UHF Antenna Mounting

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

I have searched and found no clear answer to this. What are the pros and cons of using a "z" bracket towards the back of the LHS bonnet/ mudguard? I currently have one of those spring based GME jobs which sit up about 300 mm after you have taken the fibreglass whip off. This vibrates like crazy on the sovereign bull bar and drives my wife equally crazy as it is in front of her. A second issue is the lead into this just appears to be pushed in the base. Should it be soldered somehow? The lead has been an issue since the idiots who did the bull bar recall pulled it out of the base to fix up their crap workmanship. There appears to be no way to permanently fix this other than shoving the lead back in as far as it goes. Neil

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

first off, yes the lead should definitely be soldered in, you might have to take the base of the aerial/spring apart to be able to do it though.
Secondly and aerial thats in the middle/closer to a big area of flat steel (is roof/bonnet) will get better reception than one that is on the bull bar. I prefer it on the bullbar though for ease of use and looks, I arent after the small gains you will get from having it elsewhere.

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Another advantage is that your aerial will survive driving on corrugated roads, aerials mounted on air bag compliant bullbars tend to have a very short life span on our outback roads, as you mentioned they vibrate severely and will snap off the fibreglass whip. Mine went about 20 mm from the base and did not last from Purnie Bore to Dalhousie springs. I also found I had better reception and range with the aerial mounted on the guard compared to the bullbar.

I believe if you want a bullbar mounted aerial and you will be doing some outback touring you should fit a "broomstick" style aerial or I think the RFI units are better suited to bullbar mounting.

An advantage for me with the bullbar mounting was the aerial was slightly heigher than than my rack height so made an excellent clearance indicator.
A disadvantage of the guard mount is it is more prone to damage from bush etc on tight tracks.

Lee

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

One little tip to help stop the spring based mounts is to head down to JayCar and get yourself some heatshrink to put over the spring this stops the aerial from going apesh%t when hitting the bumps/corrugations but still allows it to flex when required in the bush...

Got the idea of 1Coolbanana's Rig Build thread as seen here... http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post309516

[Guest Close Guest]

I moved my antenna from the bullbar to the awning. The improvement is so much better. I was leading a convoy on both occasions and when the antenna was on the roof, I get further and clearer reception. Note, I tend to drive with people who don't know how to drive in convoy and the last car is miles back (ok slight exaggeration there) but with the antenna on the roof, I no longer have to relay the conversation.

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

I had my antenna mounted on a bracket on the LHS of the bonnet and found that the main problem was, the way the bracket sat to avoid the bonnet when opening and closing, resulted in the antenna pointing out a fair bit. It copped a bit of a hiding when driving on tracks that were enclosed by trees/ shrubs etc. I have since relocated it to the bulbar and it works a treat. Cheers Jim

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

I moved my antenna from the bullbar to the awning. The improvement is so much better. I was leading a convoy on both occasions and when the antenna was on the roof, I get further and clearer reception. Note, I tend to drive with people who don't know how to drive in convoy and the last car is miles back (ok slight exaggeration there) but with the antenna on the roof, I no longer have to relay the conversation.

Andrew,
Can you post up a pic please
Cheers