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Message |
    
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1172
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 11:41 am: | 
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I have decided to put an 2M/440 antenna on the car to attach to the HT. I have a Firestik hatch mount on there now. I was wondering about a VHF/UHF antenna with this mounting scheme that is approx 2' or under in height. (parking garages designed for trolls)
Before anyone says NMO... holes ain't gonna happen. I'd cut the roof off of the work truck to fit an antenna but not this car. Now Way-No How.
Any suggestions. They seem tough to find!
Chad |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 584
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 5:16 pm: |
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Chad,
You have a PM on this. |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 592
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 10:39 am: |
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Perosnally I am aware of no 2m/440 antenna under of around 2ft that will work.
It is possible to try a 1/4 whip (19" inches at 2m) as this will work as a 3/4 at 440. |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1175
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2006 - 11:28 am: |
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So I have decided that this antenna in nearly impossible to find in a shorter version. The speculation from me and others acting as Elmers both on the air and via e-mail is as follows.
The standard 3/8”-24 stud mount does not provide a ground path or shielding. The stud actually acts as part of the radiating element. For HF this is no biggie because at longer wavelengths the stud is a rather small percentage of the actual element and can be tuned around. For VHF/UHF apps the stud is a much larger percentage of the element and many of these antennas are pre-tuned. If one were to want this config I deduced that it would be better to fab one up for the specific application because stud lengths vary.
Soooooo, since I really don’t have the tools needed to bend up a SS antenna with coils or weld SS to a lug I decided the best bet would be to remove the mount from the vehicle and drill out the existing mount to accommodate an NMO or UHF style connector.
So the next question…… you knew this was coming….. Most UHF/NMO type mounting schemes are designed to have one end under the headliner and away from Ma-Nature. Doing it this way would leave the bottom part of the connection mechanism exposed to the elements. Are there specific types of mounts designed to have to bottom half exposed?
The problem with going to a different trunk/hatch mount is that the one I have has been “customized” to fit this specific app. It’s a Firestik MK274R with the right angle mounting section removed. (actually a KILLER little mount) I have compound angles to deal with and, AND the vehicle has no metal frame around the glass for a clip style mount, it’s just glass. You gotta see it to understand I guess. I’ll try to snap a few pics tonight.
Gotta love trying to do it “simple” eh?
Chad |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 595
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2006 - 1:17 pm: |
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Chad,
See me earlier post and use a 19" whip - it will work on the CB type mount or better still cut a whip to 38" and use a halfwave at 2m and 1 -1/2 waves at 440. Again it will work. |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1177
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2006 - 1:58 pm: |
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I may do that. I REALLY need to buy a power meter for this band so I can check reflected power before I go to building anything 
I also just found a dual bander on an auction site that fits this style mount.
But wouldn't the "proper" thing to do is modify it for UHF or NMO?
Chad |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 597
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 - 10:00 am: |
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I don't really like NMO mounts - you're relying on a little pice of brass and a stud to make contact and I have to re-tension the one on my wifes SUV at least once a year otherwise it seems to lose contact.
I used the antenna I mention in my PM to you for a couple of years on a 89 Mustang. It worked great but my wife did like the size of it. I thought about using it on the MG (I'll have to post of photo of that) but it made the car look like a Bumper Car with the connection they use to pick up power. I ended up using a 5/8 that a friend had. |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1180
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 - 10:50 am: |
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I'm in the same boat as you... SMALL CAR, it will look goofy with a long antenna not to mention i won't be able to park in my garage at work or at home 2' or less for work parking 
I ordered an antenna yesterday for the 3/8" mount, we will se how it fares. |
Crackshot
Intermediate Member
Username: Crackshot
Post Number: 221
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 - 11:30 am: |
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If you dont want to drill holes, go mag mount. |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1181
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 - 2:47 pm: |
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I don't want a mag mount either. It needs to look "completed" thus the use of the hatch mount that exists.
Chad |
Hollowpoint445
Senior Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 1397
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, October 28, 2006 - 3:05 pm: |
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Can I ask why no hole mounts? They're the most professional looking installation by far. Isn't that what you're looking for? |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1183
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 29, 2006 - 10:03 pm: |
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Rare-ish car, worth more than I paid for it, I can deal with the small holes inside the hatch channel. a 3/4" hole in the middle of the roof would not be cool IMHO.
A straight up antenna on the roof would look weird, there is a small AM/FM up there angled back like the Focus but samller and at the rear like a Toyota matrix.
The antanna must be easily removed for show/Race (even though it is my daily driver)I had thought of removing the AM/FM and putting a shorty up there, I don't listen to broadcast radio it's all CD or XM. The i would not have to worry about conflicting lines/angles up there.
It's a pretty low profile car, you would be looking DOWN on the mount on the roof.
Chad |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1184
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 29, 2006 - 10:27 pm: |
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HA! I just realized my poor spelling became evident in the topic line!!!!!
Moderator Note!
I have been gone most of the day and will change it for you now.  |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1186
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 11:26 pm: |
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So... I received a Valor Pro-Am antenna today and an Extension that goes from SO239 to SMA on 4' of RG174 cable (light weight).
Got it all mounted up and realized that I made one StOOpId MooVe... I forgot to check the coax on the existing mount!!!!! GRRRR! I tried and tried to make it work... No go! The center conductor was broken! I was pretty miffed about that antenna… till….
So I had a normal SO239 to stud mount here and whipped up a line to that. it worked great! Granted it's a temporary thing and that cable will get shredded too in the window but it will work till I come up with more ideas.
So now I have decided that I need to use some RG174 to go from the mount to just inside the car, then "normal" coax to the RG174 to keep from killing the HT's antenna connection. The RG58 is just too thick to clear the glass/body, it's a pretty tight car. I'm also still hip to going with a "normal" UHF or NMO mount.
Sooooo. Any Mount style you all know of that use RG174 type of cable to clear the gaps in the car? How about a source for the connectors that allow the smaller diameter cable?
If I REALLY like this setup I would not be opposed to leaving this antenna and doing the cable adaptions to make it work as is.
If a glass mount would only work with the glass on this car…. I’D LOVE IT!
But as it stands now I did full quieting to a repeater 30 miles away with 1.5W inside a Celotex insulated garage behind a closed metal garage door. I can’t complain, other than the aesthetics. I snapped some pics of the mount; I’ll post them soon and provide a link for your pondering.
Sorry for all the questions, we are all in it together eh?
Chad |
Chad
Senior Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 1188
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 10:25 am: |
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PICS! PICS! PICS!
Look to the left... Click Topics, then Member Pictures, then Chad.
Chad |
Ferd1605
Junior Member
Username: Ferd1605
Post Number: 27
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007 - 12:44 am: |
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cheap and easy ... i done it .. use a old 11 meter fiberglasss antenna , like a firestick , etc ... cut off the shrink tube stuff and un wind the wire ... for under 2 ft just use a 19 inch wire for 2m , and about 6 for 440 .. you will need to prune the wire a bit for SWR , and may have a lil intreaction between the 2 wires in parellel , but her , cheap bual band 1/4 waves. |
