Mounting Ham Radio Antenna

[Ryan-OH]

During a search found a thread a little over a year old had a few good ideas about hams in general and didn't want to add to it. The most recent was for a motorhome not a TT.

I passed my technician ticket test a week ago and looking for ideas to mount an antenna. Right now mostly for 2 meter and 70 cm. My radio can to 10 (listen only) and 6 meter. I was thinking about mounting hinged bracket on the rear bumper with an extendable fiberglass pole. Figured I could run the feeder wire right into the bathroom with a panel mount PL259 connectors.

Is there a better idea? I thought about getting a portable tripod but I want to be somewhat inconspicuous.

Thank you in advance
KE8SDQ

[SeaDog]

Is a fiberglass pole sticking up above the rig less conspicuous then a tripod? I do believe your idea would work fine but would also require an antenna tuner I think for best operation. N6RGM

[Ryan-OH]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

Is a fiberglass pole sticking up above the rig less conspicuous then a tripod? I do believe your idea would work fine but would also require an antenna tuner I think for best operation. N6RGM

What does an antenna tuner actually do? Heard of them.

I think the fiberglass pole will be somewhat less conspicuous. Humans generally aren't aware of what is above them unless something catches their eye. Since nothing will be moving, plus it won't be on the ground to catch an eye.

I did see several videos where people used a slinky for an antenna. All Walmart had were plastic ones.

[NXR]

During a search found a thread a little over a year old had a few good ideas about hams in general and didn't want to add to it. The most recent was for a motorhome not a TT.

I passed my technician ticket test a week ago and looking for ideas to mount an antenna. Right now mostly for 2 meter and 70 cm. My radio can to 10 (listen only) and 6 meter. I was thinking about mounting hinged bracket on the rear bumper with an extendable fiberglass pole. Figured I could run the feeder wire right into the bathroom with a panel mount PL259 connectors.

Is there a better idea? I thought about getting a portable tripod but I want to be somewhat inconspicuous.

Thank you in advance

KE8SDQ

Look at the COMPACTenna for 2/440. The guy who invented it lives in the next city over, Strongsville, south of Cleveland, and I'm going to get one and install it near the top of the ladder.

A fellow took a piece of angle aluminum and a couple of u-bolts and bolted it right under the top step on the ladder. The antenna sits off to the side and the antenna mount is in the horizontal part of the angle aluminum.

That antenna does need metal beneath it, but not flat beneath it like a car roof. Angled is better. HRO had an antenna mount with angled radials and the proper fitting that looked like it would be ideal.

If you have a ladder this might work for you.

There also is a ham radio forum over on iRV2.com where you might get some ideas.

Ray

[NXR]

What does an antenna tuner actually do? Heard of them.

The antenna needs to be resonant on the frequency you're using it. That can be affected by nearby metal objects, lack of sufficient metal for a ground plane, issues with the antenna cable, etc.

An antenna tuner kind of "pads" the antenna system with some combination of inductance and/or capacitance so the radio thinks it's really connected to a 50 ohm resonant load. That lets the radio develop full power without risking damage due to a high SWR.

Many solid state radios have an automatic high SWR detection circuit and will automatically fold back (reduce) the output power to avoid damage.

HTH,

Ray

[fella10]

if you have a ladder, the way I mount our aftermarket tv antenna works great, ... the 24ft painters pole from Lowe's snaps into the clips, ... very sturdy, quick and easy up, quick and easy down, ...

[UT_Grandpa]

I have a 17' fiberglass painters stick that I mount to the tongue of my trailer with a couple of bungee cords. The dual band DX50 antenna sits on top of that.

I bought a bulkhead connector and drilled a hole in the right front side of the trailer to pass the antenna connection through. I use a short PL-259/PL259 coax cable inside for the radio and a longer cable going from the bulkhead connector to the antenna. I power my radio from the power plug already mounted by the side of the couch. I also picked up a screw on cap for the outside of the bulkhead connector to keep things dry and clean.

[mac1_131]

I have an nmo mirror mount on the ladder leg up near the top. I climb up there and put on a dual band 2m/440 antenna when I get to where I'm going. Works great.

For HF, I have a screwdriver mounted on the tongue. That one works so-so. With 100w I get some RF in the trailer, and the performance could be better.

Rig is an FT-100D, may change that to an IC-7000.

