Mag mount antenna for a Baofeng HT? (1 Viewer)

[ChaseTruck]

Any recommendations for a mobile antenna for a Baofeng HT - I'm thinking a magnetic mount for the roof of the truck?
I have the NA-771 on it now, range from within the truck for a successful simplex transmission seems a bit under 2 miles (terrain was fairly hilly, very little line-of-sight). At this point I don't want a fixed antenna mount for that particular truck, and I'm not at the point where I want a regular mobile 2m radio, either. But I wouldn't mind getting a bit more out of the handheld unit.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Mag Mount antennas work great with HT's, one guy in our club ran a VX-7R with a mag mount until he committed to a mobile ham radio. I did one trip through Rubicon with a similar set up and was able to hit repeaters and got decent range on simplex. I use this antenna
Comet Antennas M-24S | GigaParts

That said isn't there some kind of gender issue with the Baofeng antenna connector?

 

[surfpig]

Mag Mount antennas work great with HT's, one guy in our club ran a VX-7R with a mag mount until he committed to a mobile ham radio. I did one trip through Rubicon with a similar set up and was able to hit repeaters and got decent range on simplex. I use this antenna
Comet Antennas M-24S | GigaParts

That said isn't there some kind of gender issue with the Baofeng antenna connector?

I think there's an adapter cable for that. I remember looking into that briefly a while back before I got distracted and wandered off somewhere.

 

[chap79]

The Baofeng uses a SMA female antenna if memory serves me correctly. You would need to purchase either an adapter or pigtail that is the appropriate type for the mag mount you choose. If there is a HAM Radio Outlet near your location you can stop by and they will get you all hooked up.

 

[Kofoed]

Use can get the sma/uhf connector to hook it up to a regular mag mount antenna. I like a 1/2 wave length on 2m antenna. When you get sick of using an HT in the vehicle, you can use the antenna with the mobile radio.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Diamond 770 + 6" mag mount incoming from HRO

 

[ChaseTruck]

Well. I can see how this is going to be awkward really quick when it's in the truck...

Haven't been able to tilt the antenna so far, didn't want to apply undue force. And perhaps I misunderstood the listing in the Diamond product list, but that magnet is certainly not 6 1/2 inches across.

 

[Kofoed]

To tilt the antenna, you pull up on the whip at the base (where it attaches to the larger diameter piece), then fold. You can add a speaker mic to place the HT in the console. You are just getting started on why an HT sucks for a mobile application. Don't kink that coax!!!

 

[Dragos80]

I use one off ebay for $30
"TRAM 1185FSMA DUAL BAND 144/444 MAG MOUNT"

 

[ChaseTruck]

I'll put the whole set on/in the truck on the weekend, and see...

The 'pulling up' part is giving me trouble with tilting the antenna - nothing seems to want to move. Perhaps it's due to the black paint on the unit.

 

[Kofoed]

It is a tapered fit.

In your second picture, follow the whip down to the set screws. 1-2 inches below the set screws, that slight change in O.D. is the tapered joint. That is where it comes apart--it's spring loaded

 

[ChaseTruck]

It is a tapered fit.

In your second picture, follow the whip down to the set screws. 1-2 inches below the set screws, that slight change in O.D. is the tapered joint. That is where it comes apart--it's spring loaded

Thanks for the explanation; that confirms what I gathered from the paperwork that came with the antenna. Description sez you just lift it up with your fingertips; maybe I need to work out some more to improve my grip strength... maybe I'll look for chemical help tomorrow.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Ok. Antenna on the roof - no go, sheetmetal of the K5 Blazer too flimsy, and where we were going today, the antenna wouldn't have survived up there anyways. So it went on the hood, passenger side, near the windshield. Still a precarious position re tree branches/brush. Managed to crunch the coax as well during the setup (the K5 did that, I swear...). May have to put this in the center of the hood to get it out of jeopardy, or acquire/build a spring-loaded mount.

On the positive side, I was able to hit a local repeater from 17 miles away, and had a nice conversation. But since I'm not a 'true' HAM, I don't have a notebook where I record contacts and/or call signs. It was line-of-sight to the mountain top where the repeater is located, but really not too shabby for a HT.

Oh, and once the antenna had seen a bit of Arizona heat, the 'hinge' on the antenna became functional without applying undue force.

 

[Dragos80]

In respect to line of sight, the Baofeng should have no issues hitting that repeater with it's own short rubber antenna.
4W of transmit power seems stupid low, but somehow it's not.

 

[ChaseTruck]

In respect to line of sight, the Baofeng should have no issues hitting that repeater with it's own short rubber antenna. 4W of transmit power seems stupid low, but somehow it's not.

Perhaps, but I've never been able to do so before, if not from the exact spot, but close. With the stock stubby, or with the NA-771, no dice, reception ok, transmission signal enough to tickle the repeater, but not enough to communicate.

Having two radios going in the truck is sorta confusing. Good thing my wife doesn't talk to me on the CB ...

 

[Dragos80]

In that case, I don't know if I just got lucky or what, but I hit a repeater 39 miles away with the rubber ducky from my bedroom behind the window.
39 miles as measured by google maps. No amp, just stock Baofeng handheld UV-5RV2+.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Well, so much for that experiment. I didn't expect that mag mount to let go so quickly at contact with a tree branch. The antenna gave the coax cable quite a pull, and may have damaged the radio itself. Good thing this was just an HT.
I need to think about a fixed antenna mount, probably on the front bumper towards the center of the truck.

I'm tempted to send the mag mount back to HRO, with a note asking them to properly recycle the unit.

 

[Dragos80]

Use a spring between the mount and the antenna.
If you want to consider a different location, maybe in the back (see yodatech), but still use a spring. A 5/8 antenna should be OK in that location.
Rear Antenna / Light Mount PASSENGER SIDE - FJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser Lexus LX450

 

[Kofoed]

Well, so much for that experiment. I didn't expect that mag mount to let go so quickly at contact with a tree branch. The antenna gave the coax cable quite a pull, and may have damaged the radio itself. Good thing this was just an HT.
I need to think about a fixed antenna mount, probably on the front bumper towards the center of the truck.

I'm tempted to send the mag mount back to HRO, with a note asking them to properly recycle the unit.

Sorry to hear that. You should have used the fold-over feature of the antenna....and run low power. You should check continuity of the center conductor.....wiggle the connectors while testing


You could have also used the stock HT antenna if the comm range needed is not far. Check out the Comet SSB-1 ducky antenna. It has a negative gain, but who cares for close range.

This is a bit , but I have run my antenna mounted INSIDE the vehicle when in heavy trees. It is a half wave like yours, with no real ground of the antenna required. I run low/mid power, due to RF exposure concerns.

 

[ChaseTruck]

OK - Plan B.

Firestik fender mount (which has worked well for the CB antenna on that truck) - Firestik medium spring (which we had happen to lay around, not quite sure why...) - chunk of aluminum with a few holes - PL259 male/male adapter - RG8 cable. Do I need an RF choke?