CK5
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Where to mount antenna?
- Thread starter 84 K5 4x4
- Start date
Mike's '84
Registered Member
I had to have the spring and ball look on the driver side rear panel about 2&1/2 inches in front of the SILVERADO badge. I was thinking permanent mount so I reluctantly drilled a 1 inch hole in her...
Ran the coax up under the carpet...the SWR match comes out at a1.1 with a five ft. Francis whip
Ran the coax up under the carpet...the SWR match comes out at a1.1 with a five ft. Francis whip
10ft whip...........
BigEasy
1/2 ton status
Mike's '84 said:
Hey, is this Calamco Mike?????
As high as you can. Personally I like a long whip antenna, you can secure it, remove it, and it's tall enough that the rig doesn't block signal in most any direction.
roadnotca
3/4 ton status
Or you could use a mag-mount. Stick it on the largest piece of horizontal sheet metal. On a K5, the hood is your biggest Ground Plane.
lochenjons
1/2 ton status
This is what I did..., only works without top obviously
Its on a mount thats for door jams, and it folds back if I want it to. Actaully you could do it with the top on, it sticks out enough that it would work, the way mine is tho I had to move it out more. I bolted it thru the hardtop bolt hole
Its on a mount thats for door jams, and it folds back if I want it to. Actaully you could do it with the top on, it sticks out enough that it would work, the way mine is tho I had to move it out more. I bolted it thru the hardtop bolt hole
Here's mine. I fabbed up this mount out of 1/8th inch steel. Cool part is it tucks the mounting hardware to the body in the tailgate door jamb. With a 5ft fiberglass antenna and spring combo, aluminum L-bracket from a mirror mount kit the assembly has little to no flex. The spring takes most of the movement. I've got High SWR readings at 40, due to me being a dufus and painting the bracket. I need to add a short ground strap. Plus I have too short of Coax so I'll have to get an 18ft cable and recheck everything again.
Cable is routed through the taillight opening into the back of the tub. The lense was cleranced to allow the cable to pass bywithout pinching.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246128&stc=1&d=1172423383
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246130&stc=1&d=1172423383
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246140&stc=1&d=1172424804
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246141&stc=1&d=1172424804
Cable is routed through the taillight opening into the back of the tub. The lense was cleranced to allow the cable to pass bywithout pinching.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246128&stc=1&d=1172423383
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246130&stc=1&d=1172423383
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246140&stc=1&d=1172424804
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=246141&stc=1&d=1172424804
W7NB
1/2 ton status
Hood mounts for me!
While the ultimate mount would be center of the cab roof, I have already bashed two antennas on branches mounting there. Use a hood mount like the one's you see in my picture and a good 5/8 wave antenna. With the spring you can beat the snot out of em and they just keep going. I patterned mine with a $$$$ signal meter and found they had good signal in all directions except to the right rear, where they were down about 5db.
Course if someones behind me I don't want to talk with them anyway
While the ultimate mount would be center of the cab roof, I have already bashed two antennas on branches mounting there. Use a hood mount like the one's you see in my picture and a good 5/8 wave antenna. With the spring you can beat the snot out of em and they just keep going. I patterned mine with a $$$$ signal meter and found they had good signal in all directions except to the right rear, where they were down about 5db.
Course if someones behind me I don't want to talk with them anyway
Mine is mounted in the center front of my roof.
njonl
1/2 ton status
cbbr said:
How did you run the coax to the CB ? I have a magnet K40 but I'm trying to find a way to make it look somewhat clean. Thanks!
Im no cb expert but I have heard the best place is the roof (the half cab part) did that to a buddys k5 and used a short little 2 ft attenna, it worked great
I drilled a hole through the roof to mount the antenna.
pauly383
Daddy383
cbbr said:
Both antennas , 3 bands , all in the roof .
I did the magnet mount Wilson for 6 months and hated the coax running in through the top , and had MaxPF bring over some hole saws . Coax under the headliner , under the sail panels ( do they call them sail panels in trucks ???? ) , under the door sill , under the carpet , and right to the radio .
