Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Not a problem at all. I've got a CB antenna and ditch lights on the same bracket, no issues so far. I'm planning on mounting a ham antenna on the other ditch light bracket this weekend.

Edit: My experience is on a 3rd gen, I can't speak for 2nd gens.

 

Since we're talking about different frequencies, shouldn't be an issue, but... We're also talking about a long steel whip 8" or so away from your (CB or HAM) antenna. If I were in your situation, I would consider a short rubber ducky style antenna for the AM FM radio.
Hopefully someone will provide better insight on it.

It's not the same issue. 2nd gens have a radio antenna mounted in/on pass side fender, 3rd gens have a shark fin on the roof

 

Oops, didn't realize he had a 2nd gen, ignore my previous post.

 

So you're trying to say it's not legal for me to transmit on a legal ham frequency that I'm licensed to use? No unlicensed individuals are using a ham frequency. A non-ham licensed individual is transmitting only on GMRS and receiving on a 70cm ham freq. I'm transmitting only on 70cm and receiving on a GMRS freq.

 

You are not communicating on the ham bands, you are broadcasting on the ham bands. The other guy is transmitting on a non type certified device.

Both, uh, illegal.

Edit, after further research I see that this cute loophole is something the Bro-Verlanding community conjured up 5 or 6 years ago for their "expeditions".

 

Nice! Finding loopholes FTW!

 

I'll concede that point, I hadn't considered that the one way transmissions could be classified as broadcasts rather than communication.

 

This is not legal.

 

Ham or CB? I'm not sure about CB. A 2m band ham antenna on a passenger side ditch light mount on a 2nd gen is going to couple an incredible amount of energy into the FM antenna. Best case is that you will de-sense FM broadcast stations, while you're in transmit. It's possible that you damage the FM broadcast receiver in the vehicle. CB is more MHz away and also less power. YMMV.

I don't like ditch light mounts for ham tenners. You're brain and eyes are directly in the main lobe. I haven't done the math, but I'm concerned it violates FCC exposure limits. CB shouldn't be a concern though.

 

Thanks so mounting the antenna on the drivside probably a better option

 

Per the FCC website:
"In response to concerns expressed over the commonly used rear-window mounted wireless antennas, a minimum separation distance of 1-2 feet has been suggested as a way to minimize exposure to vehicle occupants." I'd say a windshield mount puts me about 3ish feet away.

 

For ham or cell phones? Ham radios put out significantly more power then cell phones. Additionally, a rear window mount is at the top of the window with the main lobe above the metal roof. A ditch light mount blasts radiation right at your face.

 

I see you're quite strict on rules, which is OK with me. But violating limits? Exceeding, sure
Calculator if anyone wants
http://hintlink.com/power_density.htm
Lifted from here INSTALLING AMATEUR AND CB RADIOS IN 2016 TACOMA

You still didn't specify CB or HAM. CB, sure. HAM.... I wouldn't if planning on running high power. But that's me.

 

The context for this statement from FCC.gov is aimed at the consumer cellular market (so 700MHz to just above 1.2GHz); the statement specifies installations of this type where TX power levels are "3 watts or less".
this is the FCC.gov statement with context ---> https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/human-exposure-rf-fields-mobile-vehicle-mounted-antennas

In the CB world (wasn't that Class D?) you'd see like 4W in a less bio-reactive band, so a hood / ditch-lamp mount may be fine (and a lot of the fiberglass whips popular for off-roading are top loaded anyway, so that radiation may still be above the cab). In a 2M world where output can be several orders of magnitude higher (and frankly, I'll prolly run a co-linear array with appreciable gain), I would not look to ditch-lamp mount that, as a mater of personal opinion, if not as a matter of better radiated pattern. Just think of it as a whole new way to "expose yourself", I guess.

 

I have a feeling that I I should have stfu with my advice, especially that now I'm going to ask newb question... Oh well, here it goes.

Because of radiation exposure I've decided not to install HAM antenna on the hood bracket. I'm not quite ready to drill the roof just yet, using mag mount temporarily. I want to move my antenna onto my bedrack, behind the cab. Not sure if good enough idea? Any opinions?



Also, I have a sunroof which unfortunately takes a bunch of roof's real estate. Since there is way less metal surface, does that affect antenna's performance?

 

I think you should just scrap the whole thing, keep the antenna, and gimme your truck!

Really, the best antenna is always a compromise and yes, anything less than a good counterpoise running in all directions from the mounting point is a compromise (sunroof hole, hood bump, body contour) and will impact feedpoint impedance and the radiation pattern; it just won't be perfect.

In my distorted little world (we talked safety above) performance and convenience are the toughest to balance. That mag mount gets you above the rest of your metal, and has the added bit of protection for getting knocked over to help avoid low-hanging tree damage. A drilled mount up there would have a tougher time with the tree branch. Even with your sunroof, there's still more flat steel to use as a counterpoise there there will be a the center front of your rack.

One of my concerns with a rack mount would be just the damned antenna sticking-up where you wanted to load something. I mean... you bought the rack to put stuff on top of it, and if you add something that makes some of the front rack-rail unusable, then -- that part is unusable. Again very much MY PERSONAL OPINION here, but, I do like the thought of a permanent mount on the rail; for me, it'd have to be center on the front-most rail. seems like a good compromise with being in the way and best performance. However, I would add (likely weld) a mounting surface to that area of the rail to lift the mounting point of the antenna above the rail surface by a few inches (level with the cab roof might be the most aesthetically pleasing). This little "extra" steel would help protect the antenna mounting from anything sliding along the rail as well as offer a clean way to get your coax in/out of the mount. By lifting the antenna feedpoint slightly above the rail, the radiation pattern would be a little less impacted (18" wold be nice, but Soooo UGLY and fragile); so a little bonus in the performance area provided that you can get the antenna to tune 'up there'. It kinda looks like you have a center-loaded antenna with no loading in the base, so that should work nicely without much change in feedpoint reluctance.

If everything on your rack is well connected and chassis grounded, I don't see that as too much of a problem -- 50W on 2M may leave you close to uncontrolled exposure limits, BUT with a center load and a little lift above the rack, all that heat will be on the far side of your roof steel.

Just a few thoughts from here.

 

Thank you for your thoughtful response. That's exactly what I was afraid of... OK, so where do I send keys and the title?














Nice try .

But yes, that what I was thinking about, except not welded but drilled and bolted to the rack. Rack is slightly lower than the roof line, was designed as off-road fixture, but it's too much of pita to take off / put on so it just stays there, so no issues with loading stuff on it.
Anyways , thanks again

 

Oh well. I haven’t run into a ham up here who cares. It probably helps that my state is 15 times the size of yours with 24000 fewer licensees.

 

Any thoughts on mounting a glass-mount antenna for 2m/440 on either the rear window of a DCSB or on the side window of a cap?
in either case, it would be my preference that the top of the antenna not be higher than a couple of inches above the roof line.

any thoughts would be most appreciated.

 

ARB bumper has mounting brackets for a better antenna...

Joking aside, I think you'll get better range and a cleaner setup if you toss a larger antenna on a bolt-on ditch light bracket.