antenna CAR mount
- Thread starter trx680
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I would recommend s trunk lip mount, and place it at the far end of the hatch, near where the brake light is. From there you can place a decent antenna without it beating the car up, or bending when the hatch is raised. The close to the center of the car, the more probably your antenna will hit the car when the hatch is raised.
Another option is using the trunk lip mount on the hood. I did this and it was worked wonderfully! It does not hit my vehicle and I do not have to worry about a water tight seal. With the hatch/trunk you have to worry about it being water tight due to the hatch being in the passenger compartment.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Seriously?
If you want what works best, an NMO permanent mount dead center of the roof. That gives you the ideal ground plane.
It does make a difference. Low SWR, good radiation pattern, best overall solution.
But I understand that not everyone is willing to go as far as drilling a hole in the roof of their car.
There are various trunk lip/hatch lip mounts that will work, but they all clamp on and can cause damage. Ideally you want the antenna up high and in the clear.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
Mobile antenna
I used a trunk lip mount on my C-Max and it worked very well using a good dual band antenna about 37 inches long. SWR was under 1.5. Get a good mount (Diamond K400 or similar) so you can get the antenna perfectly vertical. An NMO mount on the roof might be better, but it can present problems with clearance in garages, and running the coax requires removing the head liner in any roof installation I have seen.
I used a trunk lip mount on my C-Max and it worked very well using a good dual band antenna about 37 inches long. SWR was under 1.5. Get a good mount (Diamond K400 or similar) so you can get the antenna perfectly vertical. An NMO mount on the roof might be better, but it can present problems with clearance in garages, and running the coax requires removing the head liner in any roof installation I have seen.
I second the above. Comtelco A1531, Larsen 2/70SH, or the Laird equivalent. They are dual band and about 19-20 inches high. That's 1/4 wave at VHF, and UHF varies by manufacturer (1/2 or loaded 3/4 wave).
If garages aren't an issue and you think you need more gain, other NMO models are available.
The “issue” is called “my wife”. If I drill a hole in my truck, my wife will take “issue” with it and therefore my safety and well-being will he greatly compromised.
I've lost count of how many roof installs I've done, and haven't had to "remove" a headliner yet. Snake the the coax or drop a corner of side a bit, but never removed. I've put 4 NMOs in the roof of several Ford 150s, a Tacoma, and a Tundra without removing the headliner.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Might? It does work better, proven in tests by Larsen.
Not a Honda with a 1/4 wave antenna. My wife has a Ford Escape with a 1/4 wave VHF whip and the tip just touches as she pulls in the garage.
No, not on any install I've ever done.
I understand the wife not liking it. I'm fortunate in that my wife understands the value of things working right, and she has her amateur license. I've installed permanent NMO's on all but one of the vehicles we've ever owned since we were married. Never had an issue with trade ins at the dealer.
The benefit is that there is no paint damage, it works better, and you don't have to worry about damaging coax or water leakage.
There are alternatives, but they do come with trade offs. Deciding if the trade offs are worth it or not are up to the end user.
Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
It may not truly be your truck then…
Just like mckenna stated, I've got hundreds of installs of NMO mounts under my belt...never had to remove a headliner. How do you think it got done in the days of double-walled roofs common in fleet vehicles (and pickups) from the 1950's through 1980's? Those headliners are welded in.
My wife came to the realization that if it is something I bought for myself, I will drill holes in it as I please. Then again, my hobby is also my career and therefore pays the bills.
trx680
Member
This is my sons car. I think we will refrain from drilling holes in the roof.
Now if there is a magnetic antenna thats a very good possibility.
Now if there is a magnetic antenna thats a very good possibility.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
A magnet mount will certainly work, if it's a steel body.
Magnet mounts can damage the paint in the long term, either discoloration or scratching.
The other issue is routing the cable. Repeatedly pinching the cable will damage it.
If you do go that route, stick with an NMO base, as it will give you a lot more options than any other type of base.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I'm a big fan of the Larsen products. I've been using them for work and personal use for going on near 30 years now. I still have and use some of the original antennas.
