Cool setup but there are a few issues you may want to consider. Not judging in anyway. Only offering suggestion for your consideration. 1. Bonding straps should be no longer than 10 inches or so in length, otherwise they may end up resonating RF as part of the antenna system. Remember the antenna system is a combination of coax, radiating element, and the DC/RF ground paths. RF always returns to the source and if it can radiate along the way it will, don't offer points of resonance other than the desired radiating element. 2. The radio control head is in a very dangerous location. If you have an airbag deployment you may have a 250 mph projectile heading right for your face and that is before the car that crushes you does even more harm to you. 3. While a mag mount works for your VHF/UHF as far as making a repeater ding dong back and forth. You really should consider NMO mounts and drill a proper hole. This will be safer and offer a far far far far superior ground plane presentation to the antenna and drastically improve your performance overall. 4. Lastly, sanding the paint on your car is a bad bad mistake. There is a self sealing, self repairing, layer of specialized zinc coating under the surface layer of paint. When you remove that layer the steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture. I am 100% betting you will see rust start to form in the next 6 months and in the next 2-3 years will eliminate any good connection you once had at that ground point, not to mention the damage to your steel body panel. It is best to use a self drilling screw with a serrated washer (star type). These will cut through the pain layer making contact with the steel but allow the zinc undercoat to self heal and seal to the point of not allowing any significant oxidation event to occur. Other than that thank you so much for sharing your wonderful commitment to the mobile ham hobby. If you haven't read K0BG.com 's blog yet, Alan Applegate, I highly recommend it. He has mentored me personally through much of my mobile experience and is a wonderful gentleman if you ever call him on the phone. Again I wasn't judging, or nit picking, just stuff I learned the hardway in my short time, and learned best practices that consistently give my mobile station top ratings while underway with other stations. 73 Kk4YDR - Eric look me up on QRZ sometime.
Nice straightforward post, thanks. Do you have a followup on how well it's working? I hope the environment doesn't cause too much corrosion trouble for you. Unfortunately I'm deathly afraid to drill holes in - or sand off the paint of my vehicle!
Which controller do you use with the Kenwood, or do you just use a manual up/down switch and have to pre-adjust your output power for about 10w and key the radio in AM to get a signal out so the antenna can see it and provide an SWR reading you can adjust by?
Joe please let me know who you purchased the 10 feet of 1 inch bonding straps from for 18 dollars on ebay. Great video! Also what wires go down the left side in the cable wrap? Waiting for my Tarheel ii to arrive in the mail. Thanls for your help!
FYI those ground straps are much too long. They should be 12" or less. Also you might want to solder the ends of your flat braid; looks like it might unravel. Otherwise, great stuff.
The guy at tarheel antennas told me no bonding necessary because it aluminum but i guess it wouldn't hurt, I bonded my bed to frame on my 2018 aluminum f150
Nice install.
Cool setup but there are a few issues you may want to consider. Not judging in anyway. Only offering suggestion for your consideration.
1. Bonding straps should be no longer than 10 inches or so in length, otherwise they may end up resonating RF as part of the antenna system. Remember the antenna system is a combination of coax, radiating element, and the DC/RF ground paths. RF always returns to the source and if it can radiate along the way it will, don't offer points of resonance other than the desired radiating element.
2. The radio control head is in a very dangerous location. If you have an airbag deployment you may have a 250 mph projectile heading right for your face and that is before the car that crushes you does even more harm to you.
3. While a mag mount works for your VHF/UHF as far as making a repeater ding dong back and forth. You really should consider NMO mounts and drill a proper hole. This will be safer and offer a far far far far superior ground plane presentation to the antenna and drastically improve your performance overall.
4. Lastly, sanding the paint on your car is a bad bad mistake. There is a self sealing, self repairing, layer of specialized zinc coating under the surface layer of paint. When you remove that layer the steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture. I am 100% betting you will see rust start to form in the next 6 months and in the next 2-3 years will eliminate any good connection you once had at that ground point, not to mention the damage to your steel body panel. It is best to use a self drilling screw with a serrated washer (star type). These will cut through the pain layer making contact with the steel but allow the zinc undercoat to self heal and seal to the point of not allowing any significant oxidation event to occur.
Other than that thank you so much for sharing your wonderful commitment to the mobile ham hobby. If you haven't read K0BG.com 's blog yet, Alan Applegate, I highly recommend it. He has mentored me personally through much of my mobile experience and is a wonderful gentleman if you ever call him on the phone.
Again I wasn't judging, or nit picking, just stuff I learned the hardway in my short time, and learned best practices that consistently give my mobile station top ratings while underway with other stations. 73 Kk4YDR - Eric look me up on QRZ sometime.
Very Nice Joe
Nice straightforward post, thanks. Do you have a followup on how well it's working? I hope the environment doesn't cause too much corrosion trouble for you. Unfortunately I'm deathly afraid to drill holes in - or sand off the paint of my vehicle!
Which controller do you use with the Kenwood, or do you just use a manual up/down switch and have to pre-adjust your output power for about 10w and key the radio in AM to get a signal out so the antenna can see it and provide an SWR reading you can adjust by?
Did I hear correctly you ran a bonding strap from the vehicle to the negative on the battery?
Just the up and down button that comes with the tarhell
Can you do a video on your Tarheel 2? I'm curious to what you think of it and how well it's been working for you in this setup?
yes I can give me a couple of days and I will do that
Thanks, I look forward to it.
Joe please let me know who you purchased the 10 feet of 1 inch bonding straps from for 18 dollars on ebay. Great video! Also what wires go down the left side in the cable wrap? Waiting for my Tarheel ii to arrive in the mail. Thanls for your help!
FYI those ground straps are much too long. They should be 12" or less. Also you might want to solder the ends of your flat braid; looks like it might unravel. Otherwise, great stuff.
How does bonding work for those of us that have an aluminum hood?
The guy at tarheel antennas told me no bonding necessary because it aluminum but i guess it wouldn't hurt, I bonded my bed to frame on my 2018 aluminum f150
anybody know if there is a way to shine up the plastic cover? after 7/8 years it has faded.
Try the same stuff they use for head lights I think it made of lexan call the people at Tar Heel probably headlight restore kit
ua-cam.com/video/1n2vd3kYKb4/v-deo.html
here is a quick follow up will post more
ebay
Look at this on eBay www.ebay.com/itm/201468113847
strapping