• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Firestik

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Delivers1234

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I saw this on a mini van.
4efccedfd0c245307822bad394f0ee76.jpg
 

JayMojave

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Hello All: Well that looks like a good antenna installation, they have drilled holes into the top and used a after market puck or mount for the antenna. And in the center of the top of the car, which is the way to go.

Antenna installations like this one usually need a back plate of Aluminum or Steel to help support the thin sheet metal of the car. A sheet metal piece say .061 to .1 inches thick mounted in between the cars inside sheet metal and mounting screws or bolts. Some cars have real thin sheet metal.

Looks like it will get out really well. The photo doesn't show the top of the antenna but antenna photos aren't the easiest thing to take a picture of. Good going.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
 

Delivers1234

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Hello All: Well that looks like a good antenna installation, they have drilled holes into the top and used a after market puck or mount for the antenna. And in the center of the top of the car, which is the way to go.



Antenna installations like this one usually need a back plate of Aluminum or Steel to help support the thin sheet metal of the car. A sheet metal piece say .061 to .1 inches thick mounted in between the cars inside sheet metal and mounting screws or bolts. Some cars have real thin sheet metal.



Looks like it will get out really well. The photo doesn't show the top of the antenna but antenna photos aren't the easiest thing to take a picture of. Good going.



Jay in the Great Mojave Desert



Hi. How would the sheet and what size be mounted to the roof? Do u add bolts through the roof to the sheet?
 

JayMojave

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Hello D1234: Each vehicle maybe different, having different thickness of metal, and in most cases there is doubler piece of reinforcement metal in the center of the roof helping to stiffen the metal roof.

Yes a additional piece of Aluminum or Steel can be installed on the inside surface with the puck or antenna mount bolts also holding it tight against the roof metal, the added back plate can have additional bolts or machine screws attaching it the metal roof. With the antenna shown I would go with a at least 1 foot square back plate from Aluminum sheet metal, with a .1 inch thickness.

Yeah some installations even add a few machine screws to the back plate if you don't mind drilling more holes in the roof. But I wouldn't hesitate doing so if my vehicle wasn't going to the Paris Air Show.

Some of the after market puck or antenna mounts manufactures also sell back plates or doublers to reinforce the antenna mount metal.

On my old truck I have a 1 foot square piece of Aluminum for a back plate, that is installed between the metal roof and the factory center of the roof reinforcement metal with the antenna mounting bolts going thru both for added support.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
 

wa1nic

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Tractor Supply has .062 aluminum in their stores (18x24" I think).

Ebay is filled with metal suppliers.
 

kf4eyr

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delivers 1234,, check your local scrap yard/recycler yard,,, i find sheet metal of all kinds and aluminum tubing for antenna projects there,, and it is cheaper than buying it new,,
 

bharvey2

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There are a number of A&S Metals yards in your area. I think Salinas and Watsonville would be the closest ones. They might be able to help you.
 

Delivers1234

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There are a number of A&S Metals yards in your area. I think Salinas and Watsonville would be the closest ones. They might be able to help you.



Antenna, 27-30 MHz, NMO Mount, 1/4 wave, 150 W, 52.5 in. Max Height, Black Wh

Looks like this what will be installed. I'm just worried bout how flimsy it is (roof)
 

Delivers1234

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So would the folding mount go on an NMO mount? Do you know if its the right size? I know it will be an NMO mount that is put on with the above antanne.
 

JayMojave

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Hello D1234: yeah the Comtelco A1801AH-27 is a good antenna, using a NMO mount that will not need a back plate. There magnetic NMO mounts that work just fine with that antenna.

However any distinguished radio enthusiast should know were the local Metal Supply place is for further projects and such. They always have left over pieces of all kinds of sheet metal called remanences and you probably can go I there and just pick out what ever you want for cheap. They can cut to your needs any type of sheet metal.

Spelling, punition, word structure, and what ever else is good enough for whos it 4.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
 
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