Thread: UHFCB antenna

Mounting on the glass means an induction coupling through the glass and the loss is most probably (or close to) 3dB

No bull bar at all?

Gutter mount?

Final thought... D2 with no holes drilled in it??? Gee wizz.

Thanks Milky,

thought about gutter mount... No bull bar, though my plastic bumper bar is rotting...maybe there is an excuse to spend more money...

keep coming back to an easy elegant mount on the glass
Greenie

Do a search. Plenty of posts on the forum. Some of the options on offer with pics are; on the roofrack, in the roofrack channel, on the bullbar, on a tube post on the bullbar, on the spare wheel carrier, on the rear tailgate, and on the glass. The basic rule is get it up as high as possible, and clear of any other vertical metal interference. The second rule is the same as the first, height is better than gain.

A couple of comments on UHF antennae. FIrstly, UHF is very close to line of sight use, so no matter how good your antenna, you won't do much better than this. From here I regularly get a base station and occasionally mobiles on top of a hill over near Mudgee, about 100km away with no intervening hills, with a 6db antenna - but no communication two kilometres away on the other side of a hill.

This means that increased gain will not make much difference to range (does enable you to talk over the top of others though!). But increased antenna gain means the transmission and reception is more directional, being concentrated more in the horizontal plane. Which is a good idea - unless the other station is not on the same level as you. So avoid a high gain antenna if you are in hilly country. And as mentioned, put it as high as possible.

But if it is planned for communication between vehicles travelling together, pretty much any antenna will work adequately.

John

Thanks for advice, pretty much as I thought. As i am a lazy bugger the through glass appeals to me, should I go on a major trip i'll think about changing position (eg on spare wheelholder)-or perhaps a sat phone...
Greenie

Like what john said is spot on tho the best fix is to use a 3db antena and a 25watt output radio for beat allround use .

For the glass mount i use a RFI glue on mount and the 3db mopole i think its part no is CD50 or 51 its a simple cable terminated base antena not the inductive through glass type and the mount is neigh on indestructable