What to do with my Antennas (1 Viewer)

[Volcano cruiser]

My rig is my DD in the city during the week and my trail warrior on the weekend. I run a quad band Yaesu FT-8900R for Ham and a Cobra 29WXNWST CB when on the trail. (some folks in my clubs use either) Living in the city presents challenges for when those with large antennas encounter office building garages, drive thrus etc. So I need to store the antennas during the week but I want them close at hand in the rig and not on a shelf in the house. Eventually I will run a roll cage and will have more places to mount stuff in the rig but for now I have tried zip ties, and bungees and they aren't great, too much rattling around. I really like this solution that I saw in another thread:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/5121147-post25.html

but I'd like to open it up and see what other great ideas folks have for storing antennas in their rigs.
Thanks,
John

 

[1911]

CB antenna is stored in the shop and never goes on unless I am going on a group run where I know that's all others in the group have.

For my Kenwood TM-D710A ham radio, I made an NMO mount on the spare tire carrier so I just switch out antennas for town or trail. If parking or overhead clearance is a problem, I run either a Comet SBB-1 dual-band or a Sti-Co Flexiwhip cut for 2M, neither of which stick above the roof line. Otherwise I just leave a Larsen 1/2-wave on all the time. Either of the short 1/4-wave antennas will fit in a tool box so I always have one with me if I need to stop and put one on to fit into a parking garage or something - it takes about 20 seconds tops to change out antennas on the NMO mount.

NMO mount:

Both antennas on:

 

[PAToyota]

I really like this solution that I saw in another thread:
IH8MUD.com - View Single Post - HAM and CB install Questions

Reading your question, my first thought was a piece of PVC with screw in caps at each end (or at least one end) and a bit of foam to hold the antenna in place.

Not sure that you can do much better than that for the price!

 

[Vanisljoe]

I just leave mine on. I have a Larsen 5' whip mounted on the driver's side hood and if I go into an underground parkade I just grab it and hold onto it until I park and when I'm leaving I do the same until I'm out of the parkade. They take a real beating so I'm not worried about breaking it.

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Well guys thanks for the ideas. I did the PVC pipe/with foam fill solution. My only modification was to put a fixed cap on one end and a screw cap on the other. Worked great Now I´m going to temp mount them close to the floor until I get a roll cage when I´ll mount them higher.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Well guys thanks for the ideas. I did the PVC pipe/with foam fill solution. My only modification was to put a fixed cap on one end and a screw cap on the other. Worked great Now I´m going to temp mount them close to the floor until I get a roll cage when I´ll mount them higher.

It probably isn't clear in my post but I also use one fixed and one screw cap. Another thing I didn't mention is that I used brake and parts cleaner instead of ABS cement, it worked so well I can't get the cap off.

After I posted that picture I received a copy of QST that had a sidebar with the exact same set-up. That guy used multiple antennas (ham sticks) for different bands and marked the band of the antenna on the outside of each tube.

 

[Volcano cruiser]

It probably isn't clear in my post but I also use one fixed and one screw cap. Another thing I didn't mention is that I used brake and parts cleaner instead of ABS cement, it worked so well I can't get the cap off.

After I posted that picture I received a copy of QST that had a sidebar with the exact same set-up. That guy used multiple antennas (ham sticks) for different bands and marked the band of the antenna on the outside of each tube.

Another great idea. I'm a little backed in reading recent editions of QST with work and all so I guess that I missed it. Thanks.