If you want the best card (card i would get now) id get a senao card with the external connector. external connector because you'll miss up to 70% of the networks if youre just using your pcmcia card. well thats what i found anyway.
grab an external omni direction aerial, say something like this
http://www.borg.net.nz/shop/product_info.p...ff0a9553a91f3f6
and you'll need to get the plugs and cable for the whole setup, ol Andrew at Borg should be able to sort you out.
Though id check if the senao work with kismet properly, im not sure but best to check. i use a oniroco gold card that works just fine in kismet.
If you have any problem with the setup and what not give me a yell, i spent 7 days on the damn thing before i found out it was the gps at fault. So ive looked at lots of config files etc. considering that before i installed kismet id never really used linux before. Was a mission and a half.
hmm if i was insane id love to get an amplifier and put it inbetween the aerial and the card, would it make a huge difference you reckon people? (besides the fact that ill definately be flooding the spectrum). like i said, if i was insane or in a crazy mood id like to try it out and see... muahahhaha