Communication Antenna Mounting Options 5th gen

[Doc_Fry]

What are the current offerings out there to mount antenna to the 4Runner?
What about personal solutions?

Requirements:
1- multi Frequency Antenna mount for HAM, GMRS, FRS, BUIS, 2 Meter, Marine, etc for my UV-5R equivalent in a car station radio configuration so I can talk to both my programmed baofengs and Woxungs in my bug out gear and for when I am running rescue, medical operations, Disaster recovery as a volunteer and SHTF, Bugout

1- CB Antenna for my Cobra 75

I do know the legalities of transmitting. So please dont use my thread as your pulpit and I wont use mine as one to discuss our freedom granted or otherwise under the constitution. Yes I do have a License but besides the point..

I would be happy to know other experiences with programable mobile radio for the vehicle in the above radio quality range. Say Under $300.

But I dont know whats out there. As this is my first real venture with the 4runner and using it as such.

 

[Jhalko]

A lot of views and no responses, sheesh. The two most common mounts people have used on here are the diamond k400(I think that is the model) it fits on the lip of the liftgate and a ditch bracket (like CBI) on the hood. Others have used some of the hood CB mounts as well which seem to work fine but it's less common. The downside to the liftgate is that you need to shave down the set screws so they don't rub the liftgate and you have wires to run the length inside. The downside to the ditchbracket is you have to melt or cut the cowl a tiny bit and I found grounding to be harder (this is what I have with a 3ft firestik).

You will mostly find these solutions for CB installs, but I've seen plenty of ham mounts on the diamond at least. Hopefully this is some of the info you were looking for, can't speak to your other questions, maybe someone else will chime in...

 

[LawnDart]

Mine lives on my CBI bumper. But before that I was considering driver side CBI ditch bracket.

You can see it on the driver side swing arm, near the top:

 

[e60ral]

I copied [MENTION=132734]MeefZah[/MENTION] 's setup, I have 5/8 CB on drivers side and 1/4 dual band on passenger side (5/8 if i need it in the back). The mounts are solid and i'm very happy with the look.

The NMO mount is:

Tram 1246 B NMO Black Stainless Trunk Mount 17ft RG 58 PL 259 NMO Cap by W5SWL | eBay


(photo credit to MeefZah, not mine but i'm using the same mounts)

My install:

the 5/8 CB antenna on the right goes to a CB that i leave hanging behind the passenger seat, all it does is monitor CH19 during my commute. The faceplate for the IC-2730 is mounted with a custom aluminum bracket and i have a speaker behind the center console

tl;dr
Just get a couple NMO lip mounts

 

[Doc_Fry]

Mine lives on my CBI bumper. But before that I was considering driver side CBI ditch bracket.

You can see it on the driver side swing arm, near the top:

You need to stop showing me pictures of your build. i am trying to keep my build mild this time. Damnit.

 

[LawnDart]

You need to stop showing me pictures of your build. i am trying to keep my build mild this time. Damnit.

NO!

 

[MeefZah]

I copied [MENTION=132734]MeefZah[/MENTION] 's setup, I have 5/8 CB on drivers side and 1/4 dual band on passenger side (5/8 if i need it in the back). The mounts are solid and i'm very happy with the look.

The NMO mount is:

Tram 1246 B NMO Black Stainless Trunk Mount 17ft RG 58 PL 259 NMO Cap by W5SWL | eBay


(photo credit to MeefZah, not mine but i'm using the same mounts)

My install:

the 5/8 CB antenna on the right goes to a CB that i leave hanging behind the passenger seat, all it does is monitor CH19 during my commute. The faceplate for the IC-2730 is mounted with a custom aluminum bracket and i have a speaker behind the center console

tl;dr
Just get a couple NMO lip mounts

Another option, which I use in addition to the pictures linked here, is an 18" 1/4 wave unity gain VHF antenna. I remove the longer 5/8 wave VHF antenna and run the shorter guy... it's useful for around town, provides a decent enough range. On off road trips I replace it witht he 5/8 wave since comms from the middle of nowhere may require the extra 'oommph' that the longer, base loaded 5/8 can provide.

The 1/4 wave VHF is also a very cheap antenna... like $12. It's sturdy (it's what we use on our muni police cars) and attached to the NMO mount easily. With the mount and antenna shown you'd have like $33 in parts.

