Good antenna for a fender mount

New ham here. I want to install a 2m radio in my Ford escape and mount the antenna on a fender/hood mount. What would be some good antennas for that location? Thanks.

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mikew66 said:

New ham here. I want to install a 2m radio in my Ford escape and mount the antenna on a hood mount. What would be some good antennas for that location? Thanks.

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The hood isn't the best place for an antenna. Better (and safer in terms of RF exposure) to locate the antenna to the rear of the vehicle.

That being said, you will want to install an NMO style mount. Previous posts have dealt with this ad nauseam, so I won't bother to explain the why of this here.

You didn't say what type of radio you will be using, and my answer is predicated on the expectation that you'll be using a mobile radio, rather than a 5w handheld.

If all you are using is 2m, then a simple 1/4 wave whip would be fine. If you want a little more gain and efficiency, consider a 3dB gain antenna like the Larsen NMO 150.

Stay with quality commercial brands like Larsen, Pctell and Comtelco and avoid the ham-only brands like Comet, Diamond or Browning.

Fender mounts don't supply the necessary ground plane for a ground plane dependent antenna to work ideally.

A 1/2 wave VHF will work. Larsen NMO-150HW would be my choice.

A 1/4 wave will work, but might have an issue with the lack of a good ground plane under it. Most of the antenna is also going to be below the roof, which will add to the directionality of it that will likely come from the lopsided ground plane.

You didn't say what year the Escape was. My wife has a 2009, and I put an NMO dead center on the roof with a 1/4 wave. Works very well.

Thanks for the advice!

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What mmckenna said. Otherwise, plop a 1/4 in the middle of the roof.

I'm confused on NOT using a ham antenna for a 2m ham radio..!..?

New Ham said in part (condensed)...

mikew66 said:

New ham here. I want to install a 2m radio... What would be some good antennas...

Click to expand...

LADN replied in their post...

Stay with quality commercial brands like Larsen, Pctell and Comtelco and avoid the ham-only brands like Comet, Diamond or Browning.

Click to expand...

OK, I'll bite...

Why would one want to stay away from 2m ham antennas that are designed and built for hams... yet purchase from Larson, PcTell or ComTelCo?

Now you've got me confused. Of course, if you ask my wife she'll tell you it doesn't take much!

BaoFeng Blogger KN4OTS

BaoFeng_Blogger said:

New Ham said in part (condensed)...







LADN replied in their post...







OK, I'll bite...



Why would one want to stay away from 2m ham antennas that are designed and built for hams... yet purchase from Larson, PcTell or ComTelCo?



Now you've got me confused. Of course, if you ask my wife she'll tell you it doesn't take much!



BaoFeng Blogger KN4OTS

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Quality. Notice how ‘commercial’ antennas do not have fold overs? There is a reason for this. Although you can get Comet/Diamond/NCG can be bough with NMO connections, this is fairly new, they usually came with SO-239(garbage connectors, especially for mobile mounts). Looks. Comet/diamond/NCG look like hammy antennas.

Plus the commercial antennas just work, and are much better build quality.


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I second the use of commercial grade antennas for mobile use. I've had to replace more ham grade mobile antennas for people but never once after replaced by a commercial one. Commercial antennas need to operate under harsher conditions and last longer for about the same or less money. You won't find a quad band (10/6/2/440) commercial antenna though. There is a reason public safety uses Larsen, etc.

i have a 2006 Ford Escape i was able to do a 3\4 inch NMO mount on my fender and it works fine.

BaoFeng_Blogger said:

New Ham said in part (condensed)...



LADN replied in their post...



OK, I'll bite...

Why would one want to stay away from 2m ham antennas that are designed and built for hams... yet purchase from Larson, PcTell or ComTelCo?

Now you've got me confused. Of course, if you ask my wife she'll tell you it doesn't take much!

BaoFeng Blogger KN4OTS

Click to expand...

To also add, most commercial antennas are actually cheaper to purchase. Many hams are driven to purchase based on the gain of the antenna. Amateur radio antenna manufacturers are notorious for not listing their gain references or otherwise listing specifically in dBi to make their antenna look superior to another.

Since there will be a very poor ground plane, only 1\2 wave antennas
will work.

Project25_MASTR said:

To also add, most commercial antennas are actually cheaper to purchase. Many hams are driven to purchase based on the gain of the antenna. Amateur radio antenna manufacturers are notorious for not listing their gain references or otherwise listing specifically in dBi to make their antenna look superior to another.

Click to expand...

They also use odd wavelengths to make those ungodly looking antennas work. Like 6/8 and 7/8 wave.

Pretty much any hammy manufacturer is advertising in dBi, if they even show it in dBi. If it is listed as dB only, it is probably dBi, so subtract 2.15 for dBd, and even then that number is still probably on the high side.


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