Details
Details
75% of all vehicle scanner antenna sales are magnet mount; which is what we recommend. Magnet mount antennas come with everything you need: antenna, magnet mount, coax, connector. Magnet mount antennas work with any vehicle—all you need to do is put on the roof, plug into your scanner and you're good to go. This build-your-own package allows you to add all the items required for a successful NMO antenna vehicle installation including:
› Antenna
› Coax Cable
› Mount
› Hand Free Scanner Mount
Scanner Antenna
To monitor all formats you'll want a wideband, omni directional antenna. We have 2 options, both of which are great, and the big difference (besides cost) is the Laird antenna is more for heavy-duty use, like commercial vehicles. We recommend the Comtelco as it's far less expensive & smaller. Scroll down to the 'compare' tab for a side-by-side comparison with all technical specs.
Coax Cable
Choose the length of cable to suit your needs. All coax is terminate with SMA male which works with all scanners. Recommended coax length usage for reference:
› 10 feet - all cars, small trunks and some larger vehicle with mount location near cab.
› 20 feet - large trucks & semis & some trunk mount installations.
› 50 feet - instalatioins on the back of a very long trailer - very rarely used.
Antenna Mount
Choose mount location and buy the appropriate mount.
Hands Free Scanner Mount
If you're using a non-permanent scanner in your vehicle we highly recommend a hands free device. Besides the convenience, hands free mounts improve safety while you drive. These mount have 'teeth' larger than smartphone hands free devices so your scanner will stay put and won't slide out.
Specifics & Compare
Vehicle Scanner Antenna Comparison | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Model Number | WPD136M6C-001 | A1531B | |||
Manufacturer | Laird | Comtelco | |||
Antenna Type | Vehicle | Vehicle | |||
Height (in.) | 20 | 19 | |||
Whip Material | 17-7PH Stainless steel | Stainless Steel | |||
Color | Chrome | Black or Chrome | |||
Gain | Unity (VHF)/ 6 dBi (UHF/700/800) | Unity @ 140-170MHz/ 2.5dB @ 440-470MHz | |||
Frequency Range | 136-174/ 380-520/ 760-870 MHz | 140-170/ 440-470 MHz | |||
Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year | |||
Mounting Type | NMO | NMO | |||
Vehicle Mount Location | Magnet Mount, Mirror Mount, Permanent Hole, Other | Magnet Mount, Mirror Mount, Permanent Hole, Other | |||
Removable/Permanent | Varies by mount type | Varies by mount type | |||
Coax Included | Varies by mount type | Varies by mount type | |||
Maximum Input Power (Watts) | 100 | 200 | |||
Useful Resources | Manual | Manual |
Included
FAQ
How does this work?
Your vehicle, made of metal, blocks radio waves from reaching the antenna on your scanner. By changing your reception point from inside the vehicle to outside will increase reception.
How much will this increase what I can hear?
Varies greatly based on several factors like topography, antenna location and cable length but a good rule of thumb is about 50% increase. Police scanners get about 30 miles of range so an outdoor antenna would bring this to 45 miles. Again, there are a lot of factors that play into reception but this is a good rule of thumb.
Can I install this on my own?
You should be able to. We give you everything needed; as long as you have very basic tools like a hammer, screwdriver and a ladder you should be sound as a pound.
Can you help me if I can't figure it out?
Absolutely - this is what we're here for.
Resources
› Manual for Laird 'best' antenna. | Manual for Comtelco 'good' antenna.
› We create this Scanner Antenna Buyer's Guide which has a ton of great information.
› There are a lot of great installation guides online for various mount locations including for permanent hole mounts, magnet mounts, and mirror mounts.