NMO or UHF mount for mobile?

[krokus]

I smacked mine on a few things, too. That is why I added the washer on the interior portion of the mount, to spread the impact load.

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[k6cpo]

+1 for NMO. +1 for using a dab of silicon on the rubber gasket/seal between the metal and the mount. I will also +1 the replacement of said gasket/seal annually (though I never had to do this). The overall look of the NMO is very professional upon installation.

I didn't seal mine with silicone and it hasn't leaked in the two years it's been installed.

Think of it this way. What would you prefer when going through a non-touchless gas station-type car wash? The chance of the roof brush damaging the UHF connector in is high. (FYI... I do prefer to hand wash my cars, if at all possible.)

TRAM makes a nice plastic screw-on cap for the NMO mount. I put one of these on when I don't have an antenna installed.

 

[madrabbitt]

prior to my installing a remote spotlight on the roof, i had several caps. When it went thru the carwash at the oil change place, antennas came off, caps went on, radios were disabled.

 

[ke6gcv]

I didn't seal mine with silicone and it hasn't leaked in the two years it's been installed.

TRAM makes a nice plastic screw-on cap for the NMO mount. I put one of these on when I don't have an antenna installed.

I used silicone as a courtesy on my clients vehicles I did installs for. I did on my personal vehicle, too. For me, it would have only taken one leaky roof to ruin the whole thing. So, I didn't want to chance it.

As far as the NMO caps go. I've used them on several occasions when I had to "lose" an antenna or two from my vehicle for various reasons. At the same time, there isn't any damage to your vehicle if you should go through a non-touchless car wash without the caps as the NMOs are pretty much flush with your roof line.

The UHF mounts, however, stick up about 3/4" or higher from your roof line. The continual beating of the mount from the car wash bristles could cause damage to the connector and/or roof. Though I'm more than likely wrong, they don't make caps for UHF mounts.

 

[k6cpo]

I used silicone as a courtesy on my clients vehicles I did installs for. I did on my personal vehicle, too. For me, it would have only taken one leaky roof to ruin the whole thing. So, I didn't want to chance it.

As far as the NMO caps go. I've used them on several occasions when I had to "lose" an antenna or two from my vehicle for various reasons. At the same time, there isn't any damage to your vehicle if you should go through a non-touchless car wash without the caps as the NMOs are pretty much flush with your roof line.

The UHF mounts, however, stick up about 3/4" or higher from your roof line. The continual beating of the mount from the car wash bristles could cause damage to the connector and/or roof. Though I'm more than likely wrong, they don't make caps for UHF mounts.

Am I correct in assuming a UHF mount for a vehicle would be the same as the typical PL259/SO239 connectors?

When I built my window feed-thru panel, I used the barrel type UHF connectors. I was able to find screw-on caps that I can put on when the connectors aren't in use. You can see them in the picture below.

While they might not be suitable for use on a UHF vehicle mount, they'd be better than nothing.

 

[ke6gcv]

Am I correct in assuming a UHF mount for a vehicle would be the same as the typical PL259/SO239 connectors?

One in the same.

 

[N8OHU]

Yes, they are; the UHF antenna mount that I'm currently using on my Trailblazer had a cap on it when I bought it, and I kept it so I could cover the mount if I ever had to take the antenna off.

 

[k6cpo]

One in the same.

Don't think I'd want that sticking up through the roof of my truck. The NMO has a much better profile.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Don't think I'd want that sticking up through the roof of my truck. The NMO has a much better profile.

It looks that you can adjust the depth of the mount very similarly to the thick surface NMO mounts.

 

[bill4long]

NMO. Always. Superior moisture proofing. Less corrosion. Last longer. Mo' bettah.

 

[ke6gcv]

It looks that you can adjust the depth of the mount very similarly to the thick surface NMO mounts.

Though it does look like you can adjust the height, I won't recommend it. By adjusting the height of the UHF mount, you risk the chance of the center connector not coming into solid contact with the center of the antenna. Don't think I want to risk blowing the finals out on my radio. (Yes, I know most radios have built-in protection, I still don't want to chance it.)

 

[k6cpo]

I'm happy with my NMO and that's what I will use in the future.

 

[Voyager]

It looks that you can adjust the depth of the mount very similarly to the thick surface NMO mounts.

While you can adjust the height, the height will be dictated by the antenna used, and likely will be as high as a standard PL259 connection. As others have said, NMO is a much lower profile.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

While you can adjust the height, the height will be dictated by the antenna used, and likely will be as high as a standard PL259 connection. As others have said, NMO is a much lower profile.

I wouldn't use anything other than NMO, just making an observation of how the mount looked adjustable like the Maxrad 3/8" thick surface NMO mounts I use for mounting antennas to the roofs of tractors.

 

[ke6gcv]

It would seem that most everyone here, if not all, are in agreement that NMO is the way to go.

 

[mikepdx]

NMO or UHF mount for mobile?

Easy answer.

Look to what products the professionals in land mobile radio use
and to their installation methods.

Do that.

note: NMO mounts have been the standard in LMR since the late 1970's...

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