[fella10]

If you're looking for a way to bring the wire into the camper, this is about as easy and convenient a way as possible, .... no additional holes to drill, if you have the Forest River supplied propane grill, it's a cinch, I bring our tv antenna cable in thru the propane hatch cover on the "front" side of the camper, .... but if the "back" side of the camper is more desirable to come thru, there's another option, I installed an identical hatch cover back there without cutting a hole thru the trailer wall, I installed it in a storage door, ... there, if I wasn't happy with it, I could replace a standard storage door without too much trouble, but I couldn't be more pleased with the results, ... I use that "back" one for bringing an extension cord into the trailer, but now that it's there it can be used in a number of ways, ... works great and no major technical skills are needed, ...

[Ryan-OH]

I wish my trailer had a ladder. Forest River said it in not setup for a ladder. That's an interesting antenna.

Tomorrow I go to the library to borrow the ARRL antenna book. I am enjoying the learning curve lol

Originally Posted by NXR

Look at the COMPACTenna for 2/440. The guy who invented it lives in the next city over, Strongsville, south of Cleveland, and I'm going to get one and install it near the top of the ladder.

A fellow took a piece of angle aluminum and a couple of u-bolts and bolted it right under the top step on the ladder. The antenna sits off to the side and the antenna mount is in the horizontal part of the angle aluminum.

That antenna does need metal beneath it, but not flat beneath it like a car roof. Angled is better. HRO had an antenna mount with angled radials and the proper fitting that looked like it would be ideal.

If you have a ladder this might work for you.

There also is a ham radio forum over on iRV2.com where you might get some ideas.

Ray

[Ryan-OH]

Wish I had a ladder, it would make life easier. Forest River said the trailer isn't setup for a ladder. I was looking at painters pole idea.

[Ryan-OH]

I like this idea. My TT has no ladder or outside grill, getting the feeling I should have spent more money lol, Thanks

Originally Posted by fella10

If you're looking for a way to bring the wire into the camper, this is about as easy and convenient a way as possible, .... no additional holes to drill, if you have the Forest River supplied propane grill, it's a cinch, I bring our tv antenna cable in thru the propane hatch cover on the "front" side of the camper, .... but if the "back" side of the camper is more desirable to come thru, there's another option, I installed an identical hatch cover back there without cutting a hole thru the trailer wall, I installed it in a storage door, ... there, if I wasn't happy with it, I could replace a standard storage door without too much trouble, but I couldn't be more pleased with the results, ... I use that "back" one for bringing an extension cord into the trailer, but now that it's there it can be used in a number of ways, ... works great and no major technical skills are needed, ...

[Stormy Dayton]

I find that the screw jack on the tongue of the trailer is a great spot to mount an extension pole, (painters pole or swimming pool pole or even a TV mast) that is sturdy. I use a 20' extension with a tri band verticle on top, and it also supports either a long wire or a dipole for HF. KF6BM

[AFDON]

Looking at your floor plan, you have a slideout. If so, I've found that its easy to just thread your coax around the slideout and let your seals close around it. I've done this for a number off years. Sometimes I'll set up outside and answer questions. Ham radio needs all the publicity it can get.

Sometimes I'll just lean my painters pole up against the trailer in the corner where the room comes out, other times I have tossed a rope into a tree and hung a j pole.



73,
KI4ZQL

[dannyabear]

A painters pole, hose clamped to jack will work, also very easy to run coax thru the rubber seals on a slide out.. I use an 'ARROW brand 144/440 j-pole

[TowPro]

I had a 3 element 2M beam mounted on my tv antenna on one rig. It folded down with the antenna. Was horizontal when deployed. Could control direction from inside. Worked great.
But i found going below 6m the fiberglass rv did not have enough ground plane. Used to just connect into truck mount and use my yaesu antenna with mt ft100

[tonyz1]

Originally Posted by fella10

if you have a ladder, the way I mount our aftermarket tv antenna works great, ... the 24ft painters pole from Lowe's snaps into the clips, ... very sturdy, quick and easy up, quick and easy down, ...

Can I ask where you found the bolt on clamps? Been searching but I've not found anywhere. Thanks.
N8OHB

[fella10]

Originally Posted by tonyz1

Can I ask where you found the bolt on clamps? Been searching but I've not found anywhere. Thanks.
N8OHB

spring clamps: True Value Hardware, Amazon


https://www.amazon.com/SEACHOICE-50-...2769258&sr=8-5


conduit hangers: Lowe's

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-Elect...itting/1100127

[tonyz1]

Originally Posted by fella10

spring clamps: True Value Hardware, Amazon


https://www.amazon.com/SEACHOICE-50-...2769258&sr=8-5


conduit hangers: Lowe's

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-Elect...itting/1100127

Thanks fella10. Had not thought of the conduit clamps!