Thread: D4 and HF antenna mount

Install a rear wheel carrier? Haha

Jokes aside. I've seen a few options on other vehicles over the years.

Tow hitch mount is one, not permanent and I'm not sure I'd want my expensive antenna blunting around like that.

I've seen a couple of door mounts. Some have involved some custom drilling, nutserts, etc. Some seem to mount in a similar way to ladders.

Which gives me an idea that I haven't seen, would it be viable to install a ladder on the rear and then fabricate a mount off of that? I don't have a ladder on mine so I couldn't be sure. My concern would be if the ladder and it's mounts could take the weight. You'd assume so, as it's designed to take a human, but it isn't designed to take a human while driving.

My two cents to hopefully give you something to chew on. Someone else who has done it (there has to be a few) will pop in at some point soon.

Fit a ladder to the door....

Personally, I wouldn’t fit one. Old tech now.

I have a multi tap whip for my HF and its on a fold down mount on the roof rack. It says "laid flat" when not in use and I just put it up when I want to use it.
The big Codan auto tune mount may be too large for that, but if you have a roof rack, it might give you an option.
Alan

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Just found a pic of what I use. Like I said, may not be good for the big ATU, but might give you an idea or 2.
alan

Not that I can offer much help. But for the other posters on this topic. A HF antenna mount that automatically seeks the correct alignment is not like a CB radio one. It is a heavy substancial unit that requires a good earth. I have a HF radio but with self tapping for the channels. It is very thick and heavy (not as heavy as the Codan) as it is not a self seeking one. But the brackets shown here would /could not take the load of mine leave alone the Coidan unit mentiuoned here. When I go away I do not have the antenna permanently attached, but have rigged up a base plate on my tow hitch. It just means I have to bolt it down and attach the lead to the base unit (which is in the rear of the car). Takes about 5mins to set up. It is sometimes a pain, as you cannot talk while on the move etc. But as the VKS skeds are in the AM and PM, I have usually stopped for the day and so not really an issue. I only use it for very remote travel now or if if I am a single car only. The only permanent fixing options are a mount on a Bull Bar or a RWC. As Tombie says they are a bit old tech but its nice to catch up with the operators every so often.

divine, you are 100% correct, those UHF antenna style mounts would have a heartattack with the weight of the Codan antenna!

My thoughts around using a ladder as the starter for the mount would be that it gives you a secure starting point that doesn't involve any weird new holes, etc. if you were to make something from scratch. It would still be a custom mount that would take a bit of engineering to ensure it would hold up to the task. As for grounding, that shouldn't be a huge issue to resolve if you went away from the standard rwc or bull bar mounts. Just have to make sure you keep it within the specs provided by Codan.

Codan are a great bunch, certainly their Defence/Government team have always been great to work with. I've seen them mount radios and antennas in some less than ideal locations over the years with success. It might be worth giving them a bell to chat about your options if you are keen on a bull bar or rwc mount. Some retailers aren't necessarily the experts you need for the non-standard (not installing it on the rear-wheel carrier of a Land Cruiser) install......

HF might be old tech, but I have relied heavily on it in the past when the environment/situation is less than ideal. Sat phones are amazing and the pricing for the phones and plans has plummeted over the years. Satellites are vulnerable and in the current climate I would personally be giving myself a backup option if I was heading well off the beaten track. HF is definitely less susceptible to environmental issues as well.

Originally Posted by rapserv

Hi guys
Just looking for methods of mounting a Codan 9350 antenna at the rear of a D4.
Interested in any viable long term permanent methods.
No rear wheel carrier is fitted.

Gday Dave
Would a Codan 3040 be an option?
I’m looking into them for same reason.

Rob

As said, the autotune 9350 base weighs a bit.
5.3kg sans the whip. I just plonked it on my digi scales.
I'm making a new mount for the D2.
As mentioned, a multi tap whip can mount on a standard UHF mounting tab, that's where's mine sat on the bull bar on my old Defender but the Autotune base is far more bulky and weighty.

I get what Tombie says re HF is old tech vs a sat phone but some of us have the gear and it still works well.