. The issue is can the antenna be pointed downward.

 

[StaticDischarge]

Yes it can.. vertical is vertical and horizontal is horizontal.. If you look at some towers that have stand off platforms with antennas you may see some pointing downwards.. This is to utilize the space and have more antennas on said tower among other reasons.

Although there is a thought about inverted antennas mounted outside.. It had better be made to do so or you had better waterproof it good.. Weep holes will allow water in just as efficiently as it lets it out...

Oh and mounting an antenna upside down will not make the communications play backwards! Just thought I'd throw that at ya..!! (might be cool if it did!!??)

 

[626hawkeye]

It doesnt matter if its pointing upward or downward (upside down) as long as its vertical it will work. The radio wave will still be recived with no Issues. I have a antenna hanging upside down on my porch works just as fine as my J-pole .

 

[soberone14]

I took the bird perch from the Freightliner and mounted it the the spot mirror above the passenger door on my Kenworth and out a regular mirror mount antenna in the bird perch works beautiful and I didn't take the mirror off if my company truck.

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

Thanks guys. I didn’t think so, but you never know with some things. I wish I could mount an exterior antenna, but with the force of silage hitting it while getting loaded, it wouldn’t probably last long.

 

[buddrousa]

My answer was yes I also offered extra information

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

My answer was yes I also offered extra information

I wasn’t looking to mount any scanner upside down, nor would I need too.

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

Here’s the installation in my truck now.

 

[vagrant]

That will work fine. The various Kings County repeaters will blast in like before. Additionally, your proximity to Lemoore NAS should allow for mil air reception and probably the tower too. Import that in from the RR database and give it a whirl.

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

Yep. Already in there. I turn them on if I’m nearby.

 

[DJ11DLN]

I have actually done something very similar when driving for the neighbor. RS800 duck, 90* BNC adapter, and short run of RG-58 going to a Pro-18 attached to the ashtray via the belt clip and plugged into the cigar lighter. Antenna was about in the middle of the windshield. Several zipties were used causing the expected Rube Goldberg appearance but it all stayed in place and worked great. I had it ziptied to the mirror bracket at first but he was worried about the co-ax causing the door gasket to leak (on a 1984 IH S2500).

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

I did something similar when I only had a WS1080. It sat in a cup holder or windshield mount and the antenna was the same setup as this. It was kinda hard to hear and after awhile, the antenna jack failed. I managed it fix it but now it’s my bed side scanner. I like this one because I can plug it into the CB speaker and it sounds great, plus it’s up and out of the way.

 

[vagrant]

What, no CHP? I have that same antenna and it I was surprised how well it picks up low band. Double check the database. This list could be wrong and the database will have the squelch tones.
42.080 - Fresno area
45.940 - Merced area
45.460 - Hanford area
42.440 - Visalia area
42.500 - Bakersfield if you go that far south

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

They’re mixed in with the individual counties. I have all the central frequencies in each one and then the individual areas in their respective counties/areas. I work at county road level so I keep an eye on everything. Only my home county is split in two because in my car I have two scanners, one on LE and one on fire/EMS. All my scanners are programmed identical too.