Ham radio HF antenna mount

This probably has been brought up already.....I'm going to be buying a screwdriver antenna for HF...however, being that the bed is not metal, I would still like to mount the antenna there (preferably on the driver's side near the front).Just curious what the hams on here used and how they bonded the ground braid...as always, grateful for the advice!

 

Haven't done it, good luck… Your ground is going to be a pain in the rear end. I would suggest getting that 2 inch braided ribbon ground strap and go onto town from the base of your antenna down to your frame. Scuff the paint where you attach it to the frame, use a star washer to dig in, and then hit it with some paint to be sure that you can avoid as much rest as possible. Our frames rust easily enough anyway. Also, highly suggest using that same braided ribbon to bond the hood, front clip, and cab to the frame as well. Let us know how it comes out!

73
KJ4OBR

 

Do you have a mounting bracket you would recommend?

 

That will highly be dependent on your antenna. An ATAS is going to need something different then a Tarheel. Add a minimum, you're probably gonna have to visit your big box retailer home improvement store and buy some thinner steel stock and Spend some quality time drilling cutting and bending. Have you tried a Google search on your antenna? Something like Tar Heel on Toyota pick up truck? Or even HF antenna on pick up truck… One resource for you is http://www.k0bg.com/ This guy has been doing mobile HR for years and has a lot of good information. The website is a 2001 throwback, but the info is good.

 

Yes,a tarheel antenna is what I intend to buy

 

I made bed stiffeners and use that mount. Its grounded to the frame and body via the bolts. I still ran a grounding strap from the mount to the frame inside the tail light area.

You dont NEED to make them, you can buy them from Cali Raised or hit up ATH and see if he can custom fab you up one with a bigger mounting area. I also tried bed corner mount, but my readings were all jacked up due to the lack of grounding, even with a ground strap.

 

Yes,I bought my light bar mounts from Cali Raised (Great company)...I will have to look at the bed stiffeners from there...good point on the grounding strap to the tail light.

 

sounds like I will have no choice but to mount the tarheel at the back of the bumper. The only problem with that, it looks a tad gauche be-bopping down the road with it flapping in the wind...not exactly a sexy look.

 

I have my Tarheel 40hp mounted on the bed stiffener. I remove it when I'm in town and gonna be parked for a while. Dont want my antenna to give away that I may have electronics in the truck. Visually without the antenna it looks stock on the outside. Easy on and off with quick connections and a wrench.

 

Do you have a link for the quick connect?Im putting a list together,thanks

 

It's all on the Tarheel website. Mine is a older version. The stud is 3/8-24 and the connectors got sun beaten so I used plug like a trailer connector but it's kinda different. Pulled it off a Trane chiller a few years ago. But I wanna say that the new design is easily removed if its stud mounted. Call them, they know what's up.

 

Thanks so much

 

Did not know this existed? Been a Ham since late 70's, no HF now and very little VHF. Maybe need to look into this.
Trane chiller, reciprocating, or centrifugal? Did commercial HVAC/R for 25 years.

 

It was actually a screw chiller. IIRC it was part of the EEV wiring. It's been a while. The slide valve took a dump and the owners wanted a whole new chiller. Wasnt even 10 years old. But absolutely zero PM. Even their water loop was all jacked up.

 

A Tarheel will rip that thing right off. It's not a light weight antenna

 

Forgot about the Trane screw. My older sons job this summer is tearing out chiller that he helped install 20 years ago and replacing with "new". He is more or less their boiler / chiller guy. Heck I can remember working on centrifugal s older than I was, the world is changing. Union shop of course and both my son's work in the trade. I am drawing a couple of nice pensions. but I do miss the field work. Not the RTU's or Night calls of course.

Thanks for the tip on that wonderful HF antenna.

 

I just bought a Yaesu FT-891 and I'm also looking at a Tarheel-type screwdriver antenna. I happen to have antenna mounts that fit into the bed accessory rails, I have seen posts claiming the rails are grounded.

 

Not EXACTLY on topic, but I have a dual band rig in my Taco and just installed LED fogs. I get pretty bad interference when I turn on the LEDs. I tried ferrites on the antenna coax with no success. THOUGHTS?!

 

I am super worried about all the LED lights on my truck because I'm pretty sure I'm going to have problems like you. I have basically every light that Diode Dynamics sells. I am not sure EMC gets a lot of love with these companies.

Sucks that you have EMC issues with your fog lights - what kind are they?

I could suggest buying two ferrite toroidal chokes and installing them at the feed end (battery or aux panel). Run the wire through each core five times if possible.

At the fog light end, try clamp on ferrite chokes unless you can de-pin the connector and use toroidal ones.

 

They may be "electrically grounded" but not a good solid ground plane. When I had my 11m on the bed rail, the impedance was way off but now I use my Tarheel to get on 11m.

Impedance with LMR400UF is dead on 50 ohms and flat SWR at 27.205 mounted on the bed stiffener using a old school firestik. Can't ask for a better setup except maybe 108" whip and a metal bed lol