How to mount the CB/Radio up above the front window

[GMAs]

Hi new to the blog here. Just got a new Ford E350 wag and was wondering how you all mount the antenna through the roof and to the radio up between the two sunvisors. Is their a good way to do this. I am going to mount the Icom 706 remote w/mic up their but will use a headset that plugs into the radio mounted under the seat.

Thanks for the advise

[BroncoHauler]

You had a funky link merged together with a word on the bottom of your original post. Tried to fix it but it ended up just being a link to a new post, so I ended up deleting it instead. If you intended some additional info or a question, please re-post that info.


Herb

[GMAs]

thanks for the help... new here... and interested in finding info on the vans for mounting the radios. I saw one at the RV show and the owner said that the Antenna was installed by others ... which is mounted similar to what I see in others pictures ... so makes me wonder if their is a plan or standard that someone is using to mount the radio's .. etc...

thanks again

[charlie56]

Originally Posted by GMAs

Hi new to the blog here. Just got a new Ford E350 wag and was wondering how you all mount the antenna through the roof and to the radio up between the two sunvisors. Is their a good way to do this. I am going to mount the Icom 706 remote w/mic up their but will use a headset that plugs into the radio mounted under the seat.

Thanks for the advise

I am assuming you are just talking about the UHF/VHF side of your 706.

Pretty simple really. This is what i did.
Drill a hole smack dab in the middle of the roof right above the courtesy light. It sure is a tough thing to do, but... Mount the antenna with a NMO fitting. (I used a Larsons, never had a leak problem.) Run the coax above the headliner to the windshield. You will need to remove the SMB overhead shelf to get access to the coax above the headliner.

I have a FT8800 with the remote head mounted to the overhead. The radio is mounted behind the drivers seat. I ran a mic chord over to the "A" pillar" then down to the doghouse so I would not have a mic chord dangling down in front of me all the time.

I am not sure if I would mount the remote on the center of the overhead if I was to do it again. It isn't the easiest thing in the world to change settings while seated, let alone when driving. A more ergonomically placement would be better IMO. With a 706 you will have more things to look at an adjust than my FT8800. Also, your arm is going to get tired and it is hard to grab the right dial when you are on a bumpy road.

I have a little Kenwood 2m radio that is strictly for APRS. I built a custom bracket on the drivers side fender to mimic the passenger side AM antenna. Mounted a small Commet B-10 there. If you are queezy about drilling a hole in the roof, you might want to think about this as an alternative. Even with the small B-10 antenna, I can hit most of the repeaters.

I also have a Icom 7000, but only use the HF side when it is in the SMB and only then when it is parked. I have a High Sierra 1800 screwdriver mounted to the Aluminus box in the back. Works great.

Let me know if you have any other questions about mounting.

[GMAs]

Charlie...

thanks for the info... I also was kinda wondering if it would be better to have the remote head mounted a little lower than across the top of the windshield. Was looking tonight at the doghouse.. 2008 E350... and it seems that just below the factory radio nothing exists except a space. Now that might be a option. Of course looking at the under side of the visor as a place right in front of the drivers look up area... and angle the remote head on a downward tilt so as to help see it better. Still looking at the options as to where to put the remote head.. but your right bouncing down the road.. you WONT get to put your hands on it... to move the knobs. Best to have them freq's pre-programed into the memory and just use the up down switch to get to 'em. Then again once your on freq... you have a tendency to stay their while in motion.

As to the HF antenna...

I was in on the internet (skype) with several friends from down under... and they all say the HF antennas on their land rovers are on the front... might be a option to put it on the guard off on the left side... for the HF and VHF/UHF (hustler dual band whip) on the right side... might look a little like a catapiller going down the road .. but, what ever works... grin...

Thanks again for the info and pic... it is worth 1000 words for sure... GM>

[jage]

Keep in mind the hood is fiberglass, and the roof is mostly cut out... not sure how much that affects your base ground plane, but I thought that was the reason for top roof mount rather than height.

For the record, my CB only goes over the cab, down the drivers A pillar and out the fender. Care should be used when reattaching the sun visors... I put a screw through the wire once... d'Oh!

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by jage

For the record, my CB only goes over the cab, down the drivers A pillar and out the fender. Care should be used when reattaching the sun visors... I put a screw through the wire once... d'Oh!

BTW, there's also the sensor for the alarm fob signal in the upper driver's side corner of the windshield, and I managed to honk up that connector when removing or installing the A-pillar cover one time.


Herb

[GMAs]

Jage... been their and done that on more than just the van... grin... so your not alone...


No we have the factory roof.. its metal... and no pop top... didn't want that this time... as we had it on the VW.. and it was miserable in the elements... as we don't plan on living inside the van.. its more just a bedroom/storage place... kinda thing...

No the radio doesn't really look at the height of the antenna... but as you said rather the ground plane that it works against.. after all the part that extends up is only half of the antenna... the other half is in the ground plane that the metal (body parts) or radials make... 8 ft higher is not going to make that much of a difference for range... unlike the cell phone.. that has a poor antenna built in... and uses your body as part of the antenna... when you hold on to it...
Rubber ducky.. ants for hand helds are about as good as a piece of bailing wire that is 2 ft long... again the body of the radio uses your hand/body as the ground plane.. and all that RF.. well are you getting excited...yet???

I didn't know the hood was fiberglass... have to check on that.. with a magnet... to see... speaking of magnets... right now we are using a larson NMO mag mount for the hustler 2/440 antenna...

Sticking it up on the top side in the middle keeps little fingers from getting to it.. grin... as well as it makes a better ground plane due to the roof sheet metal... so we have found...

I had a converstaion with Allen ...K0BG.. (K0bg.com) a noted ham on mobile antennas and we discussed the mounting of the HF antenna on the rear or front of the Van... seems that each have their own pro's and con's.. but... it appears that it is more a preferance to personal likes... as well as up front you don't have as much protection from hitting things.. but it is closer to the radio and wire'n would be less... although he felt that a couple of feet difference would not be anything...

Still doing research on the subject... and looking for suggestions... GM>

[charlie56]

Originally Posted by jage

Keep in mind the hood is fiberglass, and the roof is mostly cut out... not sure how much that affects your base ground plane, but I thought that was the reason for top roof mount rather than height.

In '08 (I think) Ford switched to a steel hood. Either that or they found a way to magnetize fiberglass.

[GMAs]

Ya I took a mag out and checked mine too.. and it sticks.. only the windstar that I have is fiberglass hood...

Still checking on the reasion why no one in the US mounts the antennas up front... I was asking a friend of mine that is on the truck web... and he said that when the camper is on the PU that its about all that you can put UHF/VHF antenna on. He has made a bracket so that the NMO mount fits between the hood and the body using some of the bolts for the fender attachment. Claims that it works good for him. CB on one side and the ham 2/440 on the other... says also that the 440 ant works good for the FRS hand helds.. instead of the rubber duck that it came with.

He also suggested that the remote head for the 706 or later.. be mounted on a velcro stick on that would go on top of the dash center. Claims that if you have one of them dashboard protectors the velcro will stick to it anyplace you put the remote head with a angle plate. That way you can see it without taking your eyes off the roadway. He has his so that the remote head is their and the mic and headset works through the blue tooth ... comes out through the sat input to the dash radio.... on a FM radio freq... sooo will have to explore that option too as the one we have also has the inputs too... Still looking at my options... before I start putting holes in things... grin