Mounting Ham Antenna to Jeep

[ChadHahn]

I'm having some problems getting my 2M/70CM antenna mounted on my jeep. I installed the Teraflex Antenna Mount that installs behind the tail light but I have noticed that all the connectors that join the PL239 to the antenna seem to have a PL239 connector on one side and a stud mount on the other. I need something with a male PL239 on both sides that will go through an antenna mount. I also have the Firestik MJK4R and it's similar. The antenna mount is for a stud.

My antenna is a Diamond that has a female PL239 connector at it's base.

How do I go about getting the antenna installed on my Jeep?

Thanks.

Chad

 

[prerunner1982]

What you could do it use coax with a 3/8" nmo mount on the antenna end so that it will fit through the hole on the mount you already have. http://www.amazon.com/Tram-2250-Ass...r=8-1&keywords=3/8"+nmo+with+coax+with+pl+259

Then you can use a NMO to UHF converter.. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=tram+1296



Or to use what you have you could go with a Firestik 2m antenna...


That Diamond antenna is probably more commonly used with a mount like this:

rather than a CB antenna mount.

 

[Tennmogger]

Search on "pl-259 bulkhead connector". Install bulkhead connector in bracket, coax screws on bottom, antenna screws on top.

Have fun,

 

[ChadHahn]

Will the bulkhead connector fit in the hole in the Teraflex mount?

Chad

 

[prerunner1982]

Will the bulkhead connector fit in the hole in the Teraflex mount?

Chad

Nope.. it's the same size as the threads on the bottom side of the antenna mount. (as circled and lined in pic)

You could drill out the mount though to allow the bulkhead connector to fit.
Bulkhead connector:

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Power-S...63614902&sr=8-3&keywords=uhf+bulkhead+adapter

 

[ChadHahn]

Thanks.

Chad

 

[unusedusername]

The aforementioned bulkhead adapter is the way to go.

Good choice on the SG7200. As a 1/2 wave on 2m, and a 5/8 wave vertical dipole on 70cm, this antenna won't need a ground plane to work. Don't swap it out with the ubiquitous 1/4wave 2m antenna, as that antenna does need a groundplane and will give very high SWR on the back of the Jeep.

Edit to add: make sure that is a real SG7200. Diamond stopped making them a few years ago. I am now only able to find obvious fakes for sale. The real deal costs $130. Maybe you should consider a NR770HA (or HB in black) as the current model replacement. Fake antennas look perfect, they just don't actually work as antennas. Abbree.com sells (or used to sell) fake diamond antennas, so be very careful there. A bad antenna can damage your transceiver.

I put my ham antenna on the front, and my CB antenna where you are looking. I have many antennas though, since I like to be able to be interoperable with whomever I decide to go camping/wheeling with.

2m/70cm antenna on the hood and, a scanner antenna on the bumper to listen for forest fires.

HF ham screwdriver on the license plate bracket, and a CB antenna near the third brake light.

 

[ChadHahn]

I bought my Diamond about 3 years ago I think. It's been sitting in the garage since then waiting for me to get a radio installed in my Jeep.

I ordered a MFJ 1414 antenna and it arrived yesterday. It has a stud mount so I thought it might work even though I heard kind of bad things. I installed it last night and the SWR was high. I was confused and clipped some off the end of the antenna and it read higher. I am now wondering if it was a ground plane problem. It read a little over 3. I scraped the paint off of the bolt holes and where the antenna mounts on the Teraflex.

Now I have to go to the hardware store and get some rod that hopefully will be long enough.

Chad

 

[ChadHahn]

I couldn't get the MFJ Antenna to work so I got a bulkhead connector and drilled out the hole on the Teraflex Antenna Mount and installed the antenna. SWR is great now.

Thanks for all the help.

Chad

 

[NatersXJ6]

a pillar mount?

So, I don't really mean to hijack, but I'm going through this right now too.

The guy at HRO suggested drilling my cowl for an NMO mount and doing that. I like the idea, but on the drivers side, the antenna is in line of sight if it is on the flat, and the fender curves away dramatically if you move it to the side.

My plan was to buy another of the little cowl sides and modify it with a little sheet metal and some welding, then paint it out and replace mine. Guess what... That cowl side is part of the fender. $350 plus shipping!

So, new plan... Yep.... Plan... Sure... Any minute now

I saw someone recommend using an a-pillar light mount, seemed brilliant. The Smittybuilt ones are cheap, thick, and have the profile I want. $33 and a quick drive to 4WP and I'm in business... But... The mount doesn't fit with my Gobi rack... nothing a little grinder work can't resolve.

Anyway, after making it fit, and it looks pretty good, I've realized that it tips forward and down to the side a bit, maybe 5-8 degrees in each direction. This pretty well sucks for aesthetics, but it still fits nicely. Hmmm, does anyone know if another brand of light mount comes out parallel to the horizontal line drawn through the window bottoms?

Otherwise, I'm driving this thing long enough to prove basic antenna function in that location then taking a torch and hammer to it until it achieves the desired angle. Or, I may have to go back to making something custom from sheet metal or thin plate?

Either way, it was cheap and fun, and looks okay. I'm thinking of making the passenger side one work for a dune flag.

Any thoughts or comments? I know I'll be sacrificing antenna performance, but I'm willing to take that hit if I can make it work.

 

[bajarat]

I removed the windshield rubber bumper on the passenger side and put a Larsen NMO base coil and antenna there and it works great. On 2m I talked from a high point in Death Valley to a trucker that was 110 miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 95 on simplex.

 

[gt3073b]

I removed the windshield rubber bumper on the passenger side and put a Larsen NMO base coil and antenna there and it works great. On 2m I talked from a high point in Death Valley to a trucker that was 110 miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 95 on simplex.

I was considering doing exactly what you've done. Could you please post photos? I really love to hear how this is working out for you. Are you getting any noise/interference from the engine? Did you use a step drill bit to enlarge the hole?

Thank you very much,
Bryan.
KJ4LNZ

 

[bajarat]

Yes, used a step drill but very careful..NMO mounting 'teeth' on bottom requires a perfectly sized hole. I almost blew it.

 

[gt3073b]

No engine noise issues? If not, I'm going to give it a shot. Thanks for your help!

Bryan.

 

[gt3073b]

After a couple PMs with Bajarat, I decided to give it a shot, and I'm really happy with the results.

I'm pretty consistently hearing repeaters 40 miles out, which is pretty good I think considering how flat northern Illinois is. With the Baofeng UV-5R (5 watts), I'm easily talking to repeaters with good signal reports 15 miles out. I haven't tried talking any further than that yet.

Since the UV-5R is my only radio, I'm not sure how much of the noise I hear is the crappy receiver and how much is actual QRM that everyone else is hearing too. I'm not hearing anything that changes with the RPMs of the engine though. I'm pretty sure I need to bond the exhaust because when I'm moving (even coasting) I still get more noise than stationary. The noise doesn't change with engine on vs off though, so that is good.

I drilled the passenger side hood bumper, so I barely see the antenna at all. The coil in the Larson NMO2/70B is behind the rear view mirror, so only the straight part of the whip is visible from the driver's seat.

Thank you Bajarat for being brave enough to go first!

Bryan.