I’ve used many different magnetic Mount antennas over the years for many different services, and this antenna has been the most impressive of all in terms of tunability and stability. For the 2 m and 70 cm ham bands, even at high power, the SWR is virtually flat. For UHF GMRS my SWR is around 1.3-1.5:1. Impressive!
Good quality RG-58U coax, far better quality than the type of coax supplied by other manufacturers, keep signal loss to a minimum. The magnetic base is coated with a rubberized material and is extraordinarily strong, make certain that the surface you intend on placing it on is not made from aluminum. I’ve also used this antenna place on a large sheet pan for fixed base use, and the SWR is also very usable like that.
Because I am extremely fussy about putting things on the surface of my paint, I would recommend that prior to placing the antenna, wipe off the surface of the paint with a wet clean cloth several times and then dry, and similarly do the same to the bottom of the antenna before placing it. If you remove the antenna, I place it in a clean plastic bag so there’s no chance that the bottom of the antenna will pick up on magnetic particulate which could be transferred to the pain finish. This is a quality product that will deliver to the discriminating radio operator, I recommend it with confidence.

Great antenna that can be folded down to enter your garage. I like the range I get with this antenna. Much better than my 18 inch one that this replaced.

Antenna works as advertised, better than average. This was a good investment, I strongly recommend this product.

I got this to test out my new (to me) mobile radio that I will be using as a base station. I needed an antenna with a PL-259 connector to attach to the radio’s UHF SO-239 connector so this fit the bill. I had to get it fast so I could meet the seller and test out the radio, so of course Amazon Prime was one of the best ways to go. Eventually I want to go with a bigger and better antenna for my base station but till then this will do. And when I do replace it I will use this antenna as it is intended as a mobile antenna (and if the occasion arises in the mean time).

A huge benefit (and value) to buying this antenna is that it comes with a PL-259 connector to SMA (female) adapter which will give you the ability to use this with a HT handheld radio such as a Baofeng UV-5R. Note: the 10 inch adapter cable is of a much smaller and flexible braid, this is to not put undue stress and pressure on the HT’s antenna mount. Also by buying it from BaoFeng Tech you know this is an authentic Nagoya. (I believe that this UT-72 is a BaoFeng Tech exclusive Nagoya antenna.)

I see no reason to buy the UT-308UV over this antenna. The 308 might be longer but the 72 has a “super coil”. The “super coil” also has the added benefit of acting as an added spring in case of clearance issues. Since the 72 includes the SMA adapter it can fit a wider range of radios. The 72 also has a longer coax, a higher max power, a higher decibel gain, and a supposed lower SWR value. Both are about the same price as of writing this ($1 difference).

There are other cheaper mobile antennas out there. But not that much cheaper, do not include the adapter (~5-7 $ value) and a lot of them are fakes.

TIP: To use this successfully as a base station antenna when not attached to a car as a you will need a “ground plane” for it to work right. Pretty much you need something metal to act as the bottom section of the antenna. A fridge, a filing cabinet, a cookie sheet, or what I am doing is using a pizza pan. It does not have to be a ferrous metal but if it is you have the added benefit that the magnetic base will stick to it. So far the pizza pan is working great.

The construction, materials and build quality are all top notch.

Amazon clumps all these Nagoya reviews together, in spite of covering different products. I happen to own a couple of them. This first bit is in regard to the RB-50 NMO magnet mount:

This thing is enormous. The 5″ magnet really wants to stay in place. I use it with a half-wave VHF radiator that has a thick loading coil at the base, and it works beautifully, The bottom of the magnet has a heavy rubber rig around the lip, and a felt-like pad in the center to protect your car’s finish. Honestly, I’d prefer an all-rubber coating, since I leave it on my car in all weather. I’ll see how it holds up. I park indoors, so I’m not too worried about the felt. The mount includes a threaded rain cap, but if you’re concerned with moisture, why not remove the entire mount and toss it in the car? The attached cable is slightly longer than the UT-72’s, but not long enough to be annoyingly lossy. I find the extra couple of feet useful.

The following is in regards to the UT-72 antenna:

I own two of these antennas. The original was intended to live atop my Subaru Crosstrek, but I had such a positive experience initially testing it with my base rig, that I opted to leave it there and order another for the car. My home station is based in a small office, in a rental apartment with no balcony. My antenna options are thus _very_ limited; use a UT-72 and some DIY Yagis for VHF and UHF ops, and a random-wire/balun/choke for HF and shortwave listening. Everything is set up indoors. With some luck, I’ll eventually work out a safe and discreet means of getting the random-wire out a window. I digress.

The UT-72 requires a good ground plane, as mag mounts do. The more conductive surface area underneath the base, the lower SWR and better performance you’ll get. My indoor unit is stuck to a large window A/C (of course my landlord has the compressors mounted entirely in our apartments, leaving nothing outside to work with), and my mobile unit is centered behind the sunroof. If you just need a temporary hack, sticking the magnet to an overturned cookie sheet is better than nothing. Mounted as intended, the SWR lives up to vendor claims. I’d be happy to take measurements for a particular frequency/frequencies and post photos of my meter. You can reach me at the address in my profile.

In terms of workmanship, this is a rugged antenna. The base is huge—there’s no way it’s going anywhere at highway speed—and coated with a heavy layer of protective rubber. The thick coil at the base does double-duty, improving broadband coverage and acting as a protective spring. I take every precaution driving places with a low overhead clearance, but I’m confident in the UT-72s ability to flex upon bumping into things, without sustaining damage. The included cable is long enough to run back through my tailgate and up to my mobile rig, and the SO-239 to SMA-F adapter is a nice bonus that facilitates connection to the majority of HTs.

If you’re shopping for a magmount, I highly recommend this antenna.

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