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Mast wall mounts on travel trailer

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Lowboy23

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I am considering mounting an antenna, the Comtelco BS150U-B, on my Jayco 13 and 1/2 foot long travel trailer using a 14 and 1/2 foot mast, which would put the mast top about 4 and 1/2 to 5 feet above the trailer roof if the mast was buried in the ground a couple of inches. I want to mount the mast to the trailer wall with a couple of wall mounts which have a 2" standoff. Here's the problem-finding where the studs/supports/beams? are in the trailer wall for mounting the wall mounts and the wall thickness. Travel trailer walls are not that thick. I sure don't want to use wall mount bolts that are too long that will go through the inside of the wall. No, I have not considered calling the trailer manufacturer because in the past when calling about minor details/problems, they haven't been too helpful. Roof holes are a no-no. Any problem solvers with travel trailers-speak up.
 

DHack1

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I am considering mounting an antenna, the Comtelco BS150U-B, on my Jayco 13 and 1/2 foot long travel trailer using a 14 and 1/2 foot mast, which would put the mast top about 4 and 1/2 to 5 feet above the trailer roof if the mast was buried in the ground a couple of inches. I want to mount the mast to the trailer wall with a couple of wall mounts which have a 2" standoff. Here's the problem-finding where the studs/supports/beams? are in the trailer wall for mounting the wall mounts and the wall thickness. Travel trailer walls are not that thick. I sure don't want to use wall mount bolts that are too long that will go through the inside of the wall. No, I have not considered calling the trailer manufacturer because in the past when calling about minor details/problems, they haven't been too helpful. Roof holes are a no-no. Any problem solvers with travel trailers-speak up.
You could always use a hitch mount if your trailer has an accessory hitch on the back. Or you could add one. Just a thought may be easier, especially if you move it alot.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

jeepsandradios

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So I dealt with many issues on my travel trailer and learned about the construction. Ultimately I had to rebuild both side walls on the camper. Most campers are a pressed wall with fiberglass outside with 2x2 and Styrofoam sandwiched between and a paneling type wood on the inside. Its all glued and rolled thru a huge roller. Basically unless you find the "stud" (aka 2x2) you dont have alot of support there. Even hitting a 2x2 most are only stapled to the one below or above and no real support is there. On my 5ver I used a extendable mast clamped to the ladder on the rear. The base would be in the ground and i had 3 clamps going up the ladder. It extended 8' above the camper and was sufficient for the 2 fiberglass antennas i used. The only way you could actually mount to the wall would be a thru hole bolt with some form of support outside and inside.
 

JoshuaHufford

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I don't think I'd mount anything to the wall of a camper, but that is just me.

Last time I was at a campground a guy near me had a mast clamped to the jack on the front of his camper, looked like it worked well. I didn't recognize the type of antenna, but looked like some type of UHF omni. I didn't see him around so I never got a chance to ask him about it.

I'm planning on setting up something similar on my camper for our next trip.
 

Lowboy23

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Hitch/jack, that would be a lot of mast and antenna above the hitch if I was to keep the mast at 14 and 1/2 feet length and not guyed.

I have no trailer ladder.

As for supports in the wall, my electric awning has two vertical channels that have bolts screwed into various locations and do not puncture the inside wall, so there has to be supporting in the wall somewhere.

One thing I forgot to mention is my trailer is in a permanent location, not temporary.

I think I will talk to the trailer park manager, and other trailer residents in the park who have small tv antennas with masts several feet above the roofs and not guyed. Possibly hit up the RV forums also.
 

prcguy

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Are you looking at the cool mast mounts that have a cup at the bottom and a twisted thing at the top where you stick the mast in sideways, then rotate vertical and slide down into the cup? Those are great and you would want to anchor them into a stud if possible. I would think you can locate a stud by pushing or tapping on the outside skin until you find a solid spot which should be a stud.

I have a fiberglass Casita trailer which has curved walls and unique mounting hurdles and unfortunately can't make use of the mounts I described. I did go with a fold over trailer hitch mount and had a custom receiver socket made for my bumper to receive the antenna mount and its working great with mil surplus masts up to about 20ft. Here is the mount I got and the custom socket I had made was a simple stainless steel sheet metal 2" X 2" U shaped tunnel with flanges that bolted on the top of my hollow 4" X 4" bumper. HF Antenna Hitch Mount for Ham Radio Yaesu & Icom rigs | eBay


I am considering mounting an antenna, the Comtelco BS150U-B, on my Jayco 13 and 1/2 foot long travel trailer using a 14 and 1/2 foot mast, which would put the mast top about 4 and 1/2 to 5 feet above the trailer roof if the mast was buried in the ground a couple of inches. I want to mount the mast to the trailer wall with a couple of wall mounts which have a 2" standoff. Here's the problem-finding where the studs/supports/beams? are in the trailer wall for mounting the wall mounts and the wall thickness. Travel trailer walls are not that thick. I sure don't want to use wall mount bolts that are too long that will go through the inside of the wall. No, I have not considered calling the trailer manufacturer because in the past when calling about minor details/problems, they haven't been too helpful. Roof holes are a no-no. Any problem solvers with travel trailers-speak up.
 