This is the direct link to the NMO base linked above:

Tram 1246 B NMO Black Stainless Trunk Mount 17ft RG 58 PL 259 NMO Cap by W5SWL | eBay

This is the direct link to the 1/4 wave antenna:

VHF 150 162MHz NMO 1 4 Antenna Compatible Motorola Kenwood Icom Mobiles Black | eBay

 

[Dragracer_Art]

Ditto what others have said about the NMO trunk lip mount.

I put a 2M whip on our 2011 and it worked great.

Still haven't moved the radio gear over to the 2016 yet... but will be doing the same setup.

To answer your question about radios... I love my Kenwood TM281, but it's only a 2m rig.
Kenwood makes a TM-V71A that works in the 144/440 bands. Get the MARS mod done and it will open up your options for private comms.

Main Trading Co has great deals on HAM gear and they are super to deal with.
http://www.mtcradio.com/kenwood-1/

 

[Diver Deuce]

I fabbed a bracket that mounts to the hatch strut mount.

 

[Doc_Fry]

Some excellent options here.

So far I like the trumk lip mount on the hood for the multi band and the diamond mount in the rear hatch for the CB.

I am also thinking of just using the gobi rack to mount something.

The trunk lip mount. Is this a normal emt police car mount for the trunk. Please show hows its mounted.

The ditch light mounts. I dont know how well this would work as I have a feeling it woukd interefere with the hood when open. What are the main differences between this and the lip mount.

The rear hatch strut mount, can you post some more photos of this mount.

What are people doing to reduce strain on the mount for the larger antennas when they hit an i oovable object.

 

[e60ral]

[MENTION=60893]Diver Deuce[/MENTION] you could definitely sell those, or sell/give the design to someone else to. There was a big group buy about a year ago with someone who was trying to fab 5th gen mounts but they weren't successful
[MENTION=117975]Doc_Fry[/MENTION] I'll get a photo of the underside of the mount, it uses 2 allen screws to tighten to the hood. as far as forces for hitting something, if you are running a whip antenna it will bend enough so it shouldn't be an issue on most mounts. if you use a fire stick or something you'll want to use a spring.

 

[MeefZah]

The trunk lip mount. Is this a normal emt police car mount for the trunk. Please show hows its mounted.

Look at the ebay link, its pretty obvious how it installs.

It's a lip with two allen bolts. You slide the lip over the edge of the trunk - or hood, in our case - and tighten the bolts. It's immovable.

I replace one bolt with a longer bolt, nut, and grounding wire because the hood can be electrically insulated from ground due to bushings and such. Most people don't add the extra ground strap but it's not too much extra effort to do so.

In this picture, the terminal connector and black wire are ground, the other black 'wire' in center of the mount is the coax.

 

[Diver Deuce]

[MENTION=60893]Diver Deuce[/MENTION] you could definitely sell those, or sell/give the design to someone else to. There was a big group buy about a year ago with someone who was trying to fab 5th gen mounts but they weren't successful.

I did get the idea from that unsuccessful group buy... seems that the fabricator fell through.

I don't have a bender so everything is cut and welded together, I may consider fabbing a few and leaving them bare or primed so the buyer could paint or powder coat themselves.

Also the mount does howl at highway speed... I need to figure that one out.

 

[Sgt. Rock]

I really like this mounting idea....very clean! I've read that coiling the extra coax cable will cut down on the effective range of an antenna. What did you do with the excess coax that was attached to the mount?

I was using a magnetic mount for the CB on a cross country trip last summer. I ran the coax to the rear and up to the roof between the roof and tailgate. I just noticed that the opening and closing of the tailgate has worn through the insulation on the cable...right down to the shielding.

 

[el_kab0ng]

I'm surprised some of you mount your antennas so close to the engine block. I try to mount mine as far away as possible to avoid the electrical interference generated by the alternator.

 

[e60ral]

I'm surprised some of you mount your antennas so close to the engine block. I try to mount mine as far away as possible to avoid the electrical interference generated by the alternator.

power your radio direct from battery, it won't be an issue

 

[el_kab0ng]

How does that prevent interference from a running engine? It's the electrical field created by the alternator that interferes with RX/TX, not the power source. Not trying to be a dick here, just trying to understand.

 

[e60ral]

its not radiated noise, its ripple voltage which will be absorbed by the battery unless you have circuit problems

 

[kaos5000]

Has anyone thought about using the existing hole under the plastic piece near the windshield? Throw a extender there & cut a little hole for it to protrude through. It would barely clear the hood when open I believe.

 

[e60ral]

i mounted on to that fender tab at first, but i eventually removed it and just went with the NMO lip mount