Batboard

I wanted a VHF Phantom antenna and ordered a Motorola/Laird RAD4208ARB-TRABBT15008UM. This antenna is 3.5 inches tall and 3 inches wide. Are there smaller models available?

Nope. For VHF it's a squat lil can-o-beans.

The Phantom elite is smaller and has a better bandwith.

http://www.magnumelectronics.com/laird- ... etrab1550/

I am looking for one, small and cool for the top of a new car. No high performance needed.

that is about the smallest I have seen VHF and low profile arent a good mix

The VHF "engineered" mobile antennas have lousy bandwidth. If you can use a quarter-wave whip you're much
better off.

The Phantom also does not use a standard NMO connection. If you don't like the performance and want to put a regular antenna on it, you have to change the outer ring of the NMO.

We have used the Phantom Elites with good results. We have even taken them to a body shop and had them painted to match the vehicles. They look good, and blend well.

Also keep in mind the phantoms are limited to 50-60 watts TX

A black quarter wave whip is difficult to see at a distance, unless against a very light background. I have one with an NMO mount for the wife's car, and it's fairly stealthy. I know Larsen makes them for sure.

I use the black NMO's as well. As long as height clearance isn't the issue these are quite stealthy. I have one from an offbeat company that has a very small wire diameter, hard to spot even when you're looking for it and whippy enough to bend going into the garage.

All the major manufacturers make a black 1/4 wave whip now. I have a sti-co flexi-whip on the top of my Cherokee because of a low clearance on my garage door.

Take the ball off the 1/4 wave whip and they get harder to see.

You can't get more low profile than an aperture antenna. But, you do need a body shop you trust.

One Word about the Phantom Antennas:

JUNK

Avoid!

All the unmarked LEO cars (BMWs, usually) in the Inspector Lewis PBS TV series use phantom roof antennas, but the shots in which the antennas appear are so short you can't get a really good look. Probably furnished by Motorola-UK, but whose antennas are they?