Lowboy23

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Gee, I never heard of the mount you described with a cup at the bottom. Do you know of a website so I can look at one and read more about it? My trailer wall skin is relatively flat but not exactly flat. It has overlapping fiberglass or plastic skin. Maybe I could find a stud like that. I don't know. Would these studs be vertical or horizontal?

The hitch mount looks like it is just for mounting on a truck or car. There is no associated motor vehicle with this trailer. Just the trailer.
 

AI7PM

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I have three different mounting solutions on/for my trailer. Unfortunately I don't have a mounted ladder to use.

One 5ft section of TV mast is U-bolted to the spare tire mount, which is mounted closer to the street side of the bumper. When I want to deploy an antenna, I mount the antenna to another (1 or 2) 5ft sections of mast and slip it into the section mounted to the tire mount. Grease the mating points for easy removal later.

Also bolted to the far curb side of the rear bumper is a 2 inch hitch receiver. I have a telescopic aluminum mast (brand unknown) that's base mount slides into the hitch receiver. I don't extend it above about 15 feet without guying it.

I also use the front jack portion above the A-frame to mount TV mast sections for use as on the rear of the unit. I attach the mast using 3 large hose clamps. I only use the front mount to mount light weight antennas, as only the lower 15 inches or so of the mast are supported vs about the lower 30 inches in the rear application. In my case light is either a discone, or Larsen 2/70 on an L-bracket bolted to the mast.
 
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prcguy

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I searched and can't find the twist-lock mount but its similar to the "flagpole buddy" in operation and its made better and fits various military surplus masts. The closest flagpole buddy product has big suction cups or RV ladder mounts where the one I'm recommending has a smaller profile screw in mount for the flat side of an RV or similar. For the trailer hitch antenna mounts, you can always add a light duty trailer hitch to the front, back or side of a trailer only as an antenna mount interface.

Studs in RVs or motorhomes should run vertical with some bracing in between at various levels. Similar to a house but smaller.


Gee, I never heard of the mount you described with a cup at the bottom. Do you know of a website so I can look at one and read more about it? My trailer wall skin is relatively flat but not exactly flat. It has overlapping fiberglass or plastic skin. Maybe I could find a stud like that. I don't know. Would these studs be vertical or horizontal?

The hitch mount looks like it is just for mounting on a truck or car. There is no associated motor vehicle with this trailer. Just the trailer.
 

tmcmath

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I did this years back attaching to a 12x70 mobile home. I went to Home Depot and bought 8 strong industrial strength suction cups with 5 inch stand off brackets. It held a 12 foot mounting mast with a tri band scanner antenna by antenna specialist. I held up for many years.
 

brndnstffrd

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I dont remember who made it, but i know that some company made a drive-over antenna mount for rvs. It was basically a metal pad that the antenna attached to and you put the trailer wheels on it to anchor it down. I dont remember if it needed support wires or not.
 

Lowboy23

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OK, thanks for info and suggestions. Keep in mind this antenna weighs about 5 and 1/2 pounds and about 60".

Man how nice and simple it would be to put up several suction cups. No holes to drill. No damaging the trailer. No leaks to worry about. Unfortunately, with my wall skin that is overlapping and small ridges in between, is unworkable.

My trailer is a permanent location. No way I am having the wheels on ground, unlevel and rockin' n' rollin'.
 

KC5AKB

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North Texas
Pm sent from near Ft Worth fair size ant.
Quote: OK, thanks for info and suggestions. Keep in mind this antenna weighs about 5 and 1/2 pounds and about 60".
 

Lowboy23

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Non penetrating roof mount. That is definitely something to consider. Now why did I not think of that. I suppose there are flat spots on the roof up there. Seems like it would stand up to wind forces for my purpose. Had the trailer 10 months and never been on the roof. And the park manager probably has a bunch of concrete blocks he would give me.
 

Blackink

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Non penetrating roof mount. That is definitely something to consider. Now why did I not think of that. I suppose there are flat spots on the roof up there. Seems like it would stand up to wind forces for my purpose. Had the trailer 10 months and never been on the roof. And the park manager probably has a bunch of concrete blocks he would give me.

If you go this route, make sure you put something down between the roof mount and cinder blocks and the roof. If the wind blows and any little movement from time to time will create a leak in your roof due to constant rubbing/vibrations, whether the roof is made of metal of a rubberized seamless sheet covering the RV.
I used one of these non-penetrating roof mounts at an RV dealership to mount a satellite antenna to for RV service training. Worked like a charm and didn't get knocked over or out of alignment due to any winds we had. I did put a piece of plywood down first though on the metal roof.

Any idea if the RV has metal/aluminum studding? Some of these travel trailers have metal/aluminum studding in the walls. Something to think about if you do plan of tapping into these wall studs.
 
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