Best Handheld Scanner Antenna – Top Reviewed Antennas of 2021
Radios have been part of our lives for over a century now and have always helped provide entertainment to the general public and have even proved to be a good communication source during national emergencies. There are restrictions on installing an outdoor antenna to catch radio signals in various parts of the world. Therefore you would need a handheld scanner antenna to interpret the signals. But before jumping on our exclusive best handheld scanner antenna review, we have written a mini-guide to help you understand what a handheld scanner antenna is.
What is a Handheld Scanner Antenna?
A radio usually requires an antenna to receive signals from various radio stations, and in many countries their various restrictions on installing outdoor antennas. To solve this problem and help people receive signals from all of their favorite radio stations, handheld scanner antennas were introduced. A handheld scanner antenna is just like an outdoor antenna but is smaller in size and easily adjustable. We have further built up a guide to help you choose the best handheld scanner antenna for your radio.
Things to Consider while Choosing a Handheld Scanner Antenna
- Weight: While choosing the best handheld scanner antenna for your home, the first and foremost priority should be the weight of the antenna. The handheld scanner antenna should be lightweight to be easily moved around the house as per the user’s needs.
- Signal Range or Bandwidth: A handheld scanner antenna can be considered a good one if it can catch signals of a broader range so that the user doesn’t miss any radio stations. If a handheld scanner antenna captures all the signals between 25 and 1300 MHz, it can be considered a good one.
- Portable and Durable Structure: Anyone buying a handheld scanner antenna would want it to be portable. A handheld scanner antenna with a format that can be moved around easily as per the user’s convenience without causing any damage to the antenna can be considered a good buy.
- Location: The user must choose a handheld scanner antenna according to his/her sites. A handheld scanner antenna that works perfectly fine in a city might not work that great in a rural area or a place far away from the city. The user must select a handheld scanner antenna accordingly.
- Additional Features: The best handheld scanner antenna usually comes with various other features that can prove to be very useful for its user. Some of the extra features to increase the efficiency of using an exemplary handheld scanner antenna are a magnetic base to hold the antenna in place. An antenna, extending to longer lengths to easily catch all the necessary signals, cover longer distances of cable wire attachments to be moved around the house quickly without any breakage in the signals it receives.
Contents
Best Handheld Scanner Antenna
1. Comet Original BNC Handheld Scanner Antenna
Comet Original BNC is broadband 25-1300 Mhz higher performance receive antenna for radio scanners. It is a telescopic scanner antenna that can extend up to 40 inches and can be used as both base and handheld radio base. It can fit BC125AT, BC-75XLT, BC-355N, BC-365CRS, GRE whistler, and other BNC antenna connectors.
Pros
- It can be used at various extended lengths and receives 25-1300Mhz.
- It has a unique double pivot design that can be used on both desktop and handheld scanners.
- It can be used as a wideband telescopic high-performance antenna for radio scanner services.
- It can pull weak/distant signals that shorter antennas cannot catch.
- It has a length of 40 inches, and when fully extended, it has a BNC antenna connector.
Cons
- The BNC connector does not lock in a place.
- Hinge is no right.
2. Police Scanner Antennas
Police Scanner Antenna is a durable antenna that increases the range and signal strength in the harsh reception areas. It works great with a Uniden radio scanner, wireless radio scanner, remote receivers, test equipment, etc. It comes with rubber ducky replacements and offers a 100% guarantee. The manufacturer’s claim that they are putting out high quality and satisfactory products.
Pros
- It is made up of brass copper, which makes it durable and long-lasting.
- Package includes F type telescope antenna and a BNC adapter.
- Antenna with BNC connector works best with scanner and whistler radio.
- It is easy to install and can be aimed at the right angle.
- It comes with a 12 months warranty.
Cons
- It cannot catch distant signals.
- No accurate description is mentioned.
3. Anteenna TW-999 BNC Handheld Scanner Antenna
Anteenna TW-999 BNC is a telescopic antenna that can be used as a handheld scanner antenna. It comes with a male BNC connector and can work on 50 to 225 MHz transmitter sides. The telescopic antenna is well built and can fit with any radio with its connector.
Pros
- It comes with a BNC male connector.
- The retracted length of the device is 18.6 cm, and it can extend up to 127.0cm.
- It has a frequency of 20-1300 MHz.
- It has a max power of 10 W.
- It is a telescopic antenna for scanner antennas.
Cons
- It is heavy to use.
- The structure is fragile.
4. Uniden BATGO481001 AT218 800MHz Scanner
Uniden BATGO481001 model scanner antenna is the best fit for your handheld scanner requirements. It has a dimension of 6.25 x 0.7 x 0.6 inches and weighs around 0,352 ounces. It can work well with distant signals and performs very well. If you are looking for a scanner to cover long distances, then this is the perfect fit.
Pros
- It fits with most of the handheld scanners.
- It has an AT218 antenna, which works with the majority of handheld scanners.
- It comes with a warranty.
- It can work with high frequencies.
- It is easy to install and use.
Cons
- Sometimes reception can be loose.
- It doesn’t support all radio shacks.
5. Handheld Scanner Antenna BNC Wideband
Handheld scanner antenna BNC wide band is a perfect fit for Uniden whistler radio shack Alinco. It has a sleek body and supports many devices. If you are looking for something elegant, compatible, and durable, then you must consider this product.
With a wide bandwidth of 25-1300 MHz, we have no doubt mentioning that it offers higher performance at the receiver’s antenna for radio scanners.
Pros
- It has a BNC male connector with a total length of 3 inches.
- It can fit the Alinco: DJ-X2000T etc. and Icom: IC-R30 AOR.
- It can receive the frequency of 50 MHz-1200 MHz.
- It supports various Uniden models.
- It is an excellent fit for Whistler: TRX-1 ws 1040 ws 1088 ws 1010.
Cons
- Sometimes it becomes difficult to lock the BNC in one place.
- The provided product description is not enough.
The Bottom Line
It can be quite overwhelming to find the perfect handheld scanner antennas; therefore, always choose the antenna depending upon the bandwidth you want to capture. However, with the best handheld scanner antenna, the possibilities to communicate useful information would be great. Also, to make the work easy for you, we have answered two FAQs that commonly cross the mind of the buyers.
How can I get the best signal from my scanner?
You can get the best signal from your scanner by considering a signal amplifier or changing your feedline coax, or using an external antenna.
Can I use a TV antenna for my scanner?
It is not recommended to use a TV antenna for your scanner because it is not engineered to receive radio signals.
Well, if you are looking for the best handheld scanner antennas, then your search ends here because after doing extensive research, we have mentioned the list of handheld scanner antennas. The products that we have mentioned in the article are best to our knowledge and will surely fulfill everyone’s unique requirement.
It is hard for us to pick one great product, but in our opinion, Comet Original BNC- W100RX 25MHZ- 1300MHz Handheld Scanner Antenna is the best handheld scanner antenna. Hopefully, this article will informationally equip you!
The antenna they come with is the best overall antenna since it is designed to receive the full range of frequencies the scanner picks up. You can however buy much larger antennas that work better on VHF for example.
The Diamond RH77 for example.