In need of low pro/ghost antenna and hood mount...

Sup peeps,

Just ordered my

$110 radioddity db20g radioddity DB20-G mobile radio for car vehicle, 20W long range two way radio with cigarette lighter plug, 500 channels, VOX, display sync, for off road overlanding 4x4 black

radioddity db20g gmrs....
After looking, I prefer the low pro/ghost, hood mount antenna.

Does anyone have any recs/links to
A. Hood mount
and
B. Antenna?

Thanks!

 

Rugged and Midland both sell a low profile antenna.

 

You'll have much better performance with a roof mount antenna. I like this one.

The Laird QWB450 is a great antenna.

If you want to go on the fender, opposite the AM/FM antenna, go with a Laird BB4502N or anything here.

If you want to mount it off to the side of the hood, you'll need this and an antenna cable.

If you want it mounted to the hood, get one of these.

You'll also have to terminate the coax when you get it installed, so you can connect it to the radio. You'll need a UHF or PL-259 connection. It's wide and won't sneak through the passages the cable will. You'll need it crimped on by someone with a crimper.

 

Rooftop antenna would be great but I've already hit my cb radio antenna 2x on garag and go through some pretty thick stuff in woods on occasion.

Does the GMRS antenna need to be opposite of AM/FM radio antenna if mounted on hood due to interference?

 

I watched a Youtube video the other day and some dude with the 4Runner used a hood mount low profile ditch light bracket from CaliRaised to mount his antenna


Ditch light bracket from Cali Raised
Super Squirrel Alert with this video
https://youtu.be/SfM3l8LC2Pw

Mobile antennas compared
https://youtu.be/jf7iZw-BVQQ

 

We use the spring base antennas, like the BMWU4002S for center of roof on off road/forestry/SAR/Border Patrol vehicles. I use the same antenna, and it's analogs for other bands, on my vehicles.

The spring makes em fairly resilient and twhaky when they smack limbs. You'll have the best performance with the roof, the hood puts you adjacent a ton of sources of RF interference that are more apparent with lower end radios.

Going opposite the AM/FM antenna gives a cool symmetric look, and keeps the antenna out of the way of nearly everything. If you mount somewhere other than to the hood or roof, you'll want a "no ground plane" antenna - it's designed to work without the electrical counterpoise of a sheet of metal beneath it. This includes if you're using a bracket of some sort.

 

He compares a bunch of Amazon crap. Get a decent antenna and coax. It's the best option when installing a low end radio such as all of them mentioned by manufacturer/model in this thread.

 

I love my SOS Offroad Concept ditch light brackets. They have two holes in each bracket, so you can mount a light and an antennae next to each other. SOS says they fit 05+, but they would not fit my 2020. I did significant cutting and grinding on them to make them fit my gen 3.
https://sosoffroadconcepts.com/05-tacoma-ditch-light-mounts/

 

Just installed this antenna with my db20g and I'm a fan.

$30 Bingfu Vehicle Ham Radio Mobile Radio Antenna Dual Band VHF UHF 136-174MHz 400-470MHz Amateur Radio Antenna Car Truck Lip Mount Fixed Bracket NMO Mount Low Profile Antenna with 5m 16.5 feet Cable

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7D9WJK?ie=UTF8

 

Found this on the Midland site on one of the pictures for the
MICROMOBILE® MXTA24 LOW PROFILE ANTENNA CABLE:


but can't seem to find it on their site. I'm looking for a mount like this. Should I be looking for ditch light brackets? Anyone know where I might find this?