My truck came with an NMO already , so its a no brainer that my ham antenna went there . I used to have a CB there until 2005 on an adapter .
Center of the roof is fine for you 76 and up guys. Mounting an antenna to the roof of a 73-75 or first gen isn't as easy. you would have to run with a no-ground plane antenna for a boat or RV.
I'd go with the roof if I had a half cab. But mine is a 75 so I had to get creative. I previously ran a mirror mount, but between the many boo-boos I made on that install and the short antenna its no wonder the reception sucked. I hit all the main mistakes on that first install. I never tuned the antenna, I Ran the coax poorly with the leftover cable coiled up neat under the seat. I've still got 2ft clear over the roof with my new setup. Once I ground it better and add the longer coax cable I should be doing better.
I'd go with the roof if I had a half cab. But mine is a 75 so I had to get creative. I previously ran a mirror mount, but between the many boo-boos I made on that install and the short antenna its no wonder the reception sucked. I hit all the main mistakes on that first install. I never tuned the antenna, I Ran the coax poorly with the leftover cable coiled up neat under the seat. I've still got 2ft clear over the roof with my new setup. Once I ground it better and add the longer coax cable I should be doing better.
pauly383
Daddy383
On a first gen , I'd say fender/hood mount like W7NB .
As for your cable being too long . You take the excess and make nice circular loops and tape it up , works as an RF choke . And is what your supposed to do with excess cable on the right length of coax
As for your cable being too long . You take the excess and make nice circular loops and tape it up , works as an RF choke . And is what your supposed to do with excess cable on the right length of coax
AFUFO
1/2 ton status
Im screwed all the way around.
1: Powerlines over my driveway, no way in hell or heaven i would be able to run even a wilson 1000 mag mount on a lifted truck, the w1000 on our stock z71 makes me nervous as it is, which is why i only run the antenna occasionally.
2: My k5 has a sunroof in the half-cab.. no options for roof mount!
Id like to put a 102' whip on the rear bumper or put an L-mount onto the k5's tailgate crack.. but as i said, powerlines.
With a 102, would there be any problem with bending it over and attaching it to the front like those millitary hummers/jeeps do? i wonder what my SWRs would be..probably pretty crappy.
with a 102' whip, is a ground plane needed if i used it on bumper? Wouldnt be worried about it hitting trees as they are pretty flexy...but powerlines would be a problem.
1: Powerlines over my driveway, no way in hell or heaven i would be able to run even a wilson 1000 mag mount on a lifted truck, the w1000 on our stock z71 makes me nervous as it is, which is why i only run the antenna occasionally.
2: My k5 has a sunroof in the half-cab.. no options for roof mount!
Id like to put a 102' whip on the rear bumper or put an L-mount onto the k5's tailgate crack.. but as i said, powerlines.
With a 102, would there be any problem with bending it over and attaching it to the front like those millitary hummers/jeeps do? i wonder what my SWRs would be..probably pretty crappy.
with a 102' whip, is a ground plane needed if i used it on bumper? Wouldnt be worried about it hitting trees as they are pretty flexy...but powerlines would be a problem.
pauly383
Daddy383
Drive out of driveway , thread antenna on , wheel , stop before driveway upon returning , unthread antenna . No power line hitting in your driveway .
AFUFO
1/2 ton status
Yeah thought about that.. might be my only option.
Maybe i could also make a locking 2 position mount so i can aim it towards the front when parking it..maybe rest it on the mirror when parked.
Ill check around see what i can find to do it.
Maybe i could also make a locking 2 position mount so i can aim it towards the front when parking it..maybe rest it on the mirror when parked.
Ill check around see what i can find to do it.
BigEasy
1/2 ton status
AFUFO said:
Be careful not to ground out the antenna by touching it to the mirror. As for the mount you're talking about, they make a locking swivel mount that operates similar to a female air hose fitting. Lets you fold the antenna down 90 degrees to a horizontal position for clearance, or locks in the vertical position.
