In Car Scanner Reception Question

This is the place to discuss generalized scanner questions and information for San Diego County. Whether it's radios, antennas, or other general scanner related topics, you can talk about it here.
w6pix
Posts: 338
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 4:00 pm

Post by w6pix »

Lincoln3 wrote:Wolfe is so f'ing sharp with this stuff. Gotta love it.
Lincoln3, remind me, I have the 800Mhz glass mount for you in my NAV. Remind me next time we meet up.
Batman2150
Posts: 58
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:43 pm

CHP antennas

Post by Batman2150 »

The best antenna for monitoring CHP is a Larsen NMO-40 or NMO-50 base loaded antenna mounted in the vehicle body. That's what "Wolfie" uses. It's only about 40 inches tall. If you use an NMO-30 you can make it even shorter. Ham Radio Outlet has them.
A Larsen NMO-150 VHF 5/8 wave antenna will work for RECEIVING low band and also work for transmitting and receiving on VHF high band.
If you want to go "stealth" splitting your AM/FM car antenna to the scanner will work O-K, but you may lose AM reception on the car radio. You could use the AM/FM whip exclisively for the scanner and use a glass mount AM/FM antenna for the car radio if you want to go to the trouble.
Batman used the AM/FM antenna on the Batmobile to listen to the CHP for a while, but then installed a 63" 1/4 wave fender mount whip which works much better.
You just can't get around the laws of physics, you need a long antenna to hear the low frequencies well.

:(

BAT-MAN
Jim K0JAD

Mobile Scanner reception

Post by Jim K0JAD »

I have read some of the suggestions here regarding the use of Mobile scanners and specifically the proper antenna(s). One suggestion was a "thru the glass" mounted antenna. These antennas are very inefficient. They work on inductance and are not nearly as efficient as even the worst outside antenna. Outside antennas for receiving only need not be such a art as it is only really really important in transmitting. Almost anything will work for receiving. No standing waves to worry about. If you don't want holes use a common mag mount and as far as the wavelength for CHP due to low frequency, coils take the inches out of radiator elements.
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