Mounting Antennas to Your Car Roof With Magnets (
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- Опубліковано 9 вер 2024
- Ed, K9EGS, has question on HF mobile mounts. He wants to use a magnet to hold his antenna on the top of his car. He also is wondering if he grounds his antenna to his car, if it will improve the performance of his antenna. Watch to learn more.
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Every single mention of MFJ 336 Trimagnet on the internet starts with the disclaimer “you can’t take it off once it is on the car roof”. MFJ should probably sell some additional removal tool/lever for it 😂
No joke. Luckily my roof on my car isn’t perfectly flat so I can get my fingers under one of the magnets and lever it free.
This is some very, very good stuff!
NOT local. In the US, only state and Federal parks and similar entities (not always a park)
Larson electronics, among others, makes a 3rd brake late mounting plate for antennas that works well on my Aluminum F150. You need to call them though, because each mount is specific to a particular vehicle, and it is hard to find on their website. They make them for both nmo mounts, and mag mounts.
Great video. Through a couple wet Seattle Winters doing POTA, my setup has evolved to the MFJ tri mag with a 17-ft whip. For grounding, I add 2 GRA-MAT50 counterpoise magnets or I drape radials down the car. This enables low SWR with no tuner. On 20m, the 1/4 wavelength radials hardly extend beyond the corners of the car. de AC7PB
I find that I need a big triple mag-mount on 7 MHz and below, to get enough capacitance to the roof. I get it off the roof quite easily by using the bottom of the mounted antenna as a handle to lever it off! 😛
The cheaper magnet mounts use HVAC foil tape to capacitor ground through the paint. If you want more capacitance add counterpoise secured by magnets. Glue a large fender washer on top put a bolt on the bottom to attach foil and make it stick out the top and make it easier to remove.
8:50 All metal parts of a car body shall be well connected together and to one pole (usually minus) of the battery.
Does DC grounding, to the car frame/chassis/body, risk invalidating the manufacturers' warranties on the car electronics?
Would a vehicle grounding strap make any differences?
So the magnet forms basically a capacitor when attached to the car roof. But is there a plastic cover between the roof and the magnet?
What do you think about lip mount?
since I re installed my 144MHz antenna on my car, I had to re calculate RF safety emission to make sure I am within the law. from center of antenna to edge of car is about 2 ft. by using ARRL RF safety calculator, I can only put out 10 to 20 watts , since I had to keep uncontrolled safe distance at least 2 feet. used to be 50 watts or less , were exempt I believe. AG6JU
I'm relatively new to ham radio. I have HF radios but I struggle understanding what all the controls are/purpose and when/where to set them. Is there a book/source that covers this for newbies? The owner's manual provides some detail, but it all seems to be written for experienced operators. I've met other new hams who complain about the same thing. Any help would be appreciated. A Patreon. Thanks for all you do.
I have a nagoya tb 320 with a magnet mount but I'd like to bring in the house and place it on my balcony. How large of a piece of metal do I need for a ground? Can I just use a large cookie sheet or does it need to be a substantial piece of metal?
It depends on the band you want to work on. The bigger the wavelength, the larger piece of metal you need for the counterpoise.
how about addressing what to do on a Ford F-150, Aluminum body truck. Cant use a mag mount.
Maybe a counterpoise with sucking cups would help if someone sells it.
See my comment above
roof rack bar
DEAR DAVE, I LIVE IN TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA. HERE WE MUST FIND--ON OUR OWN--AN EXAMINER TO GIVE US THE EXAM FOR THE HAM RADIO BASIC CERTIFICATE. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR OVER 2 YEARS! I CANNOT FIND ANYONE! THIS, IN MY OPINION, IS A RIDICULOUS WAY TO GET A BASIC OPERATOR'S CERTIFICATE! WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Contact www.rac.ca/
Unfortunately you now live in a communist country.
What about a sun roof would that affect the performance?