mobile 2m/440 ant mount

Russell Van Hees

unread,

Aug 2, 2001, 1:18:16 PM8/2/01

to

I have just acquired a Larson nmo 2m/440 ant. It has 2.3 dB of gain on 2m
thus making it bigger than a 1/4 wave. I believe it is a 1/2 wave. I am in
the process of buying a used truck and would like to know how I should mount
it. I don't want to mag mount it so I believe my 2 options are to mount it
in the "normal way" which would be to drill a hole. My other idea is to put
a headache rack on the truck and build a mount on to it. My main concern is
that I drive in the woods a lot and think that mounting it on the roof could
cause problems with it getting torn off. I know that the best place to
mount it is in the middle of the top. How good will the performance be if I
put it on the headache rack. I would run a ground strap from the rack to
the frame of the truck to help with grounding. What should I do?????
--
From--Russell Van Hees KD5NPM
Email- Rvan...@tamu.edu
Webpage- Http://members.nbci.com/Rwv2055

Bill Aycock

unread,

Aug 1, 2001, 10:20:41 PM8/1/01

to

I use a similar antenna with a mag mount, to good advantage.
What do you have against the mag mounts? They work well for me.

Bill-W4BSG

Russell Van Hees

unread,

Aug 3, 2001, 12:10:48 AM8/3/01

to

I don't like having to get out to the truck every 10 min to pick the ant of
the ground and put it back on the truck.

Bill Aycock <bay...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:3B68B8F9...@hiwaay.net...

Bill Aycock

unread,

Aug 2, 2001, 12:42:07 AM8/2/01

to

Russel- You need to look at some of the better Mag Mounts. I have never
had one come off except when I drove under a tree. Rain or shine, up to
70mph+, on Pickup truck and Van, I have never lost one while on the
road.

Jack

unread,

Aug 2, 2001, 6:31:14 AM8/2/01

to

I would just drill the hole, I've seen a hole saw at either Cable Experts or
Wireman made for the mounts. I'm not sure of how many trees you will bang,
but I smacked a 5/8 wave (until I got smart and went 1/4 wave) on my garage
door all the time with no problems to the mount.
I don't like the 'cheap' look of a mag mount and the coax acroos the roof
and be sides the coax goes bad after while plus you will develop leaks where
it enters the vehicle.

Jack KC8PKN

"Russell Van Hees" <Rvan...@tamu.edu> wrote in message
news:9k9dm8$sa9$1...@news.tamu.edu...

CAM

unread,

Aug 2, 2001, 10:34:42 AM8/2/01

to

Russell Van Hees wrote:
> I don't like having to get out to the truck every 10 min to pick the ant of
> the ground and put it back on the truck.

Either your antenna's too big or your mag mount is too small.
I have a Larson square mag mount and a Diamond NR77 and it
has only blown off a couple of times in five years.
--
cheers, Cecil

-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

Joseph Cotton

unread,

Aug 2, 2001, 12:04:04 PM8/2/01

to

"Russell Van Hees" <Rvan...@tamu.edu> wrote in message news:<9k9dm8$sa9$1...@news.tamu.edu>...

> I have just acquired a Larson nmo 2m/440 ant. It has 2.3 dB of gain on 2m
> thus making it bigger than a 1/4 wave. I believe it is a 1/2 wave. I am in
> the process of buying a used truck and would like to know how I should mount
> it. I don't want to mag mount it so I believe my 2 options are to mount it
> in the "normal way" which would be to drill a hole. My other idea is to put
> a headache rack on the truck and build a mount on to it. My main concern is
> that I drive in the woods a lot and think that mounting it on the roof could
> cause problems with it getting torn off. I know that the best place to
> mount it is in the middle of the top. How good will the performance be if I
> put it on the headache rack. I would run a ground strap from the rack to
> the frame of the truck to help with grounding. What should I do?????

Hey Russ, fancy seeing you here.

Regarding drilling a hole or not, that's mostly a personal preference
thing. Some people do not want to drill a hole in their vehicle,
others have no problem with it.

Since you say you drive in the woods frequently, mounting it in a hole
on the roof would greatly increase your risk of either having the
antenna ripped off, or at least wobbling the hole bigger until you
tear the metal. Mounting on the headache rack would be much more
stable, but since you say this is a 1/2 wave at 2 meters, you would
have quite an extension above your roofline. This may cause undue
stress on the whip when hit by low branches.

I recently installed a 2/70 antenna on my truck with a trunk-lip mount
applied to the hood of my truck. I put it on the passenger side on
the upper corner. This seems to work really well for me and I didn't
have to drill holes. The mount seems very stable and since it is
lower, it doesn't hit all the trees I find at my parent's home.

You ability to get a signal out may be somewhat diminished by the
lower height and the interference from the cab, but it probably won't
be very significant.

Gig'em Russ,

Lance Cotton, KJ5O (ex-KD5MAH)

Clarence Sebesta

unread,

Aug 2, 2001, 10:26:20 PM8/2/01

to

I agree with Lance. I have mine mounted with an 'L' bracket between the
hood and fender on my hi-top van. Its on the the driver side and about the
same location as the am/fm antenna on the right side. I have no trouble with
coverage - even with the hi-top van behind it.

73's de CW - K5YO

Diablo

unread,

Aug 3, 2001, 12:07:48 PM8/3/01

to

I mounted my dual band antenna on the front fender of my truck using a
bracket that mounts on the inside of the fender in the gap between the hood
and the fender. My truck is a Ford Ranger 4X4 which I take in the boonies
occasionally, and the antenna has held up with no problems. It also seems
to get out pretty well.

Bob
WA7VKF
-----------------------

Russell Van Hees <Rvan...@tamu.edu> wrote in message
news:9k9dm8$sa9$1...@news.tamu.edu...
>