Best Scanner Antenna?

[HPS]

Hi All,

Just wanted to get your (expert!) opinions on which scanner antennas you feel are the best for handheld and vehicle use.

Thanks in advance

HPS

[Tom]

Mobileone Cat d-4433 25-1300MHz

It's 35cm long tho.

I bought my from Dick Head Smith's although I haven't used it in well over 12 months it worked a treat.

[Lino]

Hello I use the DIAMOND-RH771 and its an excellent antenna for portable scanners.

Regards Lino.

[stevesperformance]

for car use i'll using a mobile one D-4437.Great antenna
1050mm long
omni directional
25mhz - 1300mhz
5db gain

[Tyranus]

At home, I have the SCBase by mobile one, and on my car I just have a stainless steel UHF aerial which was about $20 from Strathfield Midland, I did get a bigger one from Mobile one which is meant for scanning, unfortuneatly my car looks funny enough with 2 UHF aerials sticking out the back on magnetic mounts never mind having an overly tall one! Oh and it got knocked off when I reversed into the garage! Pity you don't get nudge bars for Hyundai Getz otherwise I'd mount them on that!

[vk6hgr]

Just wanted to get your (expert!) opinions on which scanner antennas you feel are the best for handheld and vehicle use.

The technical answer is that the best antenna for your scanner is the one which is resonant in the bands you listen to. Don't listen to anything but UHF (400-500Mhz?) then you probably don't need an antenna that goes all the way down to 25Mhz. Conversely, If you listen to the firies on 79Mhz then you obviously can't use just a UHF antenna.

Most antennas for handheld use are, quite honestly, rubbish. At home, get a good outdoor base antenna such as a scantenna (or dedicated UHF, or VHF...) and stick it up in the air as high as you can.

On your car it's a little easier, but the antennas designed to cover down to 25-30Mhz are larger so you'll have to consider that if it's worth having a smaller antenna that covers more of the bands you're interested in.