Mount location

[superman2112ms]

I saw a diagram showing a window mount high on the rear window was better than a trunk lip mount. Any thoughts? Trying to mage a purchase decision.

 

[W9WSS]

Glass-mounted antennas are a compromise at best. I haven't had one with better than poor performance for many years. A trunk lip mount antenna would be 100% better. Of course, YMMV.

 

[doctordialtone]

a window mount high on the rear window

With a window mount there's no "Ground Plane".

You'll do better with a good solid ground.

 

[StaticDischarge]

How about just forgoing all of the snake oil and drill a hole for the NMO mount on the roof? Problem solved and much, much better performance!
And yes when (if) you sell the vehicle you can simply remove the mount and install a hole plug.
Ps... when (if) you sell, most people will think the plug will have something to do with FM radio or satellite reception anyway... No worries...

 

[W9WSS]

I've been driving my own cars for the last 50 years. Whether purchased, leased, or family-owned, every one of them had no less than 3 NMO mounts on them. As a matter of fact, 2 of them I sold outright included the radios, antennas, and programmed to their chosen frequencies upon sale. My current vehicle, a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, has 13 NMO-mounted antennas, all connected and working with Motorola, Yaesu, Kenwood, Alinco, and Uniden radios, scanners, and VRS-750 cross-band repeater units.

 

[mmckenna]

You'll lose 0.5 to 3dB depending on where you mount it on the glass.
Since glass mount antennas are usually 1/2 wave, the ground plane isn't an issue, but a 1/2 wave with no ground plane is a unity gain antenna. So about the same as a 1/4 wave with a different radiation pattern.

As always, doing a permanent NMO center of the roof is the ideal location, everything else is some compromise off of that.

 

[captainmax1]

I've been driving my own cars for the last 50 years. Whether purchased, leased, or family-owned, every one of them had no less than 3 NMO mounts on them. As a matter of fact, 2 of them I sold outright included the radios, antennas, and programmed to their chosen frequencies upon sale. My current vehicle, a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, has 13 NMO-mounted antennas, all connected and working with Motorola, Yaesu, Kenwood, Alinco, and Uniden radios, scanners, and VRS-750 cross-band repeater units.

View attachment 105804

That's a lot of antenna's. Do people ask you questions about it? I had a cop ask me why all the antenna's one time I had 6 mag mounts on my vehicle. I explained my obsession with radio's and he was satisfied. I suppose some think I am doing something illegal. With yours being an ex cop car, people might think you're undercover or something. My vehicle is a Pathfinder. All I can say is I Like It!

 

[W9WSS]

I get people asking me all the time. At gas stations, post office, supermarket parking lots, etc. I used to say "World Police," but since I'm a retired police officer, I don't want anyone accusing me of impersonating a police officer, even though by statute I'm still a police officer "in retired status." I mostly say that I dabble in radio and check reports on the Mars rover.

 

[superman2112ms]

I am going with NMO in the center of trunk. ( 2015 Impala W/Sunroof)

I've been driving my own cars for the last 50 years. Whether purchased, leased, or family-owned, every one of them had no less than 3 NMO mounts on them. As a matter of fact, 2 of them I sold outright included the radios, antennas, and programmed to their chosen frequencies upon sale. My current vehicle, a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, has 13 NMO-mounted antennas, all connected and working with Motorola, Yaesu, Kenwood, Alinco, and Uniden radios, scanners, and VRS-750 cross-band repeater units.

View attachment 105804

Does the trunk lid stay open? LoL

 

[W9WSS]

Funny you mentioned that! It has normally stayed open, but the slightest touch or a downward breeze will cause it to close and latch. I learned the hard way to keep my noggin out of the way of the trunk lid! They perform very well and have had no overload or desense issues. Of course, I only transmit on one radio at a time.

 

[KC4YIN]

I've been driving my own cars for the last 50 years. Whether purchased, leased, or family-owned, every one of them had no less than 3 NMO mounts on them. As a matter of fact, 2 of them I sold outright included the radios, antennas, and programmed to their chosen frequencies upon sale. My current vehicle, a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, has 13 NMO-mounted antennas, all connected and working with Motorola, Yaesu, Kenwood, Alinco, and Uniden radios, scanners, and VRS-750 cross-band repeater units.

View attachment 105804

OK. We're going to need to see the inside of that vehicle.