For personal purchases, I've found this site to be an excellent source. Good customer service and a good selection:
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/
For a magnet base, I'd recommend one of these:
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/larsen-nmommrpl-1097
The NMO base will give you the widest selection of antennas to choose from. NMO mounts are the industry standard mobile antenna mount. You'd easily be able to find an antenna that would work from 27MHz well up into the GHz range with this mount.
For a basic dual band antenna, one of these:
https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-000567
I ran one of these for years. It'll cover the 2 meter and 70 centimeter band well. While you can get high gain antennas, they are going to be nearing 3 feet long. The lower gain also gives you more useable bandwidth, lower profile, and less noise with the closed coil.
Steer clear of the Chinese knock off antennas. Most amateur only brands can be a little crappy, also, with out any substantial savings in cost.
For personal purchases, I've found this site to be an excellent source. Good customer service and a good selection:
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/
For a magnet base, I'd recommend one of these:
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/larsen-nmommrpl-1097
The NMO base will give you the widest selection of antennas to choose from. NMO mounts are the industry standard mobile antenna mount. You'd easily be able to find an antenna that would work from 27MHz well up into the GHz range with this mount.
For a basic dual band antenna, one of these:
https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-000567
I ran one of these for years. It'll cover the 2 meter and 70 centimeter band well. While you can get high gain antennas, they are going to be nearing 3 feet long. The lower gain also gives you more useable bandwidth, lower profile, and less noise with the closed coil.
Steer clear of the Chinese knock off antennas. Most amateur only brands can be a little crappy, also, with out any substantial savings in cost.
trx680
Member
I looked at that one. Question.....does this come with a whip or is there a specific whip sold separately?
The antenna is sold separately.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
The -sh model is quarter wave on 2 meters.
The benefit is that a 3/4 wave UHF antenna has some funky radiation patterns that tend to launch some of the signal up above the horizon. It works just fine in my area where all the 70cm machines are up on mountain tops, however for someone on the flat lands, it might not work as well as a more purpose built UHF antenna or a dual band that has the coil.
I did use a 2 meter 1/4 wave whip with a dual band antenna for years with good results, but that would be a bit specific to my area.
The full size NMO-2/70 is a good antenna. A bit tall for some. My brother in law runs one on his full size pick-up. Works well. Might be kind of big and ugly on a small Honda.
But that's the benefit to sticking with NMO mounts, lots of options on the antenna side. Easy enough to swap out if your needs change or you just want to try out something new.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
W9BU brought up a good point in a PM he sent me.
The magnet mount I linked to may not be the best choice. I'll let him explain it, but I agree.
It's been probably 25+ years since I purchased a mag mount, and the one I have is no longer made by Larsen (that I'm aware of). There are some better models out there that do a bit more to protect the finish of the vehicle.
The magnet mount I linked to may not be the best choice. I'll let him explain it, but I agree.
It's been probably 25+ years since I purchased a mag mount, and the one I have is no longer made by Larsen (that I'm aware of). There are some better models out there that do a bit more to protect the finish of the vehicle.
The Larsen mag-mounts use a polyethylene sheet on the bottom to keep the mag-mount from scratching the vehicle. I have seen that over time that sheet starts to peel back allowing metal-on-metal contact between the mag-mount and the vehicle.
I have found an Antenex (Laird) mag-mount that has a rubber boot on the base that provides a little more protection for the vehicle's finish. Here's a link to one on the Antenna Farm's web site: https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-gbr8pi-1096
No matter what mag-mount you use, make sure the base is clean and the vehicle is clean before you stick on the mag-mount. Any dust or dirt will be trapped under the mag-mount and will start to abrade the finish on the vehicle. Also, because mag-mounts are magnetic, they will attract any ferrous material that might be in the air. And, moisture will accumulate under the mag-mount. As a result, they really need to be removed and cleaned periodically.
I have found an Antenex (Laird) mag-mount that has a rubber boot on the base that provides a little more protection for the vehicle's finish. Here's a link to one on the Antenna Farm's web site: https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-gbr8pi-1096
No matter what mag-mount you use, make sure the base is clean and the vehicle is clean before you stick on the mag-mount. Any dust or dirt will be trapped under the mag-mount and will start to abrade the finish on the vehicle. Also, because mag-mounts are magnetic, they will attract any ferrous material that might be in the air. And, moisture will accumulate under the mag-mount. As a result, they really need to be removed and cleaned periodically.
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