HAM radio antenna mount options

[tmeyer3]

I ended up going with a Tram 1191 dual band glass mount, my SWR is weirdly good with it! Paired that with a VR-N7500 transceiver, a little known 50w mobile guy that is headless, perfect for the CT imo.
Here's the Amazon parts list:
Antenna: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DWHFP6G
Transceiver: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084D3V4MJ
Mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZL272TN
Screen/controller: your phone, ideally android, and a mag mount on the dash
PSU: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWWM7DS5
HT: transceiver came with stick on mag mount.

Let me know if you have any questions on how to set it up. I mounted my antenna near the apex on the rear roof glass on the passenger side. I did it to the side for easier cable management inside the cab. I then mounted the PSU and transceiver to the center console under the rear display near the floor using 3m double sided mounting stickers, there's plenty of room down there for it.
-KM6SFX

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[Seagrave7]

I ended up going with a Tram 1191 dual band glass mount, my SWR is weirdly good with it! Paired that with a VR-N7500 transceiver, a little known 50w mobile guy that is headless, perfect for the CT imo.
Here's the Amazon parts list:
Antenna: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DWHFP6G
Transceiver: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084D3V4MJ
Mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZL272TN
Screen/controller: your phone, ideally android, and a mag mount on the dash
PSU: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWWM7DS5
HT: transceiver came with stick on mag mount.

Let me know if you have any questions on how to set it up. I mounted my antenna near the apex on the rear roof glass on the passenger side. I did it to the side for easier cable management inside the cab. I then mounted the PSU and transceiver to the center console under the rear display near the floor using 3m double sided mounting stickers, there's plenty of room down there for it.
-KM6SFX

any pictures of your setup?

 

[rolfl]

I ended up with using a trunk lid mount, Diamond K400SNMO mounted to the frunk passenger side.

I normally run a Diamond NR770HNMO UHF/VHF antenna,
or a Yaesu ATAS 120A, HF/VHF/UHF.
I use the ATAS only when stationary, I have not tried it while driving as I think it may be a bit heavy for the mount.

The coax was fished through the fender, in through the blanking grommet inside the door jamb, and through a second hole (obvious once you pop the side panel) to the backside of the passenger trim panel and down across the floor and tucked into the center console side.

I put velcro on the black ridges in the center console and mounter a power supply and radio to it using velcro.

The head is mounted using a Lido Dash/window mount:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L7KYXR1

 

[Woodrick]

I ended up going with a Tram 1191 dual band glass mount, my SWR is weirdly good with it! Paired that with a VR-N7500 transceiver, a little known 50w mobile guy that is headless, perfect for the CT imo.
Here's the Amazon parts list:
Antenna: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DWHFP6G
Transceiver: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084D3V4MJ
Mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZL272TN
Screen/controller: your phone, ideally android, and a mag mount on the dash
PSU: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWWM7DS5
HT: transceiver came with stick on mag mount.

Let me know if you have any questions on how to set it up. I mounted my antenna near the apex on the rear roof glass on the passenger side. I did it to the side for easier cable management inside the cab. I then mounted the PSU and transceiver to the center console under the rear display near the floor using 3m double sided mounting stickers, there's plenty of room down there for it.
-KM6SFX

Just a reminder to everyone, measure your garage opening and total heights. Putting something on top of a vehicle that can be over 6 ft tall can, well, be heart breaking when you pull into a garage or drive-thru.

 

[tmeyer3]

any pictures of your setup?

Sure! Forgive the mess, just got back from a fishing trip.

Just a reminder to everyone, measure your garage opening and total heights. Putting something on top of a vehicle that can be over 6 ft tall can, well, be heart breaking when you pull into a garage or drive-thru.

This is always good advice... Edit: I meant to also add that this antenna is very easy to just unscrew from the base. It also can lay flat but requires a Phillips head and getting up there, so I just unscrew it for carwashes and the garage.

Phone I'm taking pictures with mounts here on the mag mount and acts as the screen/controller.

Transceiver and power supply unit attached with command strips and powered. Need to finish cable management, won't be leaving it like that.

This radio has a Bluetooth HT that I'm planning on buying, but you don't actually need one as you can use your phone or a dedicated android device for everything if you wish. I'm just old school and like a HT

Antenna on top and cable run through glass.

I have the shade on for the kiddo in the back, but its just a powerful stick on antenna that I was very dubious about at first, but I'm very happy with it. At 144MHz I'm getting 1.4:1 VSWR 50W and at 435MHz I'm at 1:1 40W. The tint on the ceiling doesn't seem to bother it, but you have to be careful when mounting it because it DOESN'T COME OFF EASILY once you place it and there's a thin wire that runs through the corners that is visible and you need to avoid it.

 

[Woodrick]

Sure! Forgive the mess, just got back from a fishing trip.


This is always good advice... Edit: I meant to also add that this antenna is very easy to just unscrew from the base. It also can lay flat but requires a Phillips head and getting up there, so I just unscrew it for carwashes and the garage.

Let me translate removing the antenna in real terms, terms that many hams have learned.

Bang, bang flap, ping, bang, ding.

CRAP, I forgot to unscrew the antenna!

Also associated is the
"Why is no one responding to me"
CRAP, I forgot to put the antenna back on!

There are thousands of years of experience backing those statements up.

I'm not saying it won't happen to you. (okay, well, never mind, it will )

While tilting it back isn't going to help the pattern, if you can tip it back enough to clear the garage door, you may be much happier.

That's the main reason why mine is mounted on the lowest part of the glass. And I've got two antennas, one that is too high, but okay for pilgrimages to Hamfests, the other for daily use.

 

[tmeyer3]

Let me translate removing the antenna in real terms, terms that many hams have learned.

