Where to drill the hole?

[The Jerk]

OK, installing a through-roof Wilson mount on a Subaru Outback...

Already cut the center bar to slide the magnet-mount further forward (for better SWR)...as shown in the pictures. Ignore the second "ground wire", that was an attempt by another person to make a magnet mount work with a 3x8. The center bar has been cut for well over a year.

I would like, if possible/reasonable, to drill into the existing screw hole to make things look less butchered. You can see the screw hole just behind the magnet-mount. Its about 9 inches from the rear of the car.

You can see the original location of the magnet-mount to the rear of the screw hole...the SWR was pretty high at this location regardless of tuning attempts. Moving it forward, to its current position, brought the SWR down to a reasonable 1.4:1...

Would you drill the hole in the existing screw hole or where the magnet-mount is currently located??

 

[hotrod]

id drill the hole right were the mag mount is.reason being ya already know ya got
a decent swr.but before ya drill a hole mount that antenna in the dead center of
roof usually have better swrs there,not always though.were ever ya find your best
swr with the mag mount then drill a hole

 

[The Jerk]

I don't think it will go in the middle, that would require removing the center bar completely...and that would expose 3 holes...

 

[Cajun Invader]

Before you do anything you are going to need to pull the headliner down to see where you can mount it.

Some vehicles have a double roof and that can make it tricky for instalation.

A lot of people mount by the dome light. The inside of the roof usually has enough room at that location where you don't have to fight the double roof issue.

 

[The Jerk]

I am pretty sure this is single wall...

The front dome light is too far forward, the rear one is too far back...

Just looked, single wall, fairly easy to get to...

 

[Robb]

If it was me, I'd just run the mag mount and forget about drilling my $20,000 for a $300 radio set. No way! I'm sorry; but the thought of hacking up something kinda runs against my instinct to preserve and repair.

It's your car and you can do what you want.
Just remember - you can't take it back.
My Wilson mag mount works great - I wouldn't trade it for another. Just remember that Hams also run coax outside of their vehicle and they do all right. Besides, if you want to take your radio out and put it in another car, the mag mount and the radio can easily be moved. Personally, if I were to hack a car/truck to put in an antenna, it would be a 102-inch steel whip on a beater truck. No big loss...

Just thinking out loud...

 

[The Jerk]

If it was me, I'd just run the mag mount and forget about drilling my $20,000 for a $300 radio set. No way!


...personally, if I were to hack a car/truck to put in an antenna, it would be a 102-inch steel whip on a beater truck. No big loss...

Just thinking out loud...

Hmmm, if you think my 1997 subaru with 128k is worth $20k, I'll sell it to you for $15k!!! What do you say?!?

I must be backwards, drilled my $30k truck twice, and then installed a 102"! I haven't drilled the beater yet!

I don't mine drilling the hole, the radio setup probably doubles the value of the car!!!! But you make some valid points.

 

[W5LZ]

Already got a hole in the roof? Why not try it and see what happens. Don't like what happens? Try somewhere else. It's not like there wasn't already a hole there.

Don't wanna drill a hole in your $20k automobile? Fine, don't. I bought my 'ride' because I wanted to, I like it. I also don't mind changing it a bit if it suits me, I'll just like it more. It's there to please me, not my neighbor. A small hole is not that difficult to hide at all. Not 'free', but show me something that is, including a mag-mount that will mar a much larger area than a simple hole will.
- 'Doc

 

[The Jerk]

The hardest thing I saw tonight was that I will need to find/miss a cross member when I drill. Otherwise, drill, sand, install, paint, reinstall...

 

[The Jerk]

That's the deal...if I use that hole, I will open it from 1/8 inch to almost an inch...a small hole is easy, but an inch is a little more difficult to plug!

 

[W5LZ]

Big holes? Duck-tape! On the bottom side then fill it like you would any other. Or just Duck-tape the thing. RedNeck class!
- 'Doc

 

[HomerBB]

may I suggest a big bubble gum patch? No?
oh, well.

 

[W5LZ]

Ooooo Yeah! And some of that gum is even pink!

 

[The Jerk]

Drilled the hole...put it where the magnet mount was located. Installed my 5000 and SWR was around 1.1:1 on 20. Its around 1:1 on 40 and 1.2:1 on 1. The meter in the radio is actually accurate, for what that's worth. Took it for a spin, and even with my TS350, SWR only gets to 1.2:1, so it did help a lot.

Hopefully my receive is a little better, seemed pretty dead before (with the magmount) for a Grant.

The magmount was corroded, the bracket with the 259 was completely isolated (electrically) from the bracket holding the magnet...corrosion between the two, where they are pop-riveted together...

Now on to the truck and 4ga wire...

 

[The Jerk]

Well, been mounted a while...

WOW! What a difference it made...I wonder if the coax (coleman cable) and corrosion of the magnet mount were really hampering the performance? My ignition noise is all but gone as well, which leads me to believe the coax was not all that good (either poor construction or worn out).

I have been shooting skip on the road for the past week, excellent RX and TX. Its as sensitive as my 102 whip on my truck...I could not be any more pleased.

It is night and day difference from the magnet to the roof mount...well worth the time to install.