Mounting a scanner antenna in your vehicle can significantly enhance your radio reception, whether you’re a railfan, public safety enthusiast, or simply want to stay informed on the go. However, with various vehicle types and personal preferences, finding the ideal scanner mount can be challenging. This guide explores the best options for car scanner mounts, drawing upon expert insights and practical advice to help you make the right choice.
Understanding Your Scanner Antenna Mount Needs
Before diving into specific mount types, it’s crucial to consider your individual needs. Ask yourself these questions:
- What type of vehicle do you drive? The vehicle’s roof type (metal, sunroof, fiberglass), body material (steel, aluminum), and overall size will influence mount selection. For instance, vehicles with sunroofs, like the Subaru Forester mentioned in a popular online discussion, require different solutions than those with solid metal roofs.
- What is your primary use for the scanner? Are you primarily interested in monitoring strong local signals, or do you need to pick up weaker, distant transmissions, such as those encountered in railfanning? The strength of signals you intend to receive affects the antenna performance required, and thus the mount type.
- Do you need a permanent or temporary solution? Permanent mounts offer superior performance and security but require drilling and professional installation. Temporary mounts, like magnetic mounts, are easy to install and remove but might compromise performance slightly.
- Are there any height restrictions? If you frequently park in garages or areas with low clearances, you’ll need to consider antenna height and potentially opt for shorter antennas or mounts that minimize overall height.
Exploring Different Types of Scanner Mounts for Cars
Based on common practices and expert recommendations, here are the most popular and effective scanner mount options for vehicles:
1. Magnetic Mounts: The Versatile and Easy Option
Magnetic mounts are a popular choice for their ease of installation and removal. They attach to any metallic surface on your vehicle, typically the roof, using a strong magnet.
Pros:
- Easy Installation: No drilling or permanent modifications are needed. Simply place the mount on a metallic surface.
- Portability: Easily transferable between vehicles. Ideal for rental cars or users who switch vehicles frequently.
- Cost-Effective: Generally less expensive than permanent mount options.
- Good for Railfanning: As noted by experienced railfans, a magnetic mount antenna tuned to the 160-162 MHz range can provide “fantastic” reception for train traffic.
Cons:
- Performance Compromises: While convenient, magnetic mounts might not offer the same level of grounding and signal performance as permanent mounts, especially for weaker signals.
- Cable Management: The antenna cable needs to be routed into the vehicle, often through a window or door, which can lead to cable damage if not carefully managed. Avoid “slamming the cable in the door” as one user wisely advised.
- Security Concerns: While generally secure, magnetic mounts can be removed relatively easily, posing a slight security risk. In windy conditions or at high speeds, less robust magnetic mounts might also shift or detach, although quality magnetic mounts are designed to withstand typical driving conditions.
2. Permanent Roof Mounts: Optimal Performance for Dedicated Users
For the best possible performance and a long-term solution, permanent roof mounts are the preferred choice. These mounts require drilling a hole in the vehicle’s roof to install the antenna base directly.
Pros:
- Superior Performance: Direct roof mounting provides the best grounding plane, maximizing antenna efficiency and reception range, particularly for weak signals. Experts agree that “a good quality exterior antenna, properly mounted, is the best solution” for optimal performance.
- Durability and Security: Permanent mounts are robust and securely attached, offering long-lasting performance and resistance to theft or accidental removal.
- Professional Installation: Consulting a “professional commercial radio shop” ensures proper installation, cable routing, and avoids interference with vehicle components like airbags.
Cons:
- Permanent Modification: Drilling into the vehicle’s roof is a permanent modification that may affect resale value and requires careful consideration.
- Installation Complexity: Professional installation is recommended, adding to the overall cost and time.
- Not Suitable for all Vehicles: Vehicles with sunroofs or complex roof structures might present challenges for permanent roof mounting, although solutions like rear roof mounting are sometimes possible.
3. Trunk/Hatch Mounts: A Balance of Performance and Convenience
Trunk or hatch mounts offer a compromise between permanent roof mounts and magnetic mounts. They attach to the edge of the vehicle’s trunk or hatch without drilling into the roof itself.
