Aluminum Truck...Mag Mount Options

[baybum]

I have a Ford pickup. Looking for a mount that will let me use my 2 meter mag mount antenna.
Is there a suction cup type of mount out there that will work?

Thanks

 

[62Truck]

What year is your truck?

There are vehicle specific fender mounts that are available if you're really against drilling a hole in your roof.

 

[GROL]

Suction cup, never. Won't hold and the mag mount actually capacitively couples the antenna to the metal. As suggested I would get a fender mount specific to the truck. I have seen many for Ford pickups and I bought one for my Explorer. It uses an existing fender bolt and sticks out the side. There was enough gap between the fender and hood for RG58 cable and looks very nice. You may need an antenna mount too. If it is NMO, that is commonly available. If it is a part of the mag mount and not separable, then get a new antenna with a proper mount for the bracket.

One example. 2015-2020 - Ford - No Hole Antenna Fender Mounting Bracket - AM-412

 

[mmckenna]

Hole saws will hold antennas really well.

Yeah, suction cup is a no go since there's no coupling to the ground plane. Check that one off your list.
Fender brackets can work, but they give you a lopsided ground plane and put the antenna down below the cab. A solution, but not a good one.
Horribly overpriced cargo light mounts will at least get the antenna above the cab, but still have a lopsided ground plane: https://sdhqoffroad.com/collections/bullet-proof-diesel-third-brake-light-antenna-mounts
Not quite so horribly priced cargo light mount, and will let you run magnetic mount for the true ham radio experience:

Larson Electronics - 2015 Ford F150 No Drill Magnetic Antenna Mounting Plate - 3rd Brake Light High Mount

2015 Ford F150 No Drill Magnetic Antenna Mounting Plate - 3rd Brake Light High Mount

www.larsonelectronics.com

I know some love to claim that drilling a hole for an antenna will impact resale value, but it won't. What will impact resale value is scratches from mag mounts, and water intrusion around the coax jammed through a window/door.

Give some serious thought to doing a proper antenna installation. You won't regret it.

 

[baybum]

I like the fender mount, thanks.
I'm not overly concerned about ground plane issues. Just looking to get an antenna out of the cab. I run low power and have plenty of local repeaters.

 

[GROL]

I like the fender mount, thanks.
I'm not overly concerned about ground plane issues. Just looking to get an antenna out of the cab. I run low power and have plenty of local repeaters.

You definitely need some sort of groundplane and the fender mount provides one. Without it you would never be able to get that antenna tuned. While fender mounts do affect the radiation pattern, I have never found it to be much of a problem on 2 meters and 70 cm. Now on HF, mounting on a corner or side of the vehicle is a big deal. I have a 20 meter antenna off the left rear corner of my Explorer and the propagation changes a lot with each turn of the vehicle. Any mobile HF antenna is a big compromise. You just do with it what you can.

 

[K6GBW]

Get a BackRack and mount it on that. If fact, they make an antenna mount for it.

 

[mmckenna]

Get a BackRack and mount it on that. If fact, they make an antenna mount for it.

They still don't provide a suitable ground plane, but they do get the antenna up above the cab.

 

[GROL]

Magnet mounts can ruin paint, but I suppose if someone insisted on mounting one on the roof of the cab, another similar size magnet with the poles properly oriented and glued to the underside may work. You would still get capacitive coupling for a ground plane.

I use a mag mount for a dual band antenna on the roof of my 2017 Explorer. It is the type that has a mylar sheet on the bottom. I clean under it often. I have an aversion to drilling mounting holes, although I did consider doing it for a couple of antennas on the roof of the Explorer. A word of caution, if you want to ruin paint, use a mag mount with a rubber bottom. In the heat it leaves a permanent print in the paint. Especially dark colors. It leaves a raised ring that you cannot buff out, and the color is altered.

 

[K6GBW]

True, a backrack isn't the best mounting point, but if you have an aluminum vehicle there are few options. Oh, and yes please someone invent a magnet that works on aluminum, and while you're at it make one that works on brass! I could use that at the range to clean up my brass!

 

[mmckenna]

True, a backrack isn't the best mounting point, but if you have an aluminum vehicle there are few options. Oh, and yes please someone invest a magnet that works on aluminum, and while you're at it make one that works on brass! I could use that at the range to clean up my brass!

They can work well with a 1/2 wave antenna. It does get the antenna above the cab, which is important on the higher frequencies.

I have a headache rack on my truck, but I still did a permanent NMO in the center of the crew cab roof. Nice low SWR across the VHF band, from 144 up to 174, never above 2:1.

 

[k6cpo]

There is a mount for the F-150 that uses the backup light housing on the back of the cab. I don't remember who makes it.

 

[Cognomen]

I've seen adhesive discs that are supposedly for mag mounts on aluminum roofs. I don't know if they're any good.

As far as a 3/4" hole affecting resale value, it's true. They increase the value, because the next person doesn't have to take the time to drill it.

 

[mmckenna]

There is a mount for the F-150 that uses the backup light housing on the back of the cab. I don't remember who makes it.

See post #4.

 

[mmckenna]

I've seen adhesive discs that are supposedly for mag mounts on aluminum roofs. I don't know if they're any good.

Seems like people go a long way to avoid doing things the right way.

As far as a 3/4" hole affecting resale value, it's true. They increase the value, because the next person doesn't have to take the time to drill it.

Good point.
Dealers don't look, and they don't care. Most places the trade in's go to a broker, and they don't care either. I've had permanent NMO mounts on all my vehicles going all the way back into the early 1990's, and never once had an issue selling or trading in a vehicle with a properly installed NMO mount. It's just more reasons people make up for not doing things the right way.

 

[jeepsandradios]

8 holes in my F150 with 35 miles on the OD.... Took longer to drop the headliner

 

[MUTNAV]

True, a backrack isn't the best mounting point, but if you have an aluminum vehicle there are few options. Oh, and yes please someone invent a magnet that works on aluminum, and while you're at it make one that works on brass! I could use that at the range to clean up my brass!

An AC electromagnet works on aluminum, not what your talking about for an antenna, but for picking up brass, yes..

Thanks
Joel

 

[robertmac]

I use the fender mount and have not found any detriment to it. I have worked various public service events in remote areas, I have access to most repeaters that others are having trouble with I find a lot depends on the antenna. Even on a fender, as someone else stated, I do not find much difference in radiation pattern. I do not have them mounted close to the cab or AM/FM antenna. I have them spaced further to the front of the vehicle.

 

[mmckenna]

On a system designed for hand held radio coverage, a mobile radio with a less than ideal antenna install shouldn't have an issue.

Get on the fringes of coverage, and it won't work as well as a proper antenna mounted in the center of a ground plane on the roof of the vehicle. If it works well enough for your application, then it's good enough. But it won't work as well as an antenna in the center of a proper size ground plane with no obstructions in the way.

 

[OpSec]

They still don't provide a suitable ground plane, but they do get the antenna up above the cab.

A BackRack is fine for antennas that do not require a ground plane, such as 1/2w or 5/8w antennas. Of course performance would be better with a ground plane, but it is not a show stopper for some antennas.

For instance, I use a Comet hammy antenna on a hatch mount that is ground plane independent and it works fabulously for where it's mounted.