Advice on style, where should I mount my Ham radio antenna

Unknown

I'm going to install my ham radio in the driver's side glove box on my '48 Super Six. This way it will be hidden, along with other modern electronics I'm installing.



But I have to mount my antenna someplace. It should be as high as possible, but in the case of my Hudson, I'll trade ideal transmitting capability for style.



I'm installing a duel band (2meter / 70cm) antenna, I don't think it has to be very long.



What did people do in the 40s? How can I preserve the look of my car?



I will probably end up drilling a hole in the center, just above the trunk, and mount it there. It will kind of match the AM antenna in symmetry. I wonder if I can mount it next to the AM antenna somehow.



Anyway... let me know what you think.



-Chris



Here's a pic from the rear for ideas.



http://zorak.chrishull.com/public/Hudson24Sept2006/rear1.jpg

53jetman

I would be inclined to make some sort of bracket that would allow me to mount the antenna off of the bumper bracket of the rear bumber or bumper guard - thus eliminating the necessity of a hole in the sheet metal of the car.



Jerry

53jetman

SuperDave

Well... First of all. 2 meters sure wasn't use in the forties and fifties. The low frequency bands used the whip antenna with the ball and spring mount and big laoding coils usually attached at the back bumper unless it was a commercial vehicle and then the big hole was punched in the roof or deck lid. I think I would opt for the top edge of the deck lid. In front of the deck lid won't work because the lid would hit the antenna when opened. My 49 four door has a primer spot in the upper deck lid due to the previous owners CB antenna. Ugh! I would not put it close to the original antenna due to the directional effect the original antenna might have. Happy motoring, EX- WA4NZL & 7W1734

DaveW Fl

RL Chilton

53jetman wrote:

I would be inclined to make some sort of bracket that would allow me to mount the antenna off of the bumper bracket of the rear bumber or bumper guard - thus eliminating the necessity of a hole in the sheet metal of the car.



Jerry

53jetman

I agree. Why put a hole in the sheetmetal? BUT, if you do decide to go in the car itself, the front fender would work better than the rear for the reason mentioned above. Although, I think looks would suffer.

Unknown

I think the upper deck lid might look best, and will be sufficiently high as to not have the car itself block transmission. I'll see about some sort of edge mount before drilling a hole. Hopefully I can find a nice chrome colored mount and and antenna.



Thanks;

-Chris

vmike

Since both 2 meter and 440 radios work through repeaters the placement isn't that critical unless you're working from a fringe area. A couple of ideas I've thought about for my pacemaker are; modifying the radio antenna for a dual band antenna that I could flip up for use, place the antenna on the package tray in front of the rear glass, (used to see this done on unmarked state patrol cars in the 70s) and probably the easiest and actually tested method is to make up a bumper mounted whip antenna 79" total length. I've even considered an electric antenna that would lift to 79". I have ham and emergency service radios in every vehicle I own and I'm generally adverse to drilling a hole in a car so I've used all sorts of methods even window clip, magnet mount and gutter clip, but the cable through the door is a hassle.



mike

hudsontech

My dad, W1DAY, had a rig in his car - with a whip antenna - back in the late 40's, 50's and 60's.

Only problem was if he forgot to bend it down to clear the ceiling in parking garages all you heard was wangy, wangy, wangy - with a few pops as it broke flourescent light bulbs. If you didn't stop in time.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Unknown

Heh, never gave my call. KI6MOM



-Chris

7XPacemaker

Stylish and HAM radio just don't go together. Especially on a Hudson. Seeing a HAM radio antenna on any car makes it look like a bumper car at an amusement park.

Sarah Young

7XPacemaker wrote:

Stylish and HAM radio just don't go together. Especially on a Hudson. Seeing a HAM radio antenna on any car makes it look like a bumper car at an amusement park.

Unless you've got something like a 1977 T-Top Trans-Am... Being raised in the pager / cell phone era, I guess I just don't appreciate that older "technology". Course, if they come up with a voice-activated blue tooth HAM, lol...

Unknown

Hi, ever think about a magnetic base for it you can put it where it works best?