Thread: Codan aerial mounting

Originally Posted by DeanoH

I've been a member of VKS 737 for a number of years now and agree that the coverage is great and have also found their operators to be very professional and experts at making new comers whose radio skills are not perfect to feel right at home.

I've logged in on many occasions especially when traveling in remote areas and have found the contact and info given to be first class.

Can't really speak of the admin, my only experience here is my annual subscription which has always gone through without incident. I've never used the website so can't comment.

For the OP, the braided earth cable as shown in the photos is ESSENTIAL for safety and correct antenna function. Don't cut any corners here, it needs to be connected at the antenna base and mounting bracket (as shown) as well as the vehicle chassis. Codan also recommends that the antenna coax and data cable are not run together next to each other as coupling between them can cause problems.

Deano

As you say... the coverage is great and I can't speak highly enough of the operators and the professional and friendly manner they conduct themselves in. I must say that I have had a 'bee in my bonnet' over their incompetent excuse for a web site for a few years.
For a service that has been around for some 20+ years I can't understand why they don't provide GPS tacking, a cheaper telephone interconnect and most of all the ability for a registered user to nominate their own password when logging into their web site, instead of regularly resetting members usernames and passwords with their own randomly generated 'near impossible to remember' ones (for example... username A6v3p7u5 and password of 5abf7u3 !!! It's not like they have the nuclear codes stored on the site ... it's just pretty general information ... most of which could be found with a simple google search.

ok... I'm going now.. I've had my rant

Thanks Deano , earths will be put in place 👍

Originally Posted by rapserv

Hi Rob,

I welded this bracket up a couple of years ago whilst on the road.
Just used a few bits of steel tubing and angle I had been carrying around.
Looks a bit rough but its certainly done the job and its not looking like falling off any time soon Traveled a lot of miles and over some pretty rough terrain since. I also fitted the coax and control cable through a hole and grommet on the rear door behind the spare bracket and also worked it through the rubber boot between the rear door and main body... to keep it from being damaged and not visible. Hope this assists ... if you want any more pics or info just drop me a PM .... Dave

VKS737 #3016
HF Radio Club #3016

nice job rapserv.... just curious as to what method you used to mount highlift jack over the alloy spare wheel. I've modified my spare wheel nuts to serve as coupling nuts and will soon have a plate made to bolt on and act as an accessory mount. I'll be adapting a KAYMAR rear door HF antenna bracket to fit it for my CODAN install.

I posted pics of the coupling nut mod back in April 2016....[URL="http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/233441-m14x1-5-coupling-nuts.html#post2522366"]

[/ATTACH]

Originally Posted by onebob

nice job rapserv.... just curious as to what method you used to mount highlift jack over the alloy spare wheel. I've modified my spare wheel nuts to serve as coupling nuts and will soon have a plate made to bolt on and act as an accessory mount. I'll be adapting a KAYMAR rear door HF antenna bracket to fit it for my CODAN install.

I posted pics of the coupling nut mod back in April 2016....[URL="http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/233441-m14x1-5-coupling-nuts.html#post2522366"]

Hi OneBob,
Had a quick look at your pics and it seems that I did pretty much the same.
I did'nt want to spend a fortune on a HL jack bracket and drew up a couple of designs all of which seemed quite fiddly.
I came across the bracket I am now using on ebay, 2 models... one alloy and one zinc coated steel, and as there is a reasonable weight tied up in the jack I decided to go for the steel unit... at a cost of about $45.
Once I received the mount I quickly realised that, even though the hole spacings of the bracket did suit the disco's bracket, it would not fit properly as when the disco wheel nuts were removed the logo cap in the centre of the spare wheel would not alloy the new bracket to sit flat. My initial thought was to make 3 beveled spacers to use between the wheel and new bracket then use the disco wheel nuts on the outside... but this was not suitable due to the bevel. One added problem was also trying to do all this while I was full time on the road (mainly outback!!). The answer to the problem was staring me in the face but it did not 'click' until a week or two later. I noticed that the disco's lock nut (when cover cap was removed to insert the lock tool) was drilled right through.. but not completely tapped right through. I suspected that the other 2 standard nuts would be the same. I knocked the covers off these and did find them to be the same. I subsequently drilled out the covers (clearance hole) and then ran an M14 bottom tap through all 3 nuts to completely thread them.
These could then be set back on the spare wheel bracket as normal and the new bracket then did fit flat against the modified disco nuts. I bought 3 new M14-30mm hi-tensile bolts that then bolted the new bracket to the carrier via the old disco nuts, also using a few wide washers as additional spacing... these washers would not have been needed it I had bought 25mm bolts instead of the 30mm. This method has not weakend the existing spare wheel mount and allows the new bracket to sit very close to the wheel eliminating excessive overhang and loading. I also put some larger diameter washers under the 6 bolts holding the wheel carrier to the vehicle to better spread the loading. As a further safety and security measure, I used a bike lock cable fed through the spare wheel spokes, bracket and HL jack just in case something was to fatigue and fail somewhere ... although if a failure occurred at the door mounting this would obviously not help much

Originally Posted by rapserv

[/ATTACH]

Hi OneBob,
Had a quick look at your pics and it seems that I did pretty much the same.
I did'nt want to spend a fortune on a HL jack bracket and drew up a couple of designs all of which seemed quite fiddly.
I came across the bracket I am now using on ebay, 2 models... one alloy and one zinc coated steel, and as there is a reasonable weight tied up in the jack I decided to go for the steel unit... at a cost of about $45.
Once I received the mount I quickly realised that, even though the hole spacings of the bracket did suit the disco's bracket, it would not fit properly as when the disco wheel nuts were removed the logo cap in the centre of the spare wheel would not alloy the new bracket to sit flat. My initial thought was to make 3 beveled spacers to use between the wheel and new bracket then use the disco wheel nuts on the outside... but this was not suitable due to the bevel. One added problem was also trying to do all this while I was full time on the road (mainly outback!!). The answer to the problem was staring me in the face but it did not 'click' until a week or two later. I noticed that the disco's lock nut (when cover cap was removed to insert the lock tool) was drilled right through.. but not completely tapped right through. I suspected that the other 2 standard nuts would be the same. I knocked the covers off these and did find them to be the same. I subsequently drilled out the covers (clearance hole) and then ran an M14 bottom tap through all 3 nuts to completely thread them.
These could then be set back on the spare wheel bracket as normal and the new bracket then did fit flat against the modified disco nuts. I bought 3 new M14-30mm hi-tensile bolts that then bolted the new bracket to the carrier via the old disco nuts, also using a few wide washers as additional spacing... these washers would not have been needed it I had bought 25mm bolts instead of the 30mm. This method has not weakend the existing spare wheel mount and allows the new bracket to sit very close to the wheel eliminating excessive overhang and loading. I also put some larger diameter washers under the 6 bolts holding the wheel carrier to the vehicle to better spread the loading. As a further safety and security measure, I used a bike lock cable fed through the spare wheel spokes, bracket and HL jack just in case something was to fatigue and fail somewhere ... although if a failure occurred at the door mounting this would obviously not help much

Well! what can I say other than "great minds think alike"

Thanks to rapserve and his pics this is what I have come up with re mounting Codan 9350 HF aerial.

Originally Posted by RobMichelle

Thanks to rapserve and his pics this is what I have come up with re mounting Codan 9350 HF aerial.

looks good rob,
if you have not mounted it yet, be careful when you do as it comes very close to the right tail light lens and might need to be adjusted slightly.
well done... now you can start on the aircond