So I was being really picky when It came to mounting my antenna, I just did not like how most people have there antenna slightly off center so I set out to find a way to put it right in the center of the tail gate. Heres what I came up with,

1. Started off with a 4' piece of 1/8X1 steel from lowes for $5.00 or so
2. Cut a piece 12'' long which spanned the bottom 2 bolts with some extra to be cut off later.
3. Clamped the 12'' piece in the vice and headed the metal with a torch, then using a creasant wrench twisted the metal 90 degrees.
4. Reaped step 3 for the other side. then cut it down to length.
5. Cut a 2'' notch out of the vertical piece that goes to the brake light to allow the antenna to stand straight without a bend.
6 Drilled my holes for mounting and the Antenna mount,
7. Added notches so it would lay flush up against the tire carrier.
8. Once installed add a ziptie around the tire carrier and you will not have a problem with it bouncing around and hitting the window. (Mine are black white was temporary)
9. Remove Paint and Replace
10. Done!!

I may have to add a ground wire but am not sure where to run it back too as there arnt any grounds in that immediate area.







-david

Sorry for it being so non detailed, if you have questions or want some more pictures just ask.

 

How's your SWR? I'd be concerned about having that much metal around the antenna, and its effect on the SWR.

 

I will admit it is not to great, however I only use it when on the trails so it does its job just fine. Any ideas on how to make it better tho??

 

Took the words right out of my mouth....

 

You didn't say how "not great" it is......is it not great meaning around 2 +/-, or is it not great as in....burn up your radio not great....???

If it was me I'd put an extension on that mount and get it up above the spare tire. That "should" help the swrs. But that's just me, as I always want my antenna to be as high as I can get it.

 

If the radio is meeting your needs, and the SWR is safe for the radio (let's say below 2.0), then maybe just live with the reduced range/performance. If you want to improve performance, mounting the antenna away from all of that metal should help. If you want it centered, could you make an L-bracket similar to mine work by mounting it to the neck part of the third light assembly? Here's my bracket (hats off to TORN, from whom I stole this idea) ...

 

problem with mounting it on the 3rd brake light bracket is that it would put it too close to the window and I dont want to risk that.

As soon as I get my new antenna I will find someone who has and knows how to use a SWR meter to help me out.

 

It's your radio.....or burnt up crap in a box. Either way, it's yours.

 

Sounds like a good plan. I'm guessing you're probably going to be okay, just not getting the kind of performance you might like. And, in hilly terrain, short range comes up a lot more quickly. And, though we think of high SWR in terms of transmit, it's also an indicator of reduced receiver performance. But, if your SWR is too high, it can kill the radio--that's because a high percentage of the RF your radio is sending out to the antenna is coming right back into it. That RF energy has to go somewhere and, once it hits your radio, it will turn into heat that can burn things up (not literally a fire--it'll just stop working).

 

Unbelievably after I removed the tuning screw in the top the CB is tuned Perfectly, we had a perfect match on channel 40!!
-david