radio antenna

amccullers

Premium Member
Member
May 22, 2010
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Wetumpka, Alabama
I'm moving my radio from my truck to my explorer. On my truck I had the lip antenna, on the explorer there is no place to mount it. I'm looking for an antenna I don't have to drill into my roof. What are my options, how do glass mounted antenna's work?


Thanks


Andrew
 
some glass mounts are ok, I prefer PCTEL with DUO BOND adhesive as it holds better.These are mostly unity gain.If you need some kind of gain you can try the Arc brand patch type that goes inside windshields they can get you up to 2.5-3 db gain.Is your radio over 50watts output? Not the best if using onglass type.


Scraping glue bond off a window is easier than plugging a hole if you sell vehicle later on.
 
wkr518 said:
Scraping glue bond off a window is easier than plugging a hole if you sell vehicle later on.

Tell the potential buyer the NMO antenna mount in the roof is for a GPS unit you had installed. They might even want to use it with theirs.


Seriously, you might try an trunk lip mount, similar to what used to be used for a lot of CB radios.
 
Gary,


He stated above he has one of those mounts and it has no place to mount it.


Unless he wanted to mount it on the hood.
 
SlickTop Solutions said:
Give me a day to get picks and a model number for a lip mount that works on the rear hatch.

I have a customer that I used one on and they have loved it for over two years.


Thanks that was my next place. I called the local guys and the glass mount is $75, I don't want to pay that much when I already have the coax and antenna.
 
Avoid a glass mount on VHF and UHF radios. You may also resort to a marine antenna that can be bumper or luggage rack mounted, since it incorporates a colinear ground plane.
 
Sorry it took so long to post these, I had to get with the customer...


ai125.photobucket.com_albums_p65_ka8ypy_Elightbars_DSC_2540.jpg


UHF lip mount on the hood, and no, it does not touch the windshield when the hood is opened.


ai125.photobucket.com_albums_p65_ka8ypy_Elightbars_DSC_2542.jpg


VHF NMO lip mount on left side of lift gate.


ai125.photobucket.com_albums_p65_ka8ypy_Elightbars_DSC_2543.jpg


Same mount from back


Hope these help.
 
Detroit Police Dept on their Prisoner vans use the standard trunk lip mount on the rear doors (Chevy and ford vans).


Most have the mast bent upward, some do not. (eye poke possible on those) I don't know how well they work.


You can always check Tessco.com to at least find the part number to search on-line for.
 
I used a window mount from larsen on VHF. It was a last resort. But imagine my surprise when I was getting into our repeater from about 80ish miles (as the crow flies). But I still much prefer NMO through the roof.
 

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