HAM radio antenna mount options

[DCGOO]

I haven't figured out how to get in the truck without going thru the doors.
Here are my NMO mounts
Changed the cable to RG188 (pics show RG58) and snake it thru a gap in trim, then in to back door,
tucked into weather seal, under floor mat to radios in a box in the center below console
APRS and Voice radios in box with LiFePO batt from Bioenno.
15V USB-C PD cord with series Si diode and voltage is in the acceptable charge range.

So where did you obtain the parts required for the NMO mount. Meaning the angled brackets that attach to the roof rack studs. Or is that something you fabricated yourself?

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[wb9vxy]

So where did you obtain the parts required for the NMO mount. Meaning the angled brackets that attach to the roof rack studs. Or is that something you fabricated yourself?

The mounts are just two pieces of al angle. Holes in the bottom piece to match the
CT mount and a 3/4in hole for the NMO mount in the top piece.
Al angle must be thin or the normal NMO won't mount.
The two pieces were then pop riveted together at the correct
angle so the antenna ends up vertical.

Here is a version with all small diameter coax that might work:

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/cma-ck-3nmo3

The only problem might be getting the connector end thru gap between
the trim and body. The cable has to thread thru the hole in the Al angle and
then thru the gap in the body. RG58 didn't seem to fit so I switched to RG188

Otherwise there are bare NMO mounts, RG188 and RG188 compatible BNC connectors
on the web. RG188 is teflon insulated to soldering the NMO mount is easy.
Then I weatherproofed the back of the NMO with hotmelt glue.

I can send more pics if that helps.

T3

 

[DCGOO]

The mounts are just two pieces of al angle. Holes in the bottom piece to match the
CT mount and a 3/4in hole for the NMO mount in the top piece.
Al angle must be thin or the normal NMO won't mount.
The two pieces were then pop riveted together at the correct
angle so the antenna ends up vertical.

Here is a version with all small diameter coax that might work:

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/cma-ck-3nmo3

The only problem might be getting the connector end thru gap between
the trim and body. The cable has to thread thru the hole in the Al angle and
then thru the gap in the body. RG58 didn't seem to fit so I switched to RG188

Otherwise there are bare NMO mounts, RG188 and RG188 compatible BNC connectors
on the web. RG188 is teflon insulated to soldering the NMO mount is easy.
Then I weatherproofed the back of the NMO with hotmelt glue.

I can send more pics if that helps.

T3

Thanks, I get the picture. I even reached out to one of the roof rack vendors to see if I could purchase one of their ends, but no joy. I have not yet given up on getting the cable routed inside the B pillar somehow. But I sure would like to have a roughly 43-inch dual band up on that high perch. Thanks for responding!

 

[wb9vxy]

If you figure out a way to get in to the cab please post pics and details for all of us!

T3

 

[wb9vxy]

If you figure out a way to get in to the cab please post pics and details for all of us!

T3

My 1/4 wave antennas go tink tink tink as they hit the beams in the parking garage.
Don't want to put anything longer on CT. Seems to work fine for both VHF and UHF voice on one side and VHF APRS on the other.

T3

 

[wb9vxy]

The CT service manual and wiring harness schematics show a connection thru the roof on the right side for the 48V light bar cable. Looks like it goes into the B pillar and then exits into the cab behind the plastic trim.

Might be a path?

 

[DCGOO]

The CT service manual and wiring harness schematics show a connection thru the roof on the right side for the 48V light bar cable. Looks like it goes into the B pillar and then exits into the cab behind the plastic trim.

Might be a path?

Yes, I saw that. I was hoping there would be something similar on the left side. But if not, I can use the right side.

 

[Paul Scott]

I figured out how to get in the cabin without going through the door seal.
1.) Mount Antenana behind the rear door at the back of the plastic roof trim. I used a trunk lip mount K400 from Diamond. Pop the trim off the roof line and run the cable inside the roof line.
2.) tuck the wire under the rubber trim on the windshield down to the bottom into the frunk.
3.) use wire fish tape to pull that wire back through the fender to the inside of the door jamb
4.) There is a grommet you can remove and cut a hole in to run the cable into the cabin inside the dashboard. From there you can do anywhere you want in the car. I ran my antenna cable between the top and bottom half of the dash and it comes out under the touch screen.

