How would I go about making this CB mount for my Prinsu?

I saw another person post about this in another forum, but they haven't been on since 2018. Looking to see how I can replicate this to mount a CB/HAM antenna onto my prinsu rack, but I don't know where to start. Not super "crafty" yet, just recently started to become "crafty" (if that's the word for it) when I started to install mods for my truck. Any help is appreciated

 

It's hard to say without knowing the exact size, but it looks like a square electrical box cover that was drilled out.

 

That looks like a NMO mount that was put into this plate instead of drilling through the roof. Not sure on the dimensions but you’d essentially need a sheet of metal (probably aluminum from any hardware store) and then just measure where the holes need to be.

 

If that's an NMO or similar mount, than a 2 gang cover plate would be about the right size. As to mounting to the rack, a "T nut" looks like it would work.

We really need some measurements to give more accurate advice.

 

I appreciate everything you're sharing. Im just having trouble trying to find a way to imitate the NMO, most of the ones I can find are all exposed metal of some sort l.E. https://www.talleycom.com/viewProduct?rlProdNum=LARNMOKHFDSTHK

 

The mount at the link is a special version for thick surfaces.

This is what a regular NMO mount looks like.

$24 Browning BR1015-UHF Fully Enclosed NMO Hole Mount with Preinstalled UHF Male PL-259 Connector

https://www.amazon.com/Browning-WSP...t=e&keywords=nmo+mount&qid=1617967975&sr=8-20

I don't know what any of the other parts around the mount are for unless it's part of the antenna assembly. If you can get more details, we can probably help you more.

 

Small carriage bolts also fit in the slots. It’s what I used for my traction boards

 

Your roof rack is made from what's called extruded aluminum, 80/20 aluminum, T-slot aluminum, etc. It has a lot of names.

Anyway, that's a very generic material - used in a lot of applications, structural, storage, 3D printers, etc.

Check out all the cool shit you can get for them here:
https://www.mcmaster.com/aluminum-extrusion-fittings/

You'll want T Nuts, and bolts that go into them. And washers.

As far as the plate itself - looks like any random sheet stock, I'd recommend repurposing an electrical box cover, as the edges will be deburred already and won't (be as likely to) cut you open while you work on it.

Otherwise - CB mount can be anything.



This is your typical CB mount - the plate mounts to somewhere (is grounded), and the antenna screws into that fitting. The fitting is isolated on the top via a plastic washer, so it won't contact the aluminum/steel bracket. This is the setup I had - using a Cali Raised LED tailgate mount, I really liked that setup. Antenna screws into the top (I recommend a spring as well, if you're using a firestik like I did). Antenna cable screws into the bottom and then routes to the radio.

So for a plate - drill through with the hole size needed for that plastic isolator washer and you're good to go from there.

NMO is a different type of mount, gets you the same place though (for all intents and purposes, for a Tacoma).



I vaguely know a little about them, but not much. But same deal - drill a hole through that plate, and put the antenna base on it, and then screw the antenna onto the base, badda bing all done!

Routing the antenna cable is a b@#$*. If I ever do another CB setup I'll be using a glass mount on the rear glass. Eliminates 90% of the work.
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/mid...I85Zn0_MexVjE8y9EJxNoQgHzW6WlwXxoClBoQAvD_BwE

 

OP, are you using this for CB or Ham? IOW, what frequency range do you want an antenna for? That can tell us a lot about what type of antenna will work for you. As @GarlicFarts points out, CB antennas are not typically mounted on NMO mounts.

I strongly advise against using glass mount antennas for CB frequencies. Performance will be marginal at best. Window mount antennas were originally designed for cell phones back when cell phones were mostly installed in vehicles and put out 3 wats of power. They worked fine for 800Mhz frequencies, but the lower in frequency you go, the less efficient they are.

 

Yup - my application is basically non-existent, which is actually why I bailed on it and pulled my system down. Everyone I go wheeling with uses VHF/UHF nowadays, and on road trips it was all truckers yelling at each other at merge points/lane closures, and asking about the nearest rest stop. Go-arounds matter with a 53' trailer or doubles, but in a Tacoma I can just follow Google without questioning it

 

CB is 5 watts. If you mount it on a roof it's going to get damaged and more then likely your rack will be too. CB antennas to have any gain are going to be tall like 8 1/2 feet just for a 1/4 wave, even a wound CB antenna is going to be tall. Inside of a CB short antenna is the same amount of wire that a full size 1/4 wave would be just wrapped around a core. Small CB antennas basically don't work worth a damn. Can't begin to tell you how many antennas I have seen ripped out of truck roofs.

 

Other than FMRS ever other band is licensed except CB basically it was so out of control the FCC just gave up. GMRS is a no test band but you still have to register. Hams are real sensitive about their bands and they will report non licensed transmissions to the FCC (big brother does listen) so don't even go there.

 

Yup. Foxhunting, if they find out who it is they'll report you. FRS is no license, GMRS uses the same frequencies but with more power (on some, others I think channel 8 thru 14 they're both at 0.5 W limits), and can use repeaters. Fee for 10 years license, no test. Ham was free, soon to be fee for license, lifetime. CB is citizen band - no license required, radios I THINK need to be type cert by FCC though, similar to FRS and GMRS radios.

FRS and GMRS have access to the same bands and channels, it's just that GMRS can have more power behind it than FRS.

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/twr-fgrqrc.html

 

Note that if you have an antenna in the middle of your rack, it might make putting things on the rack frustrating, so you might look at a side mount.

That said, which radio band do you want? That'll tell you a lot about what gear to use.

 

I’m gonna be using it for CB as of now, my buddies I go off roading with use CB. I used an extra mag mount that one of them had, but I don’t trust it against the paint. It doesn’t need to be super powerful, the one they gave me had a 3 or 4 ft antenna and it worked fine

 

Thanks to Reddit, I discovered it’s a Wilson 1000/5000 roof mount assembly with the weather cap over it

 

Big brother does monitor GMRS and FMRS frequencies. Do not relay on these freqs in a life threatening situation GMRS maybe because repeaters are allowed.

 

Man card revoked for one month. You aren't crafty, you're FABRICATING.

 

NMO mount, drill a few holes in a flat plate, 1/4x20 hardware. job done.

 

That's a really tall antenna to mount on the roof of a truck.