Good Antenna for the Car

[jaskel]

ok im now after a new antenna for the car, i have a dual bander for my Icom 208 and need a good antenna for the 396 in the car, I hav a std base (not pl259) mounted off the front 1/4 and bonnet area and need to fit a good antenna to it.

I will mainly listen to airband and NSW P25 GRN, what do you guys suggest, I dont mind paying good coin but I want a good antenna!

thanks

[jaskel]

anyone?

[centralcoastscanman]

I don't recommend any as i've been too busy to do scanning, but if you can find one you like get back to me and i'll see what the best price i can do for you is...

[col05_au]

To listen to what ?

GRN
GRN + rest of UHF
VHF Midband, HighBand ?

What are you after ?

anything to do the lot will be a compromise, just keep that in mind.

Col

[jaskel]

Thanks guys, ill let u know coastcoms.

Col, as I mentioned in the first post, mainly P25 nsw grn AND aIRBAND IS IT.

[Longreach]

MOBILE ONE made an antenna called a SCATX they seem to do ok on airband and GRN coverage. i havnt ran one on a car for a while but the one on my roof works good on airband. It seemed a bit of a comprimise but did the bands ok. you could apparently tx on it too on certain bands but i didnt have that much trust in it.
Have a look at the Mobile one site he seems to have expanded his range.
cheers
Matt

[jaskel]

YEAH i HAVE ONE OF THOSE ANTENNAS ON THE CAR NOW AND (oops caps lock) I really dont rate it, its fairly deaf, I can hear more on a UHF whip.

[col05_au]

If you have room for two antenna's go both a UHF 1/4 wave or phasemaster if you want some gain (GID if you need it) for UHF and a stainless whip for air (VHF) cut to lenght.

Then use a power divider (avaliable from clarke and severn) to couple them, the 3dB loss of the power divider will still be better than a compromised antenna for both bands, you may even do ok with just a T piece.

I run this arrangment with the power divder for UHF and VHF midband and it works quite well. better than an antenna miles out of band anyday.

Col