Jeep Wrangler Scanner Antenna

topgun1986 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-31-2013, 7:39 PM

Good evening all! Hope all are doing well!

OK, currently I have a 2009 Jeep Wrangler with a Radio Shack Pro 82 with rubber ducky antenna, mounted on my console inside. I would like to upgrade to a Pro 164 with some sort of external antenna, on my rear bumper preferably.

Question #1) Anyone have any tips/ pointers for doing such a setup for Jeep? As far as scanner antenna, I would primarily like to scan my local VHF Civil/PD/FD bands.

Question #2) I would like to relocate my 3' Firestik CB antenna to my rear bumper, as well. Could there possibly be an issue with CB Firestik on one side of rear bumper and VHF antenna on the other?

popnokick · #2 (**permalink**) 01-31-2013, 7:46 PM

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 6_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10B144 Safari/8536.25)

Bumper mounts are a bad idea to begin with, except for maybe a 102" stainless whip on a ball and spring. But bad idea for a Firestick and especially bad for scanner. I'll let someone with a Wrangler explain better alternatives, but start thinking about hood, front fender, and roll bar...

sdu219 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-31-2013, 8:00 PM

I have a jeep Wrangler and I took out the rubber bumpers on the front hood and reamed them out to except a NMO mount. Save the rubber bumpers and if you have to replace them a little silicone and the bumpers will fix the hole. I have a 1/4 wave VHF and 1/4 wave UHF mounted on the front hood and they work just fine. Coax run through the firewall to the radios with a little duct seal so no leaks happen. 3 years problem free.

n9mxq · #4 (**permalink**) 01-31-2013, 8:03 PM

On my TJ I had my dual band mounted to the bolt on the side of the windshield frame using part of a diamond trunk mount. If I can find a picture when I get home I'll post it.

The problem with bumper mounts is that the body blocks most of the antenna in at least one direction for both transmit and receive. Get the antenna as high and clear of metal as possible.

Sent from my iPhone using that Tapatalk thingamabobber.

topgun1986 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-31-2013, 8:25 PM

Well, one important fact I forgot to mention is that my Jeep goes in my garage at night, so any antenna roughly 12" over the top of my cab is a no-no. Otherwise, the antenna would hit my garage door as I drive in. That is why I was thinking rear bumper mount, for the scanner antenna.

Right now, I have my Firestik CB antenna mounted between front windshield and hood (driver's side). Would I be better off relocating a longer Firestik CB antenna to my rear bumper, and locating a new scanner antenna between front windshield and hood (driver's side)?

topgun1986 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-31-2013, 8:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n9mxq

On my TJ I had my dual band mounted to the bolt on the side of the windshield frame using part of a diamond trunk mount. If I can find a picture when I get home I'll post it.

The problem with bumper mounts is that the body blocks most of the antenna in at least one direction for both transmit and receive. Get the antenna as high and clear of metal as possible.

Sent from my iPhone using that Tapatalk thingamabobber.

If you could post a pic, that would be great. Thanks.

n9mxq · #7 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 5:25 AM

It's hard to see, I basically took a Diamond NMO trunk mount apart. The half that has the NMO mounted to it had a hole big enough for the bolt to go through. It's on the drivers side A post in front of the mirror.

Psmith5604 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 9:18 PM

Take a look at arizonarockyroad.com.

popnokick · #9 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 10:23 AM

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 6_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10B144 Safari/8536.25)

I have same problem with low garage clearance. After I snapped off a roof mounted antenna on my Liberty when I forgot to remove the whip one day, I switched to a thru the glass scanner antenna on the front windshield. Works very well ever since and no more low clearance worries. There's a pic in one of my other posts here on RR.

Rt169Radio · #10 (**permalink**) 02-03-2013, 8:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topgun1986

Well, one important fact I forgot to mention is that my Jeep goes in my garage at night, so any antenna roughly 12" over the top of my cab is a no-no. Otherwise, the antenna would hit my garage door as I drive in. That is why I was thinking rear bumper mount, for the scanner antenna.

Right now, I have my Firestik CB antenna mounted between front windshield and hood (driver's side). Would I be better off relocating a longer Firestik CB antenna to my rear bumper, and locating a new scanner antenna between front windshield and hood (driver's side)?

That would probably be the best place then if you can't do over 12" for a antenna. Do you have a antenna in mind?

WX1SVR · #11 (**permalink**) 02-03-2013, 8:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psmith5604

Take a look at arizonarockyroad.com.

Good website. I bought their spare tire mount for my TJ/LJ. Works really well and I use it with a couple of different antennas under 24" and they stick up only a few inches over the roof. Not the best for propagation, but I can get in and out of the garage without issue.

When I have a minute, I will snap some pics and post them.