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Old May 19th 09, 02:42 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
[email protected] nm5k@wt.net is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 757
Default Maximum Antenna Height on a Vehicle

On May 18, 1:28*pm, Cecil Moore wrote:


For one of the CA 75m shootouts that I prepared for,
I had a white PVC pipe extending up about 9 feet from
the tool box on my pickup.


On the truck with the highest antenna mount, "64 inches
from the ground", my 11 ft tall antenna is 16.3 inches at
the tip. In the parked mode with the extra 3 ft mast extension,
it's at 19.3 inches. And the loading coil is 8 ft above the
base.
The other truck has a lower mount which is maybe 1.5-2 ft lower
at the base of the antenna. It's mount is on top of the utility
bed side tops which are tool boxes, and fairly wide.
The first truck has the mount up on the cab just a few inches
below the roof.
But.. I've been trying to sell that truck..
But I could place the mount at the same place on the other
one if I really wanted to. I might once the other one is gone.
One thing.. my antenna sways back a bit at speed, so I
can clear objects lower than the actual antenna height if I'm
going fast enough. The most seen problem is whacking
trees in residential areas.. I have the mount on the drivers
side, and I still have to dodge some of the trees. Some
I can't dodge, so I hear the "whack".. But the top 5 ft is
thin flexible whip, so no big deal.
I don't think I've ever noticed hitting a bridge or overpass.
I've still been too chicken to try to mount an antenna on
my Corolla... Not too many ways to go, and most all
of them will end up buggering up the car before it's over
with.