I have a Tram Magnetic mount that has caused no scratches whatsoever. It has a rubber boot on the bottom. I use the Tram 3500 model.
Why we tell people to NOT use magmounts
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The rubber bottoms don't really help - they still trap moisture as well as micro-particles, etc. The K0BG.com site explains it all better than I.
Plenty of videos showing how to drill hole
But i can't find a video on how to run the cable through the interior towards the front of my expedition. That's where i need help
But i can't find a video on how to run the cable through the interior towards the front of my expedition. That's where i need help
Just pop off the A or B pillar covers and run the coax along the factory wiring to avoid blocking an airbag deployment. Once you take off the covers, it will be obvious where you need to run the coax.
I have had no issues, mine has rubber boot but I also placed a disc of plastic just slightly larger than the base and there are no marks. If you do get any light scratches they can be buffed out with some polish in most cases. I could see a problem if you have a long exposed run of cable from antenna to the inside of you vehicular but....
A couple of things I've learned from this thread...
1) Even when presented with evidence, some will continue to dispute and deny it.
2) Even though they are free to still continue to use mag mounts if they so choose, some people feel they have to try to defend their actions (on someone else's thread...) and, by doing so, will prove #1 true.
It's your install and your vehicle - if you want to use a mag mount and are fine with its performance then go right ahead...but don't try to convince us it's just as good or doesn't cause any issues...the evidence, as presented here and elsewhere, is against you.
1) Even when presented with evidence, some will continue to dispute and deny it.
2) Even though they are free to still continue to use mag mounts if they so choose, some people feel they have to try to defend their actions (on someone else's thread...) and, by doing so, will prove #1 true.
It's your install and your vehicle - if you want to use a mag mount and are fine with its performance then go right ahead...but don't try to convince us it's just as good or doesn't cause any issues...the evidence, as presented here and elsewhere, is against you.
No issues with mine either.. I bought my Jeep Wrangler new in 2016. To get on the air, I stuck a Maxrad NMO mag mount on the passenger side cowl. It was meant to be temporary, but it worked SO well, it became permanent. It has been in place for a little over four years.
Out of curiosity, I just ran out to the garage today to check underneath the mount to see how the paint has fared. There was a bit of black grunge there, but it came off easily with a dab of cleaner-wax on a soft cloth. There are some fine scratches there as well. (I couldn't capture them with the camera). But as mentioned, they could easily be removed with some polishing compound.
The photos below show where the antenna is mounted and what the paint looks like underneath after four years.
slowmover
Active Member
The difference is night & day. Typical minivans and pickups are used as OVERSIZED LOAD escort vehicles (pilot cars); a legal requirement.
The difference between those using mag-mounts and those (fewer) using permanent mount will leave no one in doubt of which is the better choice.
One might “hear” okay . . . but he sure won’t be heard at any reasonable distance. The distances I take for granted with a FAR more difficult vehicle.
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Well, it tends to be vehicle specific, so unless you find someone with the same series Expedition as yours who has done a similar install, you won't find much in the way of details.
As Rescue161 said, you need to figure out where your antennas are going and where your radios are going, and then find the shortest/safest route. Keep in mind that the longer the cable run is, the more coaxial cable loss you'll have. Keeping your coax runs short, especially for higher frequency uses, is important. Think along the lines of lower frequency antennas being farther from the radio, and your higher frequency stuff being closer. That'll keep cable runs short where it matters.
You will have to start removing some trim inside the vehicle. It's not hard at all, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Very often you'll find lots of good information on vehicle specific websites. Run your coax carefully. Protect from sharp edges, keep it out of the way of side airbag deployments (this is really easy, although it seems to confuse the he77 out of some people). You do want to limit the amount of length of coax that is routed along with other vehicle wiring, but again, not hard. You'll find some places where it'll need to be done, but it's not the end of the world.
