HAM radio antenna mount options

[rolfl]

Has anyone figured out how to mount a ham radio antenna on the Cybertruck and how to feed the coax cable into the cabin?

I was thinking mounting an antenna bracket in one of the roof rail mount would work, but how to get the coax cable inside?
Does the roof rail mount need to be “sealed”, or is it ok to leave the flap open to the elements?

Under the rear seat seems good place to mount radio body and power supply

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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[Wraven]

Take a look at some of the videos that highlight the top fascia rails where the auxiliary roof power and trap doors for accessory mounts are. It looks like you can snake cabling through and bolts to fabricate either an external mount or run a stealth antenna under the plastic fascia.

 

[CyberOwl]

Excellent question! I awoke this morning with the same thought. They must have thought of this right?

 

[Jyak]

I've just been using a through-glass antenna on my Y with my Icom. It works okay since I'm generally just hitting repeaters.
The one I have is the Tram Browning 1191-- paired with my Icom 5100.

 

[Jyak]

Also curious what will be involved in getting clean/quiet 12v to the existing 12v ham radio options.

 

[cvalue13]

Search this forum for relevant key words

There have months past been some extended discussions on this by folks who appear to understand a whole lot about antennae mounting considerations generally and as applies to the CT in particular

 

[rolfl]

Also curious what will be involved in getting clean/quiet 12v to the existing 12v ham radio options.

I was planning on running a power supply of 120V plug in the rear console

 

[Wraven]

Couldn't help it!

Every time I think of Hyman-Almy-Murray Radios, a 19th century tech going into a Cybertruck...
(It's amazing the tech still stands up today, talking to people around the world)

 

[rolfl]

Search this forum for relevant key words

There have months past been some extended discussions on this by folks who appear to understand a whole lot about antennae mounting considerations generally and as applies to the CT in particular

I did do a search.
I have not found anything on existing feed throughs into the cabin.
I’m hoping now there are CT in the wild someone would have some more insight.

 

[rolfl]

I've just been using a through-glass antenna on my Y with my Icom. It works okay since I'm generally just hitting repeaters.
The one I have is the Tram Browning 1191-- paired with my Icom 5100.

that would be a good option for 2m, unfortunately I’m also looking to do HF.

 

[ituner-HF]

Also curious what will be involved in getting clean/quiet 12v to the existing 12v ham radio options.

I will be trying this to charge a small 12V LFP battery. https://www.amazon.com/Teyleten-Robot-Bidirectional-Buck-Boost-High-Power/dp/B0B7RT7CF4

 

[Seagrave7]

From Testing down in Baja, looks like they mounted the antenna up at the top next to mounting a starling receiving antenna. Maybe the Antenna is suctioned onto the glass roof? On the inside, either a CB or Ham is mounted on the underside of the dash right under the Center Display Screen. Link to Tesla Youtube video below as well as screen shots.

 

[Woodrick]

My thoughts so far. Still waiting to try them out.

There's 48V power in the frunk. Not sure about access from the frunk through the "firewall" to the cab though. The power in the frunk is switched 48V, but there are a number of inverters on Amazon. 48V to 12V is a common need in golf carts, so you'll see some listed as Golf Cart inverters.
Another option as some one indicated is to install a smaller battery in the cabin and hook it up to one of the USB-C ports. The 18V output is definitely enough to charge a battery. I believe that it's also enough to run some radios. While the 12V option on USB is a little low (compared to nominal 13.8) you can probably find a 18V->13.8 inverter. Looking up one source indicated that the USB-C are capable of 65W, about 5A @13.8V.

Antennas? For VHF/UHF, the thru-glass seem like a great option, if the radio is in the cab. I've used some Larsen PulseLarsen, KG-2/70-CX-PL, Antenna Mobile Dual Band 2m-70cm, KG2/70CXPL (hamradio.com) thru-glass for years and was always happy with them. I believe that HRO still sells them.
I've come into favor of trunk edge mounts over the last few years. And if the radio is in the frunk, a trunk edge on the frunk sounds like a great answer. I've done this for a number of vehicles and they look like a classic FM antenna. Of course a maf-mount mounted center of the frunk would give the unicorn charging at you look

For HF antennas, I see a few options. For the smaller Comet/Diamond/MFJ antennas, the frunk lip still seems like a good option. They are multi-band and can get the job done.
The next option is to get the "luggage rack" bars and mount to them. This can take some much more substantial antennas, Hamsticks and Screwdrivers, but you've got to get the coax back to the radio. As sharp as the Cybertruck edges are, I don't th ink that you want to run between panels.
Another option is a hitch mount. TN07.com and others sell a mount that you can insert into the hitch receiver and put anything on. It would hold a 80M 3-el, but something tells me that you wouldn't drive down the road with it on. But it definitely will hold hamsticks and event the vnerable Hustler mobiles HUSTLER, MO-2, Antenna Accessories Masts, MO2 (hamradio.com) HUSTLER, RM-75, Antenna HF Mobile Single Band, RM75 (hamradio.com)

And if you are into roving or POTA from vehicle, create a H mount and attach it to the tiedown rings in the bed, probably add a rotating push-up mount. Arrive on site, open the tonneau cover, push up your antenna farm and you are on the air.

But I've got to get a truck, please make it before Dayton, to try it out.

 

[Seagrave7]

https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...sory-spotted-on-cybertruck-💡.9445/post-216761

Per the thread link above the Lightbar easter egg appears to attach at the top of the windshield. How could we leverage how it attaches for mounting a ham or cb antenna?

 

[rolfl]

I was thinking about using one of the roof rail mount locations as antenna mount location.
The studs should have really good ground connection to the chassis.
Looking for a way to get the antenna from the mount location down on the inside of the body into the cabin.

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