Quad band antenna mount question

[sandracer33]

Hey gang! I'm a complete newb to HAM radio. My wife got me a Yaesu FT-8900 and Diamond CR8900 antenna for my birthday. It's WAY more radio than I will probably need for a while, but it gives me lots of room to grow. After I ordered all the study manuals for my Technician license I set about trying to figure out where to mount the antenna. Vehicle is a 1999 4Runner with a Rola roof rack. I know roof mount would be ideal, but I'm not sure about having an antenna that is that stiff mounted that high on the vehicle. I do travel to areas with low hanging trees. What are some reasonable options?

 

[mjac]

I am very pleased with the Diamond lip mount on my rear hatch of my t4r.
I run a Comet SSB 1. It is a very short dual band antenna tho.

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[DaveInDenver]

The CR8900 is a tall and beefy antenna, I think you're going to want a substantial mount. Beyond the height I think the rigidity of the antenna would make a roof rack mounting less good, it's likely to get broken I'd think. I'd do a mount on the a bull bar, bumper or door lip. Diamond makes lip mounts like mjac mentions and I think that's probably the most common way they are mounted.

 

[prerunner1982]

As a Tech license holder you would not be able to use the 10m band on that radio as it is FM only. 6m can be fun but rare. Sooo... you could go with a 19" (1/4 wave on 2m) dual band antenna which could be roof mounted or any other dual band antenna that fits your needs.

Sounds like you have a great wife as well.

 

[DaveInDenver]

prerunner1982 makes a good point. Tech license holders have limited privileges on 10m.

http://www.arrl.org/frequency-allocations
10 Meters
Novice and Technician classes:
28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data--Maximum power 200 watts PEP
28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone--Maximum power 200 watts PEP

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:
28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
28.300-29.700 MHz: CW, Phone, Image
​

The problem is the FT-8900 is FM only and the 10m band plan put FM simplex and repeaters at 29.300 MHz up to 29.700 MHz. Phone here means SSB, which is what 28.300-28.500 is designated by convention. The radio is only capable of FM transmit although it can receive AM (so you can, for example, monitor aviation bands).

 

[Frdmskr]

That antenna will break on a trail. Install an NMO and use a Larsen NMO270 dual band. When parked hook up a 6m beam and a 10m dipole (when you upgrade). 10FM is fun when it's open.

I had an 8900. Used the Larsen, a 6m quarter wave and called it a day. Used a duplexer to split between the antennas. Used to run a local 6m FM net that way.


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[sandracer33]

Thanks for the advise guys. It makes sense to get a dual band antenna and then move my way up. I can always put the 8900 on to monitor while I learn.