Motorola TLK150

[chris522]

Is anyone here using the Motorola TLK150 mobile radios? Has anyone found a NMO mount antenna that will work with this radio? I'm not really liking the stick on antenna.

 

[mmckenna]

Well, not a single NMO if you want to use the full capability.
The radio has 3 SMA connector on the rear.
1 - Main LTE antenna
2 - Diversity LTE antenna
3 - GNSS (GPS) antenna.

If you didn't need GPS, and you don't want the diversity antenna, you could use a standard NMO mount with an SMA connector and get one of the many LTE NMO antennas.

EM Wave EM-M20007 - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: EM Wave, Inc; LTE Poly Pro flexible antenna for NMO applications, 698-960 MHz/1710-2700 MHz; Features: Capacitive Coupled Design Optimizes LTE

theantennafarm.com

This one needs an NMO-HF mount:

Larsen LPT825/19NMOHF - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: Larsen; Model #: LPT825/19NMOHF; Transit Antenna, Cell/PCS; Multi band transit style antenna. Radome shell is made of Makroblend, an advanced

theantennafarm.com

Lots of other options.

For GPS, there are small GPS antennas you can stick on your dash. Or, add another NMO mount and get one of the GPS antennas...

 

[chris522]

Well, not a single NMO if you want to use the full capability.
The radio has 3 SMA connector on the rear.
1 - Main LTE antenna
2 - Diversity LTE antenna
3 - GNSS (GPS) antenna.

If you didn't need GPS, and you don't want the diversity antenna, you could use a standard NMO mount with an SMA connector and get one of the many LTE NMO antennas.

EM Wave EM-M20007 - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: EM Wave, Inc; LTE Poly Pro flexible antenna for NMO applications, 698-960 MHz/1710-2700 MHz; Features: Capacitive Coupled Design Optimizes LTE

theantennafarm.com

This one needs an NMO-HF mount:

Larsen LPT825/19NMOHF - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: Larsen; Model #: LPT825/19NMOHF; Transit Antenna, Cell/PCS; Multi band transit style antenna. Radome shell is made of Makroblend, an advanced

theantennafarm.com

Lots of other options.

For GPS, there are small GPS antennas you can stick on your dash. Or, add another NMO mount and get one of the GPS antennas...

What is the purpose of the Diversity LTE antenna? I wouldn't be using the GPS feature anyways.

Would this antenna work?

Laird TE Connectivity VFT69383B11JN-518L - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: TE Connectivity; 3-Port MIMO in 3G/4G/5G/ISM/CBRS/GNSS; The Garlow-profilemultiport/multiband antennaprovides an excellent solution for public

theantennafarm.com

 

[mmckenna]

What is the purpose of the Diversity LTE antenna?

Diversity receive is where you have two physically separated antennas feeding two different radios (usually) and the radio picks the one with the best signal. It helps with multipath issues. Not required and the radio will work fine with just the main antenna.

I wouldn't be using the GPS feature anyways.

OK. You could leave the GPS port of your stick on window antenna connected to that port if you wanted. They usually work well enough through the window.

Would this antenna work?

Laird TE Connectivity VFT69383B11JN-518L - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: TE Connectivity; 3-Port MIMO in 3G/4G/5G/ISM/CBRS/GNSS; The Garlow-profilemultiport/multiband antennaprovides an excellent solution for public

theantennafarm.com

Well, it's not an NMO mount like you were asking about above. Those usually require a 7/8" hole to install.

As for that specific antenna:
Port 1 is LTE
Port 2 is WiFi
Port 3 is GPS

Ideally you'd want one that had two LTE ports and a GPS port. They are out there, just need to look a bit more.
But I've used similar style antennas for LTE type applications. As you can expect, getting the antenna outside the vehicle will help with performance.

 

[chris522]

Diversity receive is where you have two physically separated antennas feeding two different radios (usually) and the radio picks the one with the best signal. It helps with multipath issues. Not required and the radio will work fine with just the main antenna.



