-
You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
Antenna Through Roof Of Car
- Thread starter Simbalage22
- Start date
SWR
SWR is at 3 but thats in a garage with it touching a metal rafter support bar. I will be taking it out later and will test in clear spot. I thought ahead and got my dosy connected where the linear will go
.... Ran the thicker belden from antenna to where the amp will go and the regular thin stuff from cb to feed the amp... figured that should perform best that way
Works: 1.5 Swr, got out to the boys on channel 19 thay are awsome here in michigan... Just need to add the 2 pill and this will be a sweet little heart breaker small car, that packs a punch! was pulling it back in the garage and forgot to pull the antenna.. SNap went the ol quick disconnect LmaO Gotta spend another 15 bucks grrr Stupid mistake....
SWR is at 3 but thats in a garage with it touching a metal rafter support bar. I will be taking it out later and will test in clear spot. I thought ahead and got my dosy connected where the linear will go
.... Ran the thicker belden from antenna to where the amp will go and the regular thin stuff from cb to feed the amp... figured that should perform best that wayWorks: 1.5 Swr, got out to the boys on channel 19 thay are awsome here in michigan... Just need to add the 2 pill and this will be a sweet little heart breaker
small car, that packs a punch! was pulling it back in the garage and forgot to pull the antenna.. SNap went the ol quick disconnect LmaO Gotta spend another 15 bucks grrr Stupid mistake....
Last edited:
Yea, Got another quick disconnect.. Gotta be more careful this time. With all that there still is a small flex.. Is this normal? I was thinking about running a bolt and nut on each side of the saw blade to the top, but how do you prevent it from leaking? I dont want the roof to flex at all! Them firestik antennas have some weight..
The best way I could suggest to keep the bolts from leaking is to find some suitable gasket material, and cut your own gasket to place under the bolt head on top of the roof.
Place the lock washer on the under-side, and maybe even put a small amount of RTV sealant under the gasket before you tighten the bolt, and wipe off any excess that squeezes out when you tighten it down.
Motrola makes a NMO mount that has an O ring under it to seal it off when mounting, I have used one these before with a NMO to 3/8-24 adapter and it worked well with a 41 inch 2 meter antenna.
73
Jeff
Place the lock washer on the under-side, and maybe even put a small amount of RTV sealant under the gasket before you tighten the bolt, and wipe off any excess that squeezes out when you tighten it down.
Motrola makes a NMO mount that has an O ring under it to seal it off when mounting, I have used one these before with a NMO to 3/8-24 adapter and it worked well with a 41 inch 2 meter antenna.
73
Jeff
the biggest deal is to have a good RF ground.
usually this is accomplished by sanding away the paint around the mounting hole so that the ground part of the mount makes a good shiny metal to metal contact.
you have used a mount that i do not recognize. is that actually a roof mount?
or some other type that you retro-fitted?
it looks like the mount is grounded well to the saw blade, but how well is the saw blade grounded to the actual roof metal?
the paint should have been sanded away here so that the saw blade made a good shiny metal to shiny metal contact.
other than that, it looks well supported.
even if you dont want to use it while driving, go get yourself a 102" whip to carry around in the car with you for when you want to sit still and DX.
you will like the way it works.
LC
usually this is accomplished by sanding away the paint around the mounting hole so that the ground part of the mount makes a good shiny metal to metal contact.
you have used a mount that i do not recognize. is that actually a roof mount?
or some other type that you retro-fitted?
it looks like the mount is grounded well to the saw blade, but how well is the saw blade grounded to the actual roof metal?
the paint should have been sanded away here so that the saw blade made a good shiny metal to shiny metal contact.
other than that, it looks well supported.
even if you dont want to use it while driving, go get yourself a 102" whip to carry around in the car with you for when you want to sit still and DX.
you will like the way it works.
LC
That is just a stud mount @ 90 Degree.. That was my main Question asked better.. The roof is not completly flat.. So I wanted to add the bolts to make sure the saw blade gets a good ground to the roof.. I was going to buy a 102 can u legally drive with that?
Yea I know, Thought of that.. but for coverage sake, I went dead center
.. Going to drill a 2 hols with bolts and nuts through roof and saw blade, just dont want it to leak lolPS: I wouldnt call it a support beam.. It holds the dome light and I got the wood under it and its thin and twist easily.
Very nice.
I'd probably do an NMO base...much more solid ground, VERY durable mount.
Then get a cap for the NMO base, that has a 3/8x24 antenna hole.
I'll warn you, those little workman studs break easily! The only thing holding it together is the insulation.
Don't ask me how I know this.
Yeah. Oops.
-Richard-
I'd probably do an NMO base...much more solid ground, VERY durable mount.
Then get a cap for the NMO base, that has a 3/8x24 antenna hole.
I'll warn you, those little workman studs break easily! The only thing holding it together is the insulation.
Don't ask me how I know this.
Yeah. Oops.
-Richard-
Couldn't agree more.
Probably not at all.
sawblades are ideal for robbing bank safe's,but don't cut it as an antenna ground plane.
i'd hate to see the haircut you get should you be unfortunate enough to crash and that saw blade came flying loose,dearie me.
Home Depot
Yea, I went to home depot this morning. I got some bolts, nuts, and these washers that have a rubber washer built on them. Therefor I will put 4 of them to support that saw blade. .And several people told me a saw blade provides the best support. I think thats why the studs break from the annenna swinging from loose mount. Its sturdy, but I want to make sure that saw blade doesnt get a chance to as you said "Give me a HairCut" Which is already due LOL. Them mounts referred as expensive, and I will not consider that until this fails! And even then.. I will probably just fit a regular connector (opposite of a pl259) and call it a day
Will post pic
Yea, I went to home depot this morning. I got some bolts, nuts, and these washers that have a rubber washer built on them. Therefor I will put 4 of them to support that saw blade. .And several people told me a saw blade provides the best support. I think thats why the studs break from the annenna swinging from loose mount. Its sturdy, but I want to make sure that saw blade doesnt get a chance to as you said "Give me a HairCut" Which is already due LOL. Them mounts referred as expensive, and I will not consider that until this fails! And even then.. I will probably just fit a regular connector (opposite of a pl259) and call it a day
Will post pic
Mack, even if he could drill that saw blade he'll probably still end up with a weak ground to that roof. The roof section is probably sitting in place attached only with some insulating and bonding putty all around even on the supports. The supports may be welded, but I doubt the roof section itself is.