Prado 150 bullbar destroys UHF aerials

[derf Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close derf]

Hi all
My 2010 150 series is fitted with a steel bullbar. As with my previous 90 series the bar vibrates like crazy over corrugations. I have had several aerial whips thrash themselves to destruction. I think the vibration is so bad that it probably would not help to use a different aerial on the bar, so I am wondering has anyone come up with a neat way to mount an aerial where there is less vibration, eg onthe body??

[Guest Close Guest]

Mine is mounted to the awning. And there's no need for 2m long antennas up that high. A little rubber ducky will suffice.

[derf Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close derf]

Thanks amts. where do you route the cable into the vehicle?

[Guest Close Guest]

Down the side of the windscreen, into the engine bay, through the firewall grommet, into the cabin.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

I have broken those thin metal ones with a coil in the base or half way up in as little as half an hour on corrugations but have NEVER broken one of the GME fibreglass ones on a spring base.

[gympiebrowns Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gympiebrowns]

+1 for the spring base fiberglass, ours is a 1.2m and is a great indicator of the height of your vehicle, told the boss if it hits something back out, from memory it sits about 2 inches above the top of the ARB rack...

[bazzang Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bazzang]

Broke 2 GME fiberglass antenna myself. Fiberglass separated from the metal base. One broke while on a trip to the NT (bitumen most of the way) and the second broke just driving around town (2 broken in 6 months). Both replaced under warranty. Sold the second unit I was sent and bought a RFI MSW35 after seeing my in-laws video of it travelling over corrugated roads. The thing looked like an S. Still holding up today after 2 years on the vehicle.

[Piratepete Member Find all posts View Profile Close Piratepete]

Have a read of the UHF threads. As AMTS says, mount the aerial on the roof or a rack if you've got one. Mine was done professionally and is mounted to the the roof bar bracket. Easy to fit if you've got a Pioneer platform too (Rhino have just come out with brackets specifically made to fit aerials to their platforms).

Great reception with rubber ducky aerial and you can also swap over to a longer range one if needed ( I've never needed to although I carry it with me).

Couldn't stand seeing bloody stick vibrating in front of me all the time. Only reason that people justify sticks is that they use them as guides when going into low car parks. Other than that, it's just pose value. (Know I will upset some with this comment).

Now HF, that's a different matter.

[derf Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close derf]

Thanks all. Might try the rubber ducky on the roof. Even if it didnt break I also hate watching the thing vibrate on the bar. It is bad enough how the bloody bar itself vibrates.

[sweetpea Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sweetpea]

I use an elevated feed antenna with a stainless gain whip on an L shaped bracket on the left front guard. I think the bracket is branded GME from a TJM store.

It has survived the Dalhousie and Mt Dare corrugations and it also still works as a height gauge for low car parks.

S

[leethal1 Member Find all posts View Profile Close leethal1]

I have the GME AE4704 and 4705, you'd be pushing pretty hard to brake one, however If i was not height limited I would have a small rubber one on the roof.