Bang, bang flap, ping, bang, ding.

CRAP, I forgot to unscrew the antenna!

Also associated is the
"Why is no one responding to me"
CRAP, I forgot to put the antenna back on!

There are thousands of years of experience backing those statements up.

I'm not saying it won't happen to you. (okay, well, never mind, it will )

While tilting it back isn't going to help the pattern, if you can tip it back enough to clear the garage door, you may be much happier.

That's the main reason why mine is mounted on the lowest part of the glass. And I've got two antennas, one that is too high, but okay for pilgrimages to Hamfests, the other for daily use.

Definitely! To each their own! Since I've run with a tall antenna pretty much all the time for the past 20 years, I've gotten pretty good about knowing when to stop and haven't smashed an antenna in a very very long time. But I guarantee it'll happen eventually ? I'm just confident through years of practice.

This tram antenna does have a knock over feature if you orient it correctly also, which I hope to never test, and only costs $35. It allegedly tilts over BEFORE damaging the antenna while miraculously not tilting in the wind, though it bends pretty good at 60+! ?‍ we'll see when I eventually screw up!

 

[Woodrick]

Definitely! To each their own! Since I've run with a tall antenna pretty much all the time for the past 20 years, I've gotten pretty good about knowing when to stop and haven't smashed an antenna in a very very long time. But I guarantee it'll happen eventually ? I'm just confident through years of practice.

This tram antenna does have a knock over feature if you orient it correctly also, which I hope to never test, and only costs $35. It allegedly tilts over BEFORE damaging the antenna while miraculously not tilting in the wind, though it bends pretty good at 60+! ?‍ we'll see when I eventually screw up!

Does the tile work in forward and reverse?

I'm just wanting to make sure that people think twice. I do know that I did install mine without thinking height through, but I was a little rushed to get it done before going to Dayton. And I knew that I had a variety of options since I was using a UHF mount.

 

[tmeyer3]

Does the tile work in forward and reverse?

I'm just wanting to make sure that people think twice. I do know that I did install mine without thinking height through, but I was a little rushed to get it done before going to Dayton. And I knew that I had a variety of options since I was using a UHF mount.

The tilt does work in any direction, HOWEVER you do you have to orient it so that it knocks over in the direction you choose. The other direction will tighten it and certainly cause damage. In my case, it loosens itself if I drive forward something.

Great points!

 

[Woodrick]

The tilt does work in any direction, HOWEVER you do you have to orient it so that it knocks over in the direction you choose. The other direction will tighten it and certainly cause damage. In my case, it loosens itself if I drive forward something.

Great points!

What I'm thinking is that it may tilt forward as you pull into the garage, but then catch again in the wrong direction on the way out.
There is a little issue that as you go in or out of the garage the height of the antenna is different depending on the direction, that's because of the drop at the end of the garage.

And then again, don't forget about the 6 or more different inches of height difference from the suspension! The truck suspension may be raising on the way out.

 

[Pulaski]

Has anyone on here found a good way to run the antenna up through the center pillar and out through the roof opening where the 48v connection point is? I am hoping to mount it on my roof rack.

I've ran a few searches on this forum and can't find anything.

 

[tmeyer3]

Has anyone on here found a good way to run the antenna up through the center pillar and out through the roof opening where the 48v connection point is? I am hoping to mount it on my roof rack.

I've ran a few searches on this forum and can't find anything.

Yes! I can't find it at the moment, but you can use the same directions as the Tesla light bar wiring to run a coax. It requires removing the B pillar facea, but there's plenty of room in the B pillar and under the roof edge trim you pointed out to accomplish what you're after! Will find that service manual entry for the light bar after I post this.


B pillar exterior trim removal: https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-DB61B43D-3A22-4C69-AA6A-F7DCC6BF217D.html

B pillar interior lower trim removal. This one is a pain as they overlap, but you may not need to completely remove everything just to feed a cable through:
https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-010D5F22-EB8D-43BA-9280-B21836120CCD.html

 

[Pulaski]

Yes! I can't find it at the moment, but you can use the same directions as the Tesla light bar wiring to run a coax. It requires removing the B pillar facea, but there's plenty of room in the B pillar and under the roof edge trim you pointed out to accomplish what you're after! Will find that service manual entry for the light bar after I post this.


B pillar exterior trim removal: https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-DB61B43D-3A22-4C69-AA6A-F7DCC6BF217D.html

B pillar interior lower trim removal. This one is a pain as they overlap, but you may not need to completely remove everything just to feed a cable through:
https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-010D5F22-EB8D-43BA-9280-B21836120CCD.html

Heck ya. I really appreciate it!

 

[tmeyer3]

Heck ya. I really appreciate it!

No problem! Just a tip, if you're after 2m and 70cm, the tram 1191 through glass mounted antenna has worked VERY well for me! It signals through the roof glass perfectly with very good SWR readings, allowing you to cable through the ceiling of the Cybertruck.

 

[Cyberus]

This looks clean. Nice!

I ended up with using a trunk lid mount, Diamond K400SNMO mounted to the frunk passenger side.

I normally run a Diamond NR770HNMO UHF/VHF antenna,
or a Yaesu ATAS 120A, HF/VHF/UHF.
I use the ATAS only when stationary, I have not tried it while driving as I think it may be a bit heavy for the mount.

The coax was fished through the fender, in through the blanking grommet inside the door jamb, and through a second hole (obvious once you pop the side panel) to the backside of the passenger trim panel and down across the floor and tucked into the center console side.

I put velcro on the black ridges in the center console and mounter a power supply and radio to it using velcro.

The head is mounted using a Lido Dash/window mount:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L7KYXR1

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