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Mobile New F350 antenna
- Thread starter powerscol
- Start date
Will do - still reading and learning. Based on rumors I may wait until the 2021 are out and order what I want.
What is interesting is I have emailed at lot of online antenna/radio folks and am getting split feedback - either yes (probably want to sell me something), or No it wont work unless ..$$$.......... Only one came back that they have had so so results with a different mount. Unfortunately no one has used the mount I am considering.
So more reading and shaking my gray cells loose to relearn a lot of stuff. I did find a sorta local person (45 miles away) to go through my radio. I was on it last night and it seemed to be doing fine. Range sitting in drive was about 18 to 20 miles. The other gentleman was running power too.
How well it does on Sideband as well.
Age — and some bouncing mobile use — can (possibly) move the alignment off. (A question to consider)
Frankly, if your Q&A with vendors doesn’t align with K0BG, it’s easier to discount CB-centric “answers”.
“You’ve now entered, The Twilight Zone”.
Get used to the right questions having precedence over “answers”. (Wipe the slate clean. Start fresh).
As “answers” are based on assumptions. (Stuff we skipped first time).
Having stopped by this dim-lit tavern (and accepted the “free drink” the bartender offered) means there’s no going back. The door you came in, vanished.
Examination-in-depth (you’ve now found) is worthy of your attention.
Road sign ahead: Tight curves on descent. Trucks downshift to a lower gear.
.
Thanks again for the kind words of advice. Once this COVID travel is relaxed, NM is getting sticky to come into and do business (I live 20 miles over the line in Colorado) I will have the radio looked at. He works on everything including city, county, tribal and some state equipment.
Now to ask folks to help evaluate two other options.
I found a headache rack vender that has a 3" wide aluminum rack that may clear the trailer. It uses the two front stake pockets,(doesn't have the long side rails for support) and they have no drill stake pocket hold downs. From the look it would be easy to bond the headache rack to the truck bed. The top is 3" above the top of the cab. Would that work as an acceptable mount for a base loaded antenna?
Second option is mount a top loaded antenna to the top of the bed back wall against the cab (centered) and have enough shaft length to get the load above the cab roof. Not sure how high I need to go for that to work. The center location would clear the 5th wheel nose too. However from what I am reading the cab reflection messes things up somewhat. In reading there was a clearance to the cab that needed to be maintained. I would need to have that mount fabricated to clear the bed cover - something like a Z bracket.
Would either of these options work and how would they compare to drilling a hole in the roof.?
Thanks again everyone
Keith
this is also an option
https://www.larsonelectronics.com/p...uty-f350-aluminum-trucks-no-drilling-required
https://www.larsonelectronics.com/p...uty-f350-aluminum-trucks-no-drilling-required
I found this bed mount https://breedlovemounts.com/store/ols/products/straight-bar-front-bed-rail-bracket Would a Wlson 2000 or 5000 trucker series with a 10" shaft work. From reading, a pickup bed mount like this centered should work? Still learning
Thanks
Keith
Thanks
Keith
Yeah something like that could work - there have been other people have have done similar type mounts to try to get the antenna above the height of the cab. Keep in mind your truck bed may not have a great ground so I'd still recommend running strap from the mount to the frame
Here's an example of someone that added a bar to get their antenna completely above the cab -
Did you ever read any of the other threads on the forum about antennas behind the cab or third brake light options?
https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/3rd-brake-light-antenna-mount.248222/page-1
Recon can tell you about how he liked his. It sounds like he was forced to go with a NMO mount antenna due to load on the mount itself and it couldn't support a larger antenna. Nice clean install. Only issue might be his antenna may not be rated for the 150W of your radio.
Here's an example of someone that added a bar to get their antenna completely above the cab -
Did you ever read any of the other threads on the forum about antennas behind the cab or third brake light options?
https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/3rd-brake-light-antenna-mount.248222/page-1
Recon can tell you about how he liked his. It sounds like he was forced to go with a NMO mount antenna due to load on the mount itself and it couldn't support a larger antenna. Nice clean install. Only issue might be his antenna may not be rated for the 150W of your radio.
Yeah something like that could work - there have been other people have have done similar type mounts to try to get the antenna above the height of the cab. Keep in mind your truck bed may not have a great ground so I'd still recommend running strap from the mount to the frame
Here's an example of someone that added a bar to get their antenna completely above the cab -
Did you ever read any of the other threads on the forum about antennas behind the cab or third brake light options?
https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/3rd-brake-light-antenna-mount.248222/page-1
Recon can tell you about how he liked his. It sounds like he was forced to go with a NMO mount antenna due to load on the mount itself and it couldn't support a larger antenna. Nice clean install. Only issue might be his antenna may not be rated for the 150W of your radio.
Well this does give me another option - Thanks
There are a couple of folks that make a strobe light mount that comes up from the center of the bed similar to the mount in the picture.
Appreciate the feedback - Keith
BTW Breedlove mounts also emailed me back that it would work.