Usually down the B or C pillar. You'll find a wire path that runs under the door sills. Those sill plates usually just pull straight up. That'll allow you to route the coax forward. If you are routing to the center console, then look for the point where the wiring splits off to go there. You'll need to look to see if that happens on the driver or passenger side of the vehicle.
If you are routing up under the dash, then just follow it up to under the kick plate by the foot well and up under the dash there.
Doing all this without a connector getting in the way is easy, but that only works if you have the knowledge/skill to install your own coax connectors. If not, you can get NMO mounts with FME style connectors. FME connectors are small diameter and designed to ease cable routing. You then just buy the FME to whatever adapter and screw it on the end.
The Expeditions are not a whole lot different than the F-150's, so do some research on them and you'll find useful info.
slowmover
Active Member
There’s a reason vehicles aren’t pre-wired for CB.
And it has nothing to do with demand.
What keeps you from freely communicating with other citizens is to be discouraged.
An installation “could” be time-consuming . . might keep you from your weekend programming session via Net or TV.
And your dog biscuit.
.
And it has nothing to do with demand.
What keeps you from freely communicating with other citizens is to be discouraged.
An installation “could” be time-consuming . . might keep you from your weekend programming session via Net or TV.
And your dog biscuit.
.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Cosmetic issues are just that, cosmetic. Some can be buffed out, some can't. Some vehicle owners don't care.
The bigger issue that often gets overlooked is how to get the coax cable into the car, and in your case, RF radiation to the occupants.
I've found that most hobbyists don't care about RF radiation. But putting a radiating antenna down that close to passengers and driver is usually not recommended. Your choice.
Getting cable in to the vehicle is the other issue. Running through windows/doors will result in the cable getting pinched. That pinch point becomes an impedance bump. Not ideal, but as long as the cable isn't damaged, then probably not a big deal for a hobbyist. Over time, though, this can result in damage to the cable. The jacket can get abraded and water gets in. Water in your coax is not a good thing.
Then there's the risk of damage to the weather stripping and water getting inside the vehicle.
Or, in some cases, constantly having to leave windows down a crack or rear sliders on pickups unlatched, it can become a security issue.
As has been said time and time again on this topic, most of us do not care what you choose to do with your own vehicle. But there -are- drawbacks to going the mag mount route. It is not a perfect solution, and other than on Dukes of Hazard, you will not see public safety vehicles running around with mag mounts on them.
Very few government entities have their own radio shops. If you're uncomfortable doing an NMO install, find out who does the government's installations near you. If they won't install the antenna, perhaps they'll at least give you some advice.
I've found that most hobbyists don't care about RF radiation. But putting a radiating antenna down that close to passengers and driver is usually not recommended. Your choice.
I did consider RF exposure. I pulled the rear seats in favor of storage space so I can only carry one passenger in the front. When I have a passenger with me I talk to the passenger and not on the radio. I mounted the antenna on the passenger cowl to keep it away from me. The Wrangler is all plastic on top (or cloth if you have a convertible), so there aren't many other places to mount an antenna.
My mag mount is currently a little over four feet from me. The farthest away I could mount an antenna would be on the spare tire holder on the rear hatch. There's no suitable ground plane there, but a 1/2 wave would work. But Jeeps are short.. (The 2dr has a 95 inch wheelbase) the spare tire is only about 5 1/5 feet away. With the plastic roof, there is no way to get any shielding between the antenna and the occupant(s).
So.. I'm stuck with what I've got..
No you aren't stuck...there are other mounts for that same general location (yeah, Wranglers are different because of the roof...). If you follow folks like Brad on Trail Recon, etc. you'll see the mount they use and it's much better than a mag mount (I get your plight and, again, Jeep Wranglers are a different breed when it comes to antennas because the "drilled NMO on the center of the roof" legitimately isn't an option).
Here's a video he did a couple of years ago about his install at the time (he has a different rig now and has the antenna on the passenger side but same concept).
