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I'm curious if this scanner antenna could be used as a ham antenna ? Magnet-mount mobile scanner antenna - RadioShack.com

Radio Shack...................

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http://www.solarcycle24.com/

Not really sure on that one.Would need to drop by a store and ask someone.

I personally havent seen any ham radio gear of any type...radios and transmitting antennas... in several years around my area,unless they had one sitting on a top shelf gathering dust...really should give em a call and ask

"A ham antenna?".

Well, not for 160 or 80 meters, that's for sure. But try it with low power and see.

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If you're like everybody else,
you're about average.
73 de K7KBN

I'd put an analyzer on it first for sure...and I wouldn't bet on it.

A dual-band 2m/440 antenna is easy to find and not a lot of money, I'd just buy one of them...they'll do fine for general scanner use anyway. I ran 2m/440 whips on my scanners long before I was a ham. That would be the better way to go.

Amateur Mobile Antennas

I wouldn't waste the time.

the reason that i asked was i had it for the scanner and was thinking if i could use it to talk on it or it would be better just to listen on it and not hit the power to it ?

A scanner antenna is, by definition, a receiving antenna (scanners don't transmit). Therefore, the manufacturer designs and builds them without high voltage insulation and other considerations that a transmitting antenna requires. As suggested earlier, try it with very low power and see if it works (paying attention to the dimensions and how they correlate to wavelength and frequency), or use an antenna analyzer like the MFJ-259/269 to see what you get that way.

Either way, I'd be careful at any power level above a very few watts.

__________________
If you're like everybody else,
you're about average.
73 de K7KBN

I've used this antenna, same stock number, before... In the actual product instructions that come with the unit it states you may use it on 144-148 MHz and 440MHz UP TO 25 watts.

Unfortunately, it would appear one cannot download the actual owner's manual from Radio Shack product support at this time.

I have used it on these two bands without incident, following the recommended power maximums.

The magnet is not-so-strong, however, so make sure you affix it to a good piece of steel and keep it under 80 mph.

And for those who just bad mouth radio shack for bad-mouthin's sake, please examine the country of origin of most of your beloved ham radio products... Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China. Same place this antenna is made, amigos.

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ButtFuzz in the Mobile
KG4ZPN

BUTTFUZZ Thanks . All I am going to run is 5 watts and VX-8R should be in Monday according to UPS and my license well maybe next friday on the database .