Amateur radio
Magnetic Desktop Discone Scanner Antenna — 100–1600 MHz, 5m Cable
Product description
This discone scanner antenna is built for both indoor placement and fixed outdoor use on metal surfaces. It ships with a strong magnetic mounting base so you can place it on a window frame, appliance, metal roof, or other ferrous surface for quick setup. Keep in mind the magnet mounting is not intended for sustained use on a moving vehicle at highway speeds.
The package contains a SO239 male connector harness plus two adapter plugs: a BNC male to SO239 female and an SMA male to SO239 female. A 5 m coaxial cable is attached, providing flexibility to position the antenna away from the receiver.
Frequency coverage spans 100–1600 MHz and supports many common bands including 70 cm and 2 m amateur allocations, GMRS, VHF/UHF broadcast and monitoring bands, LoRa ranges, 108–136 MHz air band, SDR listening, and services like 1090 MHz ADS‑B. Transmit capability is listed for 144, 430 and 1200 MHz where applicable.
Technical specifications include an ultra‑wideband omnidirectional design, receiver range 100–1600 MHz, transmit bands at 144 / 430 / 1200 MHz, gain around 2.15 dBi at 144/1200 MHz and about 3.4 dBi at 430 MHz, rated 50 W FM power handling, and 50 Ω impedance. VSWR is not specified in the supplied documentation.
Physically the antenna uses radial and vertical radiating elements mounted to a central hub and a magnetized base for attachment. The cable length and included adapters simplify connecting to scanners, SDRs and transceivers with SO239, BNC or SMA terminations.
Setup is straightforward: place the magnet base on a flat metal surface or set it on a desktop, route the 5 m cable to your receiver, and use the supplied adapters to match your radio’s connector. For stationary monitoring and portable SDR stations this unit provides convenient, broad frequency coverage.
Pros
- Extensive 100–1600 MHz coverage
- Magnetic base for quick mounting
- Includes adapters and long 5 m cable
Cons
- Not suited for high‑speed vehicle use
- VSWR details not provided
- Performance can drop on higher bands indoors
VerdictA versatile, wideband desktop discone that provides solid indoor and stationary outdoor reception across VHF/UHF and many ham, GMRS, air band and ADS‑B frequencies. The magnetic base and included adapters make it easy to connect to radios with SO239, BNC or SMA ports. It delivers good gain on common bands and is a practical choice for scanning and SDR setups when mobility and high-speed mounting a
Reviews
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Gary 4/5
Solid indoor discone with sturdy construction
This unit outperforms some cheaper indoor discones I’ve tried. The radials feel durable and the magnet base gives a reliable mount. It paired nicely with my portable SDR and produced strong NOAA and VHF/UHF signals. I still plan to try it on my Icom setup to compare with other antennas.
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J. DeWitt 5/5
Good reception but missing hardware
Receives well inside the house; the only issue was the pack arrived missing six M4 washers.
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RER 5/5
Excellent for stationary indoor use
Delivers exceptional indoor reception for scanner and SDR applications.
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