I also used the ODB port to get 12volt power up behind the display to power the radio.

 

[cybercricket]

I figured out how to get in the cabin without going through the door seal.
1.) Mount Antenana behind the rear door at the back of the plastic roof trim. I used a trunk lip mount K400 from Diamond. Pop the trim off the roof line and run the cable inside the roof line.
2.) tuck the wire under the rubber trim on the windshield down to the bottom into the frunk.
3.) use wire fish tape to pull that wire back through the fender to the inside of the door jamb
4.) There is a grommet you can remove and cut a hole in to run the cable into the cabin inside the dashboard. From there you can do anywhere you want in the car. I ran my antenna cable between the top and bottom half of the dash and it comes out under the touch screen.

I also used the ODB port to get 12volt power up behind the display to power the radio.

How much current are you pulling from ODB ?

 

[GonePlaid]

How much current are you pulling from ODB ?

this was my thought, on transmit that seems like a lot to pull through that connection. Curious how this works out, also looking at how to get my 2m/70cm setup in the truck.

 

[cybercricket]

this was my thought, on transmit that seems like a lot to pull through that connection. Curious how this works out, also looking at how to get my 2m/70cm setup in the truck.

I used to have a Yaesu FT-8900R (50W 2M/70CM), which specifies in the manual that it should be powered from a source capable of at least 9A. 9A at 12V is over 100W... I'm skeptical ODB2 is designed to support that.

If I were to solution this, I'd say get a small 12v battery, like an LFP retrofit kind, and connect it to the ODB2 12v source via a solar charge controller. So effectively ODB2 will charge the 12v battery, and 12v battery will be taking the peak loads from the radio just fine.

https://www.amazon.com/MHPOWOS-LiFePO4-Batteries-Off-Grid-Applications/dp/B0DGQFPCRV/
https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Waterproof-Lead-acid-Charging-Discharging/dp/B00XTQ76WW/

Another option is of course the 120VAC outlet in the truck which eliminates the guess work.

 

[Paul Scott]

How much current are you pulling from ODB ?

The ODB port puts out about 15 volts annd the radio draws less than 3 Amps. I chose an Icom IC-705 transmit about 10 W and it has a battery as well attatched to the back. The ODB connector I got from Amazon and I added Anderson connectors to make connecting to the radio power connector easy and. keep the
USB-C port free to connect my laptop.

OBD power connector
https://amzn.to/3WWaF2f

Anderson Power Poles
https://amzn.to/4atfDsF

 

[Paul Scott]

this was my thought, on transmit that seems like a lot to pull through that connection. Curious how this works out, also looking at how to get my 2m/70cm setup in the truck.

this is the one part I’m still working out. Here’s where I wanna mount the radio, and I have a friend of mine that fabricates parts that is gonna look at making a bracket for me that can wrap around the back of the screen and hold the radio in place underneath the touchscreen. I could use the tripod mount screw to hold it to the bracket so that’s why I routed the cable for the antenna and the termination of the Anderson power pole behind the screen. Plus it took two segments of cable to run all the wiring I need for the antenna so I have a spot in the front where I can disconnect the antenna and connect the radio in the frunk so if I wanted to set up with the radio up in the frunk area I could do that too.

 

[Paul Scott]

this was my thought, on transmit that seems like a lot to pull through that connection. Curious how this works out, also looking at how to get my 2m/70cm setup in the truck.

yeah, I come AC 705 doesn’t take up a lot of space can handle 2 m 70 cm and 10 m. You can have a battery to the back of it and it transmits about 10 W.
https://www.icomamerica.com/lineup/products/IC-705/?open=2

 

[Seagrave7]

Coming soon. I worked with a manufacturer to make custom NMO antenna mounts for the Cybertruck. Both dedicated Driver and Passenger side specific.

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