Ways to Mount a Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna

Arkon BT010 will work with the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS AntennaFor those wanting to take certain Uniden scanners on the road and benefit from the embedded frequency database, the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna is a must have.  The antenna will help determine your location and coupled with some scanner settings, keep receiving audio within a predetermined radius from where you are.

The Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna plugs into a port on the scanner.  Not every Uniden scanner supports this antenna.  Two very popular scanner models supporting the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna, and already profiled on this site, are the Uniden SDS100 and Uniden BCD436HP scanners.  Keep in mind, the SDS100 will need the additional Uniden BC-UTGC USB cable to connect the antenna to the radio.

Mounting Overview for the Uniden BC-GPSK

There are a few ways to mount the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna.  The antenna can be located outside or inside the vehicle.  It’s a matter of preference and for all practical purposes, it will work quite effectively inside the vehicle.  Think about a Garmin GPS.  Works fine inside the car, right?

Traditionally, the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna is mounted on the rook or trunk of a vehicle.  The base of the antenna puck is magnetic and adheres to the body of the vehicle.  The wire can be tucked under the dash and inside the roof lining, but this can become a construction project.

I remember trying to tuck the wire inside the roof lining, and inside the dash when I first got a satellite radio.  Didn’t go too well so I took the caveman approach and simply ran it out the passenger window.  Worded fine until a passenger got in.  That got old fairly quickly.  I soon discovered the antenna would work just as well inside the vehicle.  The same concepts can be used for the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna.

The key to mounting the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna inside a vehicle is to ensure it sees the sky.  Mount it near the front windshield.  You might find that a sunroof helps reception as it facilitates a better view of above.

Simply placing the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna on the dash of your car isn’t going to work well unless you glue it somewhere.  There are some mounts and pads to consider for this purpose.  These are recommended because you will eventually need to figure out how to get the antenna off the dash if you choose to glue it (I’ve done it, try using some Goo Gone).

Mounting Accessories for the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna

There are two good mounting options for antennas within a vehicle.  Coil the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna cable using a twist tie as you will only need a very short amount to make it to the scanner.

The first option to consider is the Arkon Windshield Mount for GPS Receivers and is used in the photo that accompanies this article.  The mount comes with two metal strips that attach to the mounting platform.  The Uniden BC-GPSK GPS antenna has a magnet on the bottom so it will attach to the metal mount strips just fine.  Place the suction cup onto the windshield.  That’s it.

The second option is using a hook and loop fastening strip on your dashboard.  A hook and loop fastening strip comes with two parts.  One part sticks to your dashboard, the other to the bottom of the antenna.  It works.  The bottom part is permanently attached to the dash.  We have an article about removing adhesive from a car dash that might be useful when it’s time to sell the car.

I prefer the mount that deploys the metal strips.  Way cleaner solution that isn’t permanent.  While the hook and loop adhesive fasteners works fine, you may find that the weight of the cord may put some drag on the hold and the antenna may slip off the dash.