• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

HF antenna on a 2015 Pilot

Status
Not open for further replies.

N9JIG

Sheriff
Moderator
Joined
Dec 14, 2001
Messages
5,581
Location
Far NW Valley
I have been trying to figure out how to install an HF antenna on my 2015 Honda Pilot to use with my IC-7000.

On previous vehicles I had used a Diamond K400C mount in the tailgate. I was able to get this to work on these vehicles by substituting the Allen screws with hex head machine screws cut to fit in the small groove, but this won't work on this vehicle.

The issue is that there is a second lip that blocks access by the Allen wrench. On the older vehicles there was just enough room in the trough to get hex head screws in there but not this year's vehicle.

I am restricted by the wife's edict of no holes (other than the NMO's on the roof).

Other than an NMO mount (which would not be sturdy enough for a 20 or 40M stick...) are there any ideas that would work?
 

zz0468

QRT
Banned
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
6,034
A lot depends on what antenna you intend to use. Keep in mind, for HF, you need as much of the metal in the car bonded together for the counterpoise, which is actually the car capacitively coupled to the ground.

For the actual mount, you might try having a mount welded to the frame and protruding out from the rear bumper just enough to mount the antenna on. No visible holes, and it'll have a good connection to the frame.

Or do what I did... Buy your wife her own car, and drill as many holes as you want in yours. =)
 

Jim41

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
188
I have been trying to figure out how to install an HF antenna on my 2015 Honda Pilot to use with my IC-7000.

On previous vehicles I had used a Diamond K400C mount in the tailgate. I was able to get this to work on these vehicles by substituting the Allen screws with hex head machine screws cut to fit in the small groove, but this won't work on this vehicle.

The issue is that there is a second lip that blocks access by the Allen wrench. On the older vehicles there was just enough room in the trough to get hex head screws in there but not this year's vehicle.

I am restricted by the wife's edict of no holes (other than the NMO's on the roof).

Other than an NMO mount (which would not be sturdy enough for a 20 or 40M stick...) are there any ideas that would work?

Think about using a trailer hitch as a mounting point. The newer hitch designs have a channel that allows for removal of the trailer hitch hardware. You can substitute an antenna mount for the normal trailer hitch ball or fabricate custom hardware for mounting your antenna.

If your Pilot doesn't have a trailer hitch, Honda will be happy to sell and install an OEM model.

Jim41.
 

N9JIG

Sheriff
Moderator
Joined
Dec 14, 2001
Messages
5,581
Location
Far NW Valley
The Pilot does come standard with a trailer hitch receiver, it is covered with a removable plastic cover on my Touring edition.

It looks like the hitch mount will be my end solution. I think someone makes one that angles back to allow the hatch to open.

I think the only way I would be able to get the Diamond K400 mount to work is if I grind away that secondary channel with a Dremel tool. That would be a difficult job.

I think I can con the wife into letting me drill if there is something reasonable. I may search around a bit more for another solution before committing to the trailer hitch mount.
 

N9JIG

Sheriff
Moderator
Joined
Dec 14, 2001
Messages
5,581
Location
Far NW Valley
Well, for now I ended up with a Breedlove trailer hitch mount (https://breedlovemounts.com/trailer_hitch_mount.html).

Physically the mount is strong like moose, I could use it as a step-stool. It came with a double female SO239 (at my request, they also come with 3/8 studs) to fit my antennas but I found for now it seemed to work better with the SO239 that came with my Diamond K400 mount since that has the very thin coax to go thru the tailgate. The RG-58 jumper used on the supplied double SO239 was pretty thick and disrupts the water seal.

I am still looking for a better solution. The hitch mount interferes with the tailgate operation so I have to remove the antenna every time I open it. This usually means I leave the antenna off so I have no HF unless I go back and put it on. Performance wise it is not very good as the top of the whip is barely above the vehicle body. The K400 worked much better with the same whips.

I will still look for a way to either get the D400 mount installed (Dremmel tool perhaps...) or find an alternative to the hitch mount.
 

wd9cms

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
79
Location
New Mexico
Hi Rich,

Have you thought about a foldover or quick diconnect whip mount. I am assuming your using hamstick antennas. With the foldover you can just fold the antenna out of the way when you open you back door without having to remove the mount. The same holds true withe the quick disconnect mount you can remove the whip open the back and re-attach when done.

Bill
 

N9JIG

Sheriff
Moderator
Joined
Dec 14, 2001
Messages
5,581
Location
Far NW Valley
I didn't like the hitch mount. It made it a pain to open and close the hatch and just didn't work well. The top of the whip didn't even clear the roof.

I took another look at the side of the hatch and finally noticed that the second lip that blocked the Allen wrench access was actually a separate piece screwed onto the hatch. I have no idea why I didn't notice this before!

After removing 8 screws and popping 3 pop-outs the piece could be moved away with enough room to get an Allen head driver bit on a long handle it to tighten the set screws. I then ran the coax into the cargo compartment to the auto-tuner and all is well with the world again.

With the 20M whip in the garage I can hear WWV again on 10 and 15 MHz. When we go into town later for shopping I will see how well it works out in the open.

For those who asked, I was just about to order the quick disconnects and had been looking into roof-rack mounts. I my end up doing that anyway if I get into more serious HF work other than mostly SWL.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top