A car antenna can effectively be used for a scanner. This setup allows for reception across a wide range of frequencies, often from 25 MHz to 1.3 GHz, handling heavy trunking systems with minimal intermodulation.
Using a splitter like the Paradynamics PDC64, you can connect both a scanner and a radio to your car’s existing AM/FM antenna. This splitter allows the antenna to feed signals to both devices simultaneously. One output connects to the scanner, while the other connects to the radio. If you don’t have a radio installed, the radio output can be connected to a TV tuner with an adapter. Even with a vertical car antenna designed for AM/FM radio, digital TV reception can be surprisingly good, with minimal signal degradation.
This setup proves that a stock car antenna can effectively serve dual purposes, providing clear reception for both scanners and other devices like radios and TV tuners. An adapter may be necessary to convert the antenna connection to a BNC connector for the scanner.
