GMRS & CB Antenna Mount & Location (1 Viewer)

[bonestock]

During the quarantine I’ve been working on some radio installs in my 97 LX450. I decided I didn’t want to study for the HAM license and, instead, opted for GMRS and CB. Link to products are below.

I am using a Gamiviti DS NMO Mount for the GMRS and have the Massive Metal Shop hood hinge mounts for both sides.

I’ve decided that I don’t really like these MMS mounts as a location to add lights but will use it for the pending CB antenna install.

My question is about where to mount the antennas. Can they be close together or should I have one on each side of the hood.

GMRS MXT275 MicroMobile® Two-Way Radio | Midland USA

CB

Cobra 75 All Road

Wireless CB Radio with Digital Noise Cancellation. Legacy reborn, 75 WX ST.

www.cobra.com

Antenna Brackets

Antenna Brackets — Gamiviti

www.gamiviti.com

Products – Page 2 – M M S

This is where you can add new products to your store.

www.massivemetalshop.com

 

[WB8LBZ]

If it were me, I would try to put them on opposite sides of the hood.

Larry in El Paso

 

[1911]

My question is about where to mount the antennas. Can they be close together or should I have one on each side of the hood.

If it were me, I would try to put them on opposite sides of the hood.

I'm with Larry on this one. You would not want the two antennas to touch when transmitting on either one, even with the low wattage of cb and GMRS. It may not be a large probability, but antennas will flex on the trail; no reason to tempt fate.

 

[bonestock]

10-4. I have already decided to sell the MMS mounts and I ordered a Gamiviti Antenna Bracket for the PS. Out of curiosity, would could happen if the antennas touched while transmitting?

 

[1911]

Out of curiosity, would could happen if the antennas touched while transmitting?

Power surge could burn out the finals in the radio.

 

[bonestock]

My next question is more about aesthetics than anything else. Please let me know your preference for either the Gamiviti Mount (Driver Side) or the MMS Mount (Passenger Side). The MMS mounts move with the hood and the Gamiviti mounts are stationary.

 

[WB8LBZ]

My 2 cents, I would mount them both on the fender.

Larry in El Paso

 

[e9999]

How much transmitted power do you lose if you only have half a ground plane? Or maybe more relevant, is it possible that your transmissions become much more directional that way? (I am under the impression that you will transmit mostly in the direction of the half ground plane. )

(Nice to have 50W on GMRS, but CB... well....)

added: come to think of it, maybe you don't lose anything but rather gain power in a specific direction that would otherwise be wasted? That would be OK. But still better to have a full ground plane in that case too. And if it's on the roof instead of the hood you are higher so get a bit more range too.

 

[Dragos80]

GMRS should be a lot more common now that we have more radio options and access to more channels.
No more HAM bs but using pretty much the same 70cm-ish band.
One license, 30 users (or more).

 

[e9999]

I do run a scan every so often on FRS and GMRS frequencies out of curiosity and it is extremely rare that I hear anything. It could be that that's because I'm not in the middle of a city, but that suggests there are relatively few higher power GMRS radios used out there. At least in my area. Good if you plan to use one, of course.

True of MURS as well and no need for a fee license there AFAIK.

Either one makes these dirt cheap questionable chinese radios attractive, of course.

 

[NT5A]

Most likely you would blow the receiver in the non-transmitting radio. Best to separate the antennas to reduce overloading the receiver of the non-transmitting radio when you transmit with the other. Same is probably true about your entertainment radio antenna as well. I once had 7 antennas on the roof of my Datsun 510 wagon with no problems. But the antennas were spaced as widely as possible.