Aerial install for D3/D4 TailGate

[sniegy]

Hi all,
Just a few photo's of my aerial i fitted to my vehicle's tailgate.

I used this aerial base as i originally thought it may clear the tailgate when opening..
http://www.benelec.com.au/mobile_ant/images/027304.jpg

I was wrong, but i still had the aerial & didnt want to start again as this was a neat little unit.
Mount Part Number 027304. (This includes the aerial cable, bracket & Aerial connections at both ends.
Aerial Part Number 02634XC. Flexible plasticy/rubbery aerial.

The mount just curls around the tailgate top section & is secured by two grub screws.


I had to make a small aluminium block to space the aerial away from the edge of the tailgate as so it would miss the roof when opening.
It all works well & nothing touches anywhere, the cable is relatively free with some slack which also doesnt catch on anything.








As you can see it is little different, but gives another idea of where to mount an aerial if you dont have/want a bullbar.

Parts all up was about $83.00

Cheers.

[ADMIRAL]

Perhaps difficult to compare, but I would be interested in how the location compares reception & transmission wise, to the more conventional bullbar mount.

I have an expedition rack which is not always left on, and the offset required to clear the rack is potentially not available, even with a larger block. However the bullbar seems to be on the never never,( ARB ) and I have to look at options for the radio.

If your roof mount works, I may be able to mount on the rack, but the antenna would be limited to a whip as you have used.

I have a query on the ground plane, but for the life of me I cannot recall whether a forward plane ( as in your installation ) gives better forward transmission/reception, or the other way around.

[Graeme]

Perhaps difficult to compare, but I would be interested in how the location compares reception & transmission wise, to the more conventional bullbar mount.

Generally a roof mounted antenna will give better all-round reception than most bull-bar mounted ones due to the shadow caused by the windows and roof being above the bonnet line limiting reception from the rear.

I prefer not to have an antenna waving around in front of me anyway.

[Bushwanderer]

Hi ADMIRAL,
I think that you will find that most, if not all, UHF antennas are now ground-plane independent, therefore not relying on the vehicle's metal to establish a ground plane.

This means that a UHF aerial can be mounted in any position on the vehicle. Any position at the same height will essentially have the same performance.

Now regarding bull-bar mounts: On my D1, the aerial mount on the bull bar was attached to the top cross bar. On my D3, I suspect to comply with regs, the antenna mounts on my ARB bar are at either corner of the main bar. I haven't measured that height difference, but if using the same antenna, it would compromise the rearward transmission. I have yet to try it in anger, but to minimise this effect, I've gone for a much longer antenna. However, now that I have a roof rack, I will consider mounting an antenna on that.

Best Wishes,
Peter

Perhaps difficult to compare, but I would be interested in how the location compares reception & transmission wise, to the more conventional bullbar mount.

I have an expedition rack which is not always left on, and the offset required to clear the rack is potentially not available, even with a larger block. However the bullbar seems to be on the never never,( ARB ) and I have to look at options for the radio.

If your roof mount works, I may be able to mount on the rack, but the antenna would be limited to a whip as you have used.

I have a query on the ground plane, but for the life of me I cannot recall whether a forward plane ( as in your installation ) gives better forward transmission/reception, or the other way around.

[ADMIRAL]

Thanks Bushwanderer,

I am interested in how a roof mounted antenna works out. I think the whippy antenna Sniegy has used is the go though. It would not like to have a hard antenna, even one on a spring base, lashing around on the roof, and I know it would act as a whipper snipper on the trees in some of the areas we go.

[Bushwanderer]

Hi Again ADMIRAL,
Yes, I agree that the style of antenna that sniegy has fitted would be ideal for a roof mount.

Best Wishes,
Peter

[Tombie]

Why didnt you just drill a hole in the roof

[Bushwanderer]

Probably because there's no need.

What some others have done is mount the antenna to one of the tracks, a very suitable location.

Best Wishes,
Peter

[Tombie]

Probably because there's no need.

What some others have done is mount the antenna to one of the tracks, a very suitable location.

Best Wishes,
Peter

Sorry Peter, my 'cheekiness' didnt come over in the last post...

I can see the horrified look in Sneigys eyes now...
"You want me to what? Drill into my...arrrrrgggghhhhhhhhh"


And yes, you are correct, there are better ways to go about it without drilling!

[Bushwanderer]