Here's the mount he used:
Amazon.com: Diamond K400S-NMO Lip mount, 2-axis adjustable Antenna Vehicle Mount: Car Electronics
Buy Diamond K400S-NMO Lip mount, 2-axis adjustable Antenna Vehicle Mount: Fixed-mount CB Radios - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
Mag mounts are not the only option for you.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Good answer.
Yup. Jeeps can be a pain when it comes to radios. I see a lot of off roaders in Jeeps with really crappy antenna installs. They are happy with them, that's all that matters.
One option is to do a half wave with a fender bracket. There's a few write-ups on here about that.
But like I've said before, if it works for you and you are happy with it, that's all that matters.
[QUOTE="mmckenna, post: 3415858, member: 59445
Yup. Jeeps can be a pain when it comes to radios. I see a lot of off roaders in Jeeps with really crappy antenna installs. They are happy with them, that's all that matters.
[/QUOTE]
My daughter's soft-top Wrangler is a classic example. Her best option would be the roll bar. There's absolutely no ground plane but it doesn't matter because you couldn't take the roof on or off. I was stuck mounting a CB antenna on the back bumper. There's still no ground plane but, fortunately, she rarely talks more than a ¼ mile away.
Yup. Jeeps can be a pain when it comes to radios. I see a lot of off roaders in Jeeps with really crappy antenna installs. They are happy with them, that's all that matters.
[/QUOTE]
My daughter's soft-top Wrangler is a classic example. Her best option would be the roll bar. There's absolutely no ground plane but it doesn't matter because you couldn't take the roof on or off. I was stuck mounting a CB antenna on the back bumper. There's still no ground plane but, fortunately, she rarely talks more than a ¼ mile away.
Might be taking the thread a little off base, (but it does deal with holes vs no holes).
On the video above, yes I'm aware of the clamp on hood mounts similar to trunk mounts. I routed my wires to the engine bay in the same manner.. I did consider perhaps using a clamp on hood mount, but again my mag mount worked so well, I never did get around to pursuing other solutions.
Out of curiosity, I wondered what the 'pros' did. Wranglers are used by law enforcement etc where rugged terrain has to be patrolled. I came across a picture of a US Border Patrol JK. They drilled a hole right in the plastic top. I'm guessing they used a half wave. The thought of doing something like this crossed my mind, but my top is rarely on in the summer so it wouldn't be practical.
On the video above, yes I'm aware of the clamp on hood mounts similar to trunk mounts. I routed my wires to the engine bay in the same manner.. I did consider perhaps using a clamp on hood mount, but again my mag mount worked so well, I never did get around to pursuing other solutions.
Out of curiosity, I wondered what the 'pros' did. Wranglers are used by law enforcement etc where rugged terrain has to be patrolled. I came across a picture of a US Border Patrol JK. They drilled a hole right in the plastic top. I'm guessing they used a half wave. The thought of doing something like this crossed my mind, but my top is rarely on in the summer so it wouldn't be practical.
When I started having to do installs on Jeeps I found vehicle-specific antenna fender mount brackets for NMO that use a fender bolt rather than having to drill holes. You get ground contact via a star washer with big teeth. That may not be the best place for a CB antenna but there aren't that many choices. They work, and they're quite rugged.
I will refrain from mentioning any particular vendors, but search "vehicle specific antenna bracket" + NMO. The same bracket styles are also available in the 3/8-24 mount if you choose to use that type.
These brackets are available for a lot of different vehicles - pickups & SUV's mostly. If you are wanting to put a CB antenna on a Mini-Cooper or a Jaguar, this may not be a fruitful search.
I will refrain from mentioning any particular vendors, but search "vehicle specific antenna bracket" + NMO. The same bracket styles are also available in the 3/8-24 mount if you choose to use that type.
These brackets are available for a lot of different vehicles - pickups & SUV's mostly. If you are wanting to put a CB antenna on a Mini-Cooper or a Jaguar, this may not be a fruitful search.
Yes, that's a Laird or PCTEL 1/2 wave VHF antenna in the provided picture.
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