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Mobile 3RD Brake Light Antenna Mount
- Thread starter Recon
- Start date
You are correct! I had to buy a TRAM Model 1295 MNO to 3/8"-24 Adapter so as to thread the President Iowa into it. As soon as I installed the 40" antenna, I realized that any taller antenna with a heavy, bottom, mid or top coil would put strain on the third brake light and the cab. I ventured-out (gambled) and purchased the Third Brake Light Antenna Adapter and my personal opinion is this type of mount should not be used for CB antennas.
Sorry, I do not have any pictures of the install but I could send you a photo to your email address if you want.
I do not have pictures of the install, but you can see a few photos online @ Bulletproof Diesel Third Brake Light Antenna Adapter. I ventured-out, taken the risk to buy and install this mount, but it was a bad (and expensive) mistake. I removed the President Iowa antenna and placed the plastic cover on the NMO threads. The snow has arrived here and I think when heavy snow and ice get blown off the roof and strike against the bottom coil, the mount may flex and crack the brake light lens and distort the cab.
I haven't given-up yet. I ordered a 49" Browning BR-140-B CB radio antenna with a bottom coil and with NMO threads. I'll give it a try and attach it to the third brake light antenna adapter.
30 NOV @ 1540 Update
Installed a Browning Model BR-140-B NMO mount antenna and connected it to my barefoot 980. After a few 1/4" trim cuts, the swr on all channels is very good. Drove around town and a couple of rural roads in a seven-mile radius talking with one barefoot base station and transmit and receive was excellent and good enough for me. The brake light mount is expensive but it does the job!
I purchased and installed a Browning BR-140-B NMO Bottom Coil CB antenna and installed it on the Brake Light Adapter Mount and it has been working pretty good within a five to ten mile radius which is all I need.
25 JAN 2020
Update on the Third Brake Light Antenna Mount.
OK, so the (Laird NMO) CB antenna is not in the center of the roof. Two days ago I installed a new Stryker 497-HPC. VSWR was 1.3:1 and lower. Driving in opposite directions on the NY Thruway (between Syracuse and Utica) I had a crystal clear conversation with a trucker on Ch. 21 for approximately fifteen miles until he faded-off.
Considering the antenna is not in the center of the roof and it is only 46-1/4" tall, I am satisfied with this type of mount.
Thanks for posting the photos of the Third Brake Light Antenna Mount w/ the Laird CB Antenna, and a Stryker 497-HPC installed in my 2019 F-350.
I installed the Predator on No.2 truck for display purpose only, to show the coil is above the roof with the 17" shaft and to show the distance between the cab and antenna shaft. This truck does not leave the garage during the winter.
Top photo shows the taper of the cab in relation to the vertical line of the antenna shaft.
Bottom photo shows the six-inch space between the cab and the antenna shaft.
I had this set-up on truck No.1 and the VSWR was 1.2:1 to 1.3:1 and I decided to remove the Predator and leave the Laird antenna with the brake light mount.
Tomorrow I will re-install the Predator on No.1 truck and compare it with the Laird antenna. It will be interesting to see if the cab will degrade the transmit and receive.
I have posted a few recent photos in thisn
I have posted photos in this thread and I will post a photo which shows the coil / base of the Laird antenna is not above the roof line but the maximum VSWR is 1.3:1 and transmit and receive up to fifteen miles is great.