OK. You could leave the GPS port of your stick on window antenna connected to that port if you wanted. They usually work well enough through the window.



Well, it's not an NMO mount like you were asking about above. Those usually require a 7/8" hole to install.

As for that specific antenna:
Port 1 is LTE
Port 2 is WiFi
Port 3 is GPS

Ideally you'd want one that had two LTE ports and a GPS port. They are out there, just need to look a bit more.
But I've used similar style antennas for LTE type applications. As you can expect, getting the antenna outside the vehicle will help with performance.

If you think the radio would work just fine without the Diversity antenna and just the main LTE antenna that's what I'm after. That way I could run a single NMO antenna. Like I stated before I don't plan on using the GPS feature anyway. In my thinking getting the antenna outside of the vehicle only makes sense to me. I live in a very rural area with decent cell service but several areas are poor signal areas. How come in the instructions Motorola states do not mount the provided LTE and GNSS antenna outside of the vehicle? Also states do not mount the antenna on a metal surface. I just don't like having to stick a antenna on the dash with the coax just hanging down without having to tear the dash apart to hide the wires. It just doesn't make sense. A single regular coax can be hid and made to look nice and clean install.

 

[mmckenna]

If you think the radio would work just fine without the Diversity antenna and just the main LTE antenna that's what I'm after. That way I could run a single NMO antenna.

Likely it will.

If I was installing one of those, I'd either put a 50Ω load on the DIV port, just to be sure, or keep it hooked up to something and just keep the antenna mounted on the window. I'd absolutely connect the "Main" antenna jack to an external antenna.

Like I stated before I don't plan on using the GPS feature anyway.

Not sure what it uses the GPS antenna for. It might tag packets with GPS location for vehicle location back to the intended dispatch point. It looks like it has an emergency button, and it probably gets used for that. Very possible it will work just fine without the GPS.

In my thinking getting the antenna outside of the vehicle only makes sense to me. I live in a very rural area with decent cell service but several areas are poor signal areas.

That should help performance.

Years ago I had a docking station for a cell phone that connected it to an external antenna. I would often go camping places where the phone on its own would not connect, even outside the truck. Drop it in the docking station and it would. The antenna was the difference.

How come in the instructions Motorola states do not mount the provided LTE and GNSS antenna outside of the vehicle? Also states do not mount the antenna on a metal surface.

Likely do to the design of the antenna. Its polarization would be oriented correctly when mounted on a windshield. Stick it to the metal body, and that's going to impact performance. Also very likely it's not waterproof, and coax will usually get damaged run through a door or window. All good reasons to do a permanent NMO mount.

I just don't like having to stick a antenna on the dash with the coax just hanging down without having to tear the dash apart to hide the wires. It just doesn't make sense. A single regular coax can be hid and made to look nice and clean install.

Depends on how much work you want to put into it. I've put the GPS puck on the dash before and just spent time routing the cable carefully.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

For LTE applications. I typically use a little duck on the radio itself as the diversity.

 

[chris522]

Likely it will.

If I was installing one of those, I'd either put a 50Ω load on the DIV port, just to be sure, or keep it hooked up to something and just keep the antenna mounted on the window. I'd absolutely connect the "Main" antenna jack to an external antenna.



Not sure what it uses the GPS antenna for. It might tag packets with GPS location for vehicle location back to the intended dispatch point. It looks like it has an emergency button, and it probably gets used for that. Very possible it will work just fine without the GPS.



That should help performance.

Years ago I had a docking station for a cell phone that connected it to an external antenna. I would often go camping places where the phone on its own would not connect, even outside the truck. Drop it in the docking station and it would. The antenna was the difference.



Likely do to the design of the antenna. Its polarization would be oriented correctly when mounted on a windshield. Stick it to the metal body, and that's going to impact performance. Also very likely it's not waterproof, and coax will usually get damaged run through a door or window. All good reasons to do a permanent NMO mount.



Depends on how much work you want to put into it. I've put the GPS puck on the dash before and just spent time routing the cable carefully.

PCTEL GNSMB-COV - 4G 5G LTE MiMO WiFi Mobile Antennas

Manufacturer: PCTEL; Ultra Low-Profile Multi-Band MIMO Antenna with High Rejection GNSS. The GNSMB-COV multi-band antenna provides optimal MIMO 4G LTE and

theantennafarm.com

I know this is not a NMO mount but do you think this one will work? It's made to go outside of the vehicle and has 4 connections, 2 LTE 1 GNSS and 1 WiFi.

 

[mmckenna]

I know this is not a NMO mount but do you think this one will work? It's made to go outside of the vehicle and has 4 connections, 2 LTE 1 GNSS and 1 WiFi.

Yes, that would work.

However, if your goal is to extend the range of the device, you'd do better with something that wasn't 'low profile'.

Other challenge is getting that coax inside the vehicle safely. Routing it through a window or door is going to do a couple of things that you do not want:
1. It'll pinch the coax and deform it, which changes its performance.
2. Eventually the jacket will be compromised and you'll get water ingress to the coax. That'll destroy it.
3. You run the risk of damage to the vehicle weather stripping and water ingress into the vehicle.

I know lots of people route their coax this way, and will tell you its fine, but long term it is not. I wouldn't use this antenna for anything other than temporary use, or sticking it on the dashboard. Just my 2¢. You do you.

 

[chris522]

Yes, that would work.

However, if your goal is to extend the range of the device, you'd do better with something that wasn't 'low profile'.

Other challenge is getting that coax inside the vehicle safely. Routing it through a window or door is going to do a couple of things that you do not want:
1. It'll pinch the coax and deform it, which changes its performance.
2. Eventually the jacket will be compromised and you'll get water ingress to the coax. That'll destroy it.
3. You run the risk of damage to the vehicle weather stripping and water ingress into the vehicle.

I know lots of people route their coax this way, and will tell you its fine, but long term it is not. I wouldn't use this antenna for anything other than temporary use, or sticking it on the dashboard. Just my 2¢. You do you.

I wasn't planning on running through the window or door. I was going to drill a hole big enough for the coax to fit in and weatherproof around it. I understand about about the low profile. I'm just having a hard time coming up with something I like and that will work on both ports. Looks like my only real option is to run 2 NMO LTE antennas and just place the GPS antenna on the dash.

 

[chris522]

For LTE applications. I typically use a little duck on the radio itself as the diversity.

Do you have a link of what you are referring to? Thanks

 

[mmckenna]

I was going to drill a hole big enough for the coax to fit in and weatherproof around it.

I wouldn't do that myself. Properly protecting the cable and waterproofing the hole is going to be extremely difficult and unreliable. There are much easier ways to do this that will be more reliable, less problematic, look better, and save you a lot of headaches.

I understand about about the low profile. I'm just having a hard time coming up with something I like and that will work on both ports. Looks like my only real option is to run 2 NMO LTE antennas and just place the GPS antenna on the dash.

That's probably what I would do. It would be the most reliable. It'll also give you the option of trying different antennas to meet your needs. NMO's are waterproof and won't give you any long term issues.

I'm running one of these on my work truck. No issues:

Pulse / Larsen Antenna - Low profile Armadillo multiband ant, 2xLTE 1xGPS - ARM32011DM - Tessco

PULSE Multiband vehicle antenna. 2 x LTE ,1 xGPS leads. Armadillo package. Direct mount. 7/8 hole required. Black. Low profile.

www.tessco.com

Or, just LTE:

Pulse / Larsen Antenna - Low profile Armadillo multiband antenna, 2 x LTE - ARM22001DM - Tessco

PULSE Multiband vehicle antenna. 2 x LTE leads. Armadillo package. Direct mount. 7/8 hole required. Black. Low profile. Expedited cost.

www.tessco.com

https://tessco-product-images-commerce-cloud-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/Resources/501069_GPSDM700-5800GGT.pdf