Mag Mounts in the house.

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MilAirNJ

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I have a couple mag-mount antennas and really couldn't find anything magnetic for them to attach to. I found an old power supply (turned off) and they seem to magnetically attach to that perfectly! But is this ok? How does everyone else do it? Whats the best way to do it? Piece of steel??
 

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rwier

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Uopened can of pork and beans (old style with steel ends), sized to the mag base, set in bedroom window, on top of chest-of-drawers, etc., lol.
 

KI4VBR

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Cover A Broader Area If Possible

You have a nice solid mount below your antenna, but as far as a ground plane goes, there isnt much of a footprint there. I would suggest finding a flat panel of metal of sorts around 3x3 or larger. Something larger than a cookie sheet if possible......I use a realtor sign that has been made out of metal. It is a nice size, hides well and for me, free as my wife is a realtor. I placed the sign up in the soffit/planter shelf near the ceiling. Works great with 3 mag mount antennas up there.

Best of luck to you and please ask any questions you may have.

Vince
KI4VBR
Palm Harbor, FL
 

LtDoc

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I agree, there isn't much 'groundplane' with that power supply. But that depends on the frequencies you listen to with the antenna. A "perfect" groundplane would have a radius of 1/4 wave length at the frequency of use. Larger certainly doesn't hurt, smaller makes for 'less' of an antenna.
That magnet/magnetism has no electrical significance. It does have a mechanical one, it holds the thing on metal. The electrical significance is that the magnet makes up one 'plate' of a capacitor, the metal it's stuck to makes up the other 'plate' of the capacitor. There's a capacitively coupled connection to that metal and that's the 'groundplane' (actually, the 'other half' of the antenna). So the size of the metal that antenna is stuck to makes a difference. It doesn't have to be a solid plate of metal though, as long as portions of it are the right size. As in add one or more wires to make the length from the center of the magnet something close to a 1/4 wave length, for instance.
- 'Doc
 

reedeb

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Sep 14, 2006
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I myself use a cookie sheet with a dual band and a scanner antenna. I get out good with my dual band and recieve somewhat OK withy the scanner.
 

n5ims

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I have mine on a legal sized 4 drawer file cabinet next to the window. They fit nicely there and the file cabinet provides a good ground plane for the antennas. The drawers also help keep the mess down near the radios as well. The cost was $25 at a local thrift shop.
 

scanrfan

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Birmingham, Al
Mag Mount Antenna Indoors

I use an old Pizza Pan about 12" in diameter screwed to the ceiling. The dual Band Mag Mount Antenna hangs from it. Not the best solution, but reception is better than just a "Rubber Duckie".
 

N8DAD

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Gaylord, Michigan
Magmount

I have a 2M Magmount on a cooksheet pan, and i have a tv preamp installed with custom make connection cables to go from F connectors to PL259 and so forth, really works great
 
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