Mounting

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

At this stage I'm not planning to put a bull-bar on my new Kakadu to preserve my limited payload. So where to mount a UHF aerial?

One option is to mount it on the bonnet using one of those brackets that fits in the gap between the bonnet and the front guard. One staff member at a major 4WD shop said that those brackets can break on corrugations, leading to damage to the front of the vehicle. I guess it depends in part on the size and weight of the aerial. Does anyone have any experience in this type of bracket? Is this sort of breakage a risk?

Are they any other mounting options? I don't have a roof rack for much the same reason as I don't have a bull bar. Despite that, roof mounting could be an option if there's a way to do it without a rack.

I realise that there's the option of using UHF units that aren't installed and don't use a fixed antenna. One Pradopoint member mentioned that he uses one, and the same 4WD shop staffer mentioned a GME unit that has an aerial that attaches to the roof magnetically. I guess they're options, but I would like an installed unit if possible. TIA.

[KierenH Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close KierenH]

I've seen these Kaon rear door brackets as an alternative https://www.kaon.com.au/stacked-rear...yota-prado-120

There's a review video here too

[rov Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close rov]

I've seen these Kaon rear door brackets as an alternative https://www.kaon.com.au/stacked-rear...yota-prado-120

There's a review video here too

+1 seen a few of these and seems a lot better than the bonnet to me

[watsea Member Find all posts View Profile Close watsea]

Hi gunda,

I think you that you can still have an installed radio unit, just fitting an antenna with a magnetic base to the antenna cable of the unit. There are a few different brands available. I saw GME, Oricom amongst others on a search.
Though Kaon bracket on the back does look neat. Antenna route through the vehicle required of course.

[Tow2go Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Tow2go]

Hi Gunda, I purchased a Teraflex 4997192 JL: CB Antenna & Flag Whip Mount Bracket Kit from Amazon Au some months ago but it now appears to be out of stock. However I also found it advertised on this site…
https://www.sbroffroad.com.au/TeraFl...-Antenna-Mount

I fitted it to my roof rack using a couple of L shape brackets from Bunnings.
It could possibly be fitted in similar fashion to a roof bar such as the Rhino-Rack Vortex Bar 1260 (VA126B) instead of a roof rack or perhaps adapted to bolt onto the tailgate - although it’s specifically designed to fit a Jeep Wrangler tailgate using the mounting studs.

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

Thanks for all those suggestions. I like the idea of the Kaon bracket, although I was hoping to pay someone to do the fitout, and it's not clear that anyone local would install using a Kaon. I guess I'm also not wild about removing a bolt to route the cable inside the vehicle. And you need to seal it properly. But it looks like the best option for an installed antenna without a front bar or a roof rack. Failing that, a magnetic antenna roof mount.

The roof rack bracket that Tow2go posted looks neat, but if I were to spend some payload on either a roof rack or a bull-bar in order to mount an antenna, I'm more inclined to go for a lightweight front bar. A roof bar is an option, although I wonder about clearance issues with a roof-mounted antenna. Ditto for a sand flag.

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

Does anyone know anything about / have any experience with this flat Kaon bonnet antenna mount?:

https://www.kaon.com.au/bonnet-hinge...-for-prado-150

The bonnet brackets that I was worried about and was warned about were the right-angled ones. These flat ones may be less risky, if they're thick enough and the metal is of sufficient quality.

[Tow2go Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Tow2go]

Thanks for all those suggestions. I like the idea of the Kaon bracket, although I was hoping to pay someone to do the fitout, and it's not clear that anyone local would install using a Kaon. I guess I'm also not wild about removing a bolt to route the cable inside the vehicle. And you need to seal it properly. But it looks like the best option for an installed antenna without a front bar or a roof rack. Failing that, a magnetic antenna roof mount.

The roof rack bracket that Tow2go posted looks neat, but if I were to spend some payload on either a roof rack or a bull-bar in order to mount an antenna, I'm more inclined to go for a lightweight front bar. A roof bar is an option, although I wonder about clearance issues with a roof-mounted antenna. Ditto for a sand flag.

Hi gunda, this YouTube video might be helpful…

https://youtu.be/IZQyexUtknY

MOST RELIABLE & OPERATIONAL ANTENNA BRACKET FOR A TOYOTA Prado LC150

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

Thanks Tow2go, I'd like to think that I'd have found that eventually. One of the comments claimed that it is a copy of the similar (and more expensive) GMF4x4 bracket. It wasn't one of his better videos, as he didn't actually fit an antenna, let alone use it in practice - he just blathered. It looks solid, but I'd be nice to hear of someone who had used either one over corrugations.

[Tow2go Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Tow2go]

Thanks Tow2go, I'd like to think that I'd have found that eventually. One of the comments claimed that it is a copy of the similar (and more expensive) GMF4x4 bracket. It wasn't one of his better videos, as he didn't actually fit an antenna, let alone use it in practice - he just blathered. It looks solid, but I'd be nice to hear of someone who had used either one over corrugations.

yes, perhaps the video did need a little more objectivity and a tad less ‘add’ nauseam to be worthy of a thumbs up

[Coleman85 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Coleman85]

Depending on what your travel plans would be, have you thought about a window mounted antenna, We had a gme one on our previous car. It was 2.1 dbi so it worked well for short to medium ranges, also doesnt take away from the appearance of the prado

[gunda Member Find all posts View Profile Close gunda]

Depending on what your travel plans would be, have you thought about a window mounted antenna, We had a gme one on our previous car. It was 2.1 dbi so it worked well for short to medium ranges, also doesnt take away from the appearance of the prado

Well, I'm prepared to consider just about anything. Someone at a 4WD shop mentioned something like this to me yesterday. The way it was described to me it sounded like a GME AE5002, but in searching just now I also noticed the transparent on-glass AE5004. Which type did you have?

My concern with this sort of antenna is range. I'd like to be able to have max range when for there's no phone signal. At this point that Kaon flat bonnet antenna bracket with a 6db antenna looks like a good short-term option at modest cost (for the bracket).

Once I have the full kit incl van assembled and weighed I might consider a front bar. An alloy nudge bar is light. The flat Kaon bracket might then be a good place to mount a Cel-fi antenna at a distance from the UHF. But the on-glass option is still an option ... Thanks.

[Coleman85 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Coleman85]

We had the AE5002, but with the vx am thinking about the AE5004. The AE5002 was good for car to car convoy use as well as listening on ch40 for up coming road hazards on those long hwy trips.