Pros:
- Good Performance: Provides a better grounding plane than magnetic mounts and avoids drilling into the roof.
- Relatively Easy Installation: Less complex than permanent roof mounts, often utilizing existing bolts or clamps. Models like the Diamond K400S trunk mount are popular and well-regarded.
- Discreet Appearance: Can be less conspicuous than roof-mounted antennas.
Cons:
- Potential for Damage: Improper installation or cable routing can potentially damage the vehicle’s trunk or hatch seals.
- Limited Ground Plane: Ground plane is not as extensive as a roof mount, potentially slightly reducing performance compared to roof mounts.
- Vehicle Specificity: Mounting options and bracket availability can vary depending on the vehicle make and model.
4. Fender Mounts: A Robust Option, Especially for Trucks
Fender mounts attach to the vehicle’s fender, typically using existing bolts. This option is particularly popular for trucks and larger vehicles.
Pros:
- Sturdy and Durable: Fender mounts offer a robust and secure mounting point.
- Lower Profile: Can be less noticeable than tall roof-mounted antennas.
- Good for Certain Vehicles: Well-suited for trucks and vehicles with accessible fender bolts. Model-specific brackets are available for some trucks, simplifying installation.
Cons:
- Limited Ground Plane: Ground plane is less extensive than roof or trunk mounts, potentially affecting performance, especially for omnidirectional reception.
- Directional Bias: Reception might be slightly directional, favoring signals from the side of the vehicle where the antenna is mounted.
- Vehicle Specificity: Bracket availability and ease of installation can vary significantly depending on the vehicle.
5. Inside or Window Mounts: Convenience with Performance Trade-offs
Inside or “through-the-glass” window mounts offer the ultimate convenience, as they are mounted inside the vehicle, often on the windshield or rear window.
Pros:
- Maximum Convenience: Easiest installation, no external mounting required.
- Discreet and Hidden: Antenna is not visible from the outside, reducing security concerns and maintaining vehicle aesthetics.
Cons:
- Significant Performance Loss: Inside antennas are widely acknowledged to have the poorest performance due to signal attenuation by the vehicle’s metal body and glass. Experts caution that “a VHF antenna inside a vehicle can sacrifice one-half or more of its performance.” “Through the glass” mounts also “sacrifice a chunk of performance.”
- Not Recommended for Weak Signals: Best suited for receiving strong local signals only. Not ideal for railfanning or situations requiring long-range reception.
Installation Tips and Important Considerations
Regardless of the mount type you choose, consider these essential tips for optimal performance and safety:
- Cable Routing: Route antenna cables carefully to avoid damage, kinks, or interference with vehicle components, especially airbags. Avoid slamming cables in doors or windows.
- Grounding: Proper grounding is crucial for antenna performance. Ensure a good electrical connection between the mount and the vehicle’s metal body, especially for permanent and trunk mounts.
- Antenna Tuning: For optimal reception in specific frequency ranges, consider using antennas tuned to those frequencies. For railfanning, antennas tuned to the 160-162 MHz railroad band are highly recommended.
- Professional Help: If you are unsure about installation, especially for permanent roof mounts or cable routing, seek professional help from a commercial radio shop.
Choosing the Right Scanner Mount for You
Selecting the best scanner mount for your car involves balancing performance, convenience, and your specific needs.
- For optimal performance and dedicated scanner users: Permanent roof mounts are the top choice.
- For versatility and ease of use, especially for temporary needs: Magnetic mounts offer a convenient solution.
- For a balance of performance and convenience: Trunk/hatch mounts or fender mounts (especially for trucks) are good compromises.
- For maximum convenience but with significant performance limitations: Inside/window mounts are an option only for strong local signals.
By carefully considering your vehicle type, scanning needs, and the pros and cons of each mount type, you can choose the scanner mount that will best enhance your mobile radio experience. Remember, as many experienced users emphasize, “a good antenna is the key” to effective scanner reception.
