UHF issues

[Disco Muppet]

Hi Guys! looking to put a good UHF in my 01 model discovery, just wondering a few things:
1: Where to put the damn thing?
Not alot of space in the disco where it would be exactly convenient to mount a UHF, so any ideas? Some people have suggested the aftermarket roof consoles, but as my D2 has a sunroof its kind of out of the question :P

2: Ariel Location
I had originally thought of putting the UHF ariel on the bullbar, however i recently read a post where the owner mounted theirs on the rear wheel carrier. Any thoughts on which might be better?
Obviously the less i have intruding on my vision the better, but a rear, high mounted one could be an issue for low roof parking.

Many thanks in advance
Muppet

[p38arover]

Use a UHF with a detachable control unit. That leaves the main unit which can be fitted almost anywhere. My main unit is behind trim in the rear compartment and the head unit is stuck to the dash with double-sided tape.

See http://www.aulro.com/afvb/p38a-range...radio-p38.html

Ariel?

Nah, they are too hard to fit to a Disco (but could be useful when you break down):

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Muppet

There are a number of threads in the D3/D4/RRS forum http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...set-up-d4.html & http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...0-install.html, if you use the GME 3340 or ICOM 440 radios that have all the display and controls on the microphone, so you can hide the unit away out of sight.

Diana

<snip>
Ariel?

Nah, they are too hard to fit to a Disco (but could be useful when you break down):

Ron

If you put the bike in backwards they are easier to fit in to a D2 (but not D1), but you lose the 2nd row seating, they are also a little like the gun buggy where, in this case, the rear wheel protrudes between the front passenfger and driver.

[OffTrack]

I'd second/third the recommendation for a headless radio. I've got an icom ic-440N which is mounted in to the storage box under the drivers seat. I had to hole saw a couple access ports in the back of the box for cabling but it seems to work ok. The radio comes with a quick release mount so it's easy to detach if you think there is a risk of water in the cabin.

The wheel carrier antenna location is quite neat looking but you lose range as far as I can tell.

It's a little bit fiddly to run the coax in via the grommet for the rear washer hose, then via the rubber tube for the rear door wiring but it works.

cheers
Paul

[Lotz-A-Landies]

<snip>
The wheel carrier antenna location is quite neat looking but you lose range as far as I can tell.

It's a little bit fiddly to run the coax in via the grommet for the rear washer hose, then via the rubber tube for the rear door wiring but it works.

cheers
Paul

If you use a dipole antenna ( sometimes called a raised feed ) you can minimise the signal attenuation forward because they create their own ground plane which almost matches the height of the vehicle roof.

[mfc]

youre better of even with an independant ground plain antenna to have it on the bull bar or on a bracket that mounts under the bonnet{called a z bracket} on the drivers side {easier not to trash them on trees} on the rear ,even though they are ground independant most of your'e signal is backwards{blocked by back door} and a gutter mount cops a flogging in the trees fibreglass tips cope better with corrigations while steel will take a bigger wack from a branch

[OffTrack]

If you use a dipole antenna ( sometimes called a raised feed ) you can minimise the signal attenuation forward because they create their own ground plane which almost matches the height of the vehicle roof.

I'm using an icom elevated feed antenna. With the "country" tip installed the antenna extends about 20cm above the roof line.

AN477 PLUS