Mounting question

[FreeOperator]

Alright,

So as I'm putting together my full-fledged electronics extravaganza, I'm thinking about possible alternatives to an NMO.

It appears to be the clear winner, but hear me out.

So, I'm going to be placing a tool box (like a Delta) across the front of my truck bed. I'm putting batteries in there to run all the add-ons I'm putting in, and am wondering if I can successfully mount the antennas on the top of the box.

Does anyone know if this is a successful mount?

 

[Confuzzled]

If the antenna is attached to the lid, where does the antenna go when you open the toolbox?

What about interference from any battery charging devices?

 

[FreeOperator]

That's why I asked. I was thinking there may be a way to insulate the box so interference doesn't happen. And I was thinking I could mount the box backwards to avoid what you're talking about.

 

[LtDoc]

There are some practical aspects with using a tool box as antenna mounts. One of them is how large of an antenna(s) is that box supposed to handle. there is some 'flex' in that lid, not much maybe, but some. You can see that most of the 'practical' things will be mechanical problems, but there's also electrical problems too. With batteries inside that box you'd better plan on some ventilation (depends on the kind of batteries too), and some possible interference associated with battery charging. That box will also have to be well mounted to the bed rails/floor. That can mean some 'serious' bolts, which will also serve as grounds to the rest of the vehicle.
Can a tool box be used as an antenna mounting place? Absolutely! Just do it right to start with so you don't have to re-do it later, you know?
- 'Doc

I assume that tool box is metal, right??

 

[FreeOperator]

Yea, Delta's are all metal.

 

[CoolCat]

Mounting it backwards would not be very convenient for access into the box. You could buy a "gullwing" style box where each side opens towards the center.

Instead of mounting the antenna to the box lid, another option is to use an "L" bracket on the side of the toolbox and mount the antenna to that. If you can't find or make one, then you can use the 90 degree part of a trucker's CB mirror mount.

As for grounding the box, the "j-bolts" that come with most toolboxes and hook under the bedrail will not make good enough contact to properly ground the box. Make sure you bolt the box directly to the metal bed or run a good thick grounding strap from the box to the bed (a braided flat wire strap should work well for this).

 

[Confuzzled]

Check this old thread: http://forums.radioreference.com/antennas-coax-forum/108550-groundplane-question.html#post826214

Some other options:

http://images.buzzillions.com/images_customers/05/64/1898746_29867_full.jpg

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/4191/1581/22975790014_large.jpg

These all go to the side of the toolbox.

 

[davidgcet]

what freq bad are you dealing with? anything below VHF High is going to have ground plane issues. also the antenna being lower than the cab will make it directional to a degree, it may be severe or barely noticeable but it will have less direction in front than to the rear.

if you do mount it to the tool box run a ground strap all the way down to your frame. truck beds usually have a higher ground resistance, and tool boxes don't groudn well to the bed either, so you end up with several ohms potential between the ground at the mount and the ground at the radio. this leads to all sorts of wierd issues. even if it ohms less than half an ohm today, that does not mean it will 6 months from now after the bed jars around, remember it is mounted on rubber/plastic with only the bolts providing a small ground contact to the frame.

you can get thick mount NMO to go thru the lid if you just really want to go on the box.