NEED HELP ON TRUNK MOUNT ANTENNAS

[TonyV225]

Hello all we just bought another car today but its a convertable . I usually ran mag mounts on the roof but ahhhh well no metal on the top now so my question is does wilson make a trunk mount or are there trunk mounts that will hold 3/8 inch stud mount Solarcon Predator 10k or simular antennas?

I have a few coil antennas like that but I also have a few Wilson 5000 magmount antennas so if I could just buy the damn trunk mount to screw the load section onto that would also work.

I was thinking a 3/8 inch trunk mount because then I could screw a 2 meter antenna in or I could put the 10 meter antenna on whichever my wife or I was wanting to use. Thanks in advance....Tony

 

[W5LZ]

I think what you are talking about is more a mechanical problem than electrical. Not knowing enough about any of the newer cars, especially the convertibles, I wonder. Is the sheet metal thick enough to support a a fairly sizable antenna on a 3/8" mount? Is it possible to use a backing plate of some kind? For 10 meters and lower frequencies I honestly don't know. If it won't support a 5/8 2 meter antenna, I'd give the whole thing up as a lost bet. Use a bumper mounted bug catcher, that'll cover anything!
- 'Doc

 

[TonyV225]

Yeah I just wanted to make it simple and use a trunk mout so I could atleast use 10-11 meters in the mobile when using that car. so I was thinking a trunk lip mount would be better than sticking that magnet on the center of the trunk and scratching the hell out of the paint.

 

[W5LZ]

I've found that depending on the size of the coax used, a trunk-lip mount can do pretty well if the antenna isn't huge. The larger the antenna, the larger that lip mount had better be. I also found (and it depends a lot on how the trunk seals) that cutting a slice through the weather seal for the coax often meant a difference in how long that coax lasted before causing problems, sharp bends/kinks, etc.
Personally, I don't have a problem with drilling holes in a vehicle. They're just not that hard to 'cover up'/fix when you decide to sell it. That's where I was headed with that 'mechanical' thingy, sheet metal, etc. I'd certainly take a close look at it before doing that drilling, but there's no doubt in my mind that's the 'best' way to do it. Not always the 'best' as far as looks go, but that "style'n-profile'n" is only okay if it's my style, as far as I'm concerned. I don't much care if other people like it or not, as long as I do.
- 'Doc

 

[TonyV225]

LMAO thats exactly how I feel about it BUT my wife does and it wouldnt be so bad but some of the other nurses at work by her say things once and awhile not really mean stuff but you know how them cackling women can be exspecially if they dont get the concept or just dont plain understand it. I was thinking aslong as we have 2 meters it will be ok.

The antennas are not so big and the repeater is right inbetween where she works and our house anyways I will just have to look around I guess and decide whats going to be best. I to agree drilling a few holes to make a solid connected mount is deffinately unduplicated when using the other style mounts such as magnets ETC.

 

[W5LZ]

Uh Hm. She's right, you're wrong, and I never recommended ever anything about antennas! Especially punching holes in her beautiful car.
- 'Doc



(I may be a little silly, but I